How This One Part Could Be Ruining Your Engine

A good vehicle needs good fuel, but it doesn’t just stop there. As cars advance in this day and age, parts such as fuel injectors need cleaner fuel than they used to. Fuel commonly contains small amounts of contaminants, most notably solid particles both small and large. Dirt, asphaltines, and rust particles can do damage to the functioning parts of vehicles over time and generally reduce performance by building up in fuel lines. These contaminants enter fuel via vents and surfaces that are improperly sealed and fuel tanks that are deteriorating. Unfortunately, this is a common issue among fuel sources and unavoidable unless you are able to service your own fuel tanks and fuel system parts regularly. Thankfully, all diesel fuel system components include fuel filters.

The second largest fuel used in California respectively is Diesel, which makes up about 17% of fuel sales. A lot of this fuel is unfortunately dirty, which is where fuel filters come into play. This heavily important diesel fuel system parts can save your engine over time, so that you do not have to worry about unnecessary extra maintenance. Diesel provides 12% more energy than gasoline, and is generally healthier for engines in the long run. This is why diesel is the best choice for large and heavy duty vehicles. So why not further extend the lifetime of your vehicle by doing maintenance on fuel filters?


How often should you replace fuel filters? Replacement schedule depends on the type of car, and how old it is. Older cars have placed a guideline of generally replacing the filter every 2 years or up to 30,000 miles. Newer vehicles can push up to 60,000 to 90,000 miles without needing a replacement. However, experts advise against never replacing the filter before 100,000 miles due to the other fuel injecting mechanisms failing by to the flow. A fuel pressure test at the mechanic can help you determine whether or not it needs to be replaced yet. The owner’s manual of your vehicle can help you determine what you’ll need to do for fuel filters.

There are a few signs of an expired or clogged fuel filter. While these are good guidelines, they are not always a for sure diagnosis. Make sure to take your car in if it’s exhibiting any of these signs.

1. Engine stalling while accelerating on an incline. This is sometimes due to a clogged filter impeding the immediate flow of fuel.

2. Engine misfire with heavy load. Fuel injectors will unevenly distribute extra fuel being fed into them, resulting in a misfire while moving or going on an incline.

3. Reduced engine power. This is simply due to a lack of fuel getting through to the fuel injectors via dirty fuel filter. This may be accompanied by a “check engine” light, directly caused by the engine control unit restricting the engine due to the detected issue.

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