You may not think much of the shelf lined with fuel filters at your local auto parts and supply store, but it is one of the most important parts of your engine. Some people don’t pay much attention to the fuel filter in their cars, when in fact maintaining and replacing the fuel filter is one of the easiest parts of regular auto maintenance. Much of your car’s efficiency and performance revolves around clean fuel delivered to your engine. How fuel filters work, the types of fuel filters, and how to replace fuel filters, are all important things that any car owner or novice mechanic should know.
Why Filter Fuel?
Oil refineries and petroleum distilleries formulate gasoline and diesel to contain a very minimum amount of contaminants, impurities, and other small solid particles. While fuel is relatively clean and free from impurities after distillation, tankers and containers can introduce contaminants into the fuel during transportation. Even the smallest amount of solid impurities that flow inside your fuel tank can reduce performance and cause big problems in the long run. Here are reasons why filtering fuel is important:
Contaminated fuel. In many fuel pumps and holding tanks, the solid impurities in the fuel float to the top or settle to the bottom depending on the density. When the fuel is pumped into your car, some of these solid particles can make their way into your fuel line, and cause problems like corrosion and unnecessary wear.
Rust. Fuel is a mild corrosive. Over time, fuel (especially when mixed with moisture and oxygen) can cause rusting and corrosion inside your fuel tank. Without a fuel filter, flakes and particles of rust will be burned with fuel during combustion and cause problems with fuel efficiency.
External contaminants. Excess moisture in the fuel is one of the leading causes of fuel efficiency problems for cars. When moisture eventually builds up in your fuel tank, or if you introduce moisture into the fuel tank when pumping gas, you increase the amount of impurities and contaminants that pass through the fuel line.
How Fuel Filters Work
Fuel filters are devices used by internal combustion engines to ensure that fuel burned by the engine during the combustion cycle is free from impurities and contaminants. Early fuel filters utilized principles like density and forces like gravity, to come up with pure unadulterated fuel that the engine could burn. For diesel engines, water is used to separate the solid sediments and other impurities from the actual fuel. The idea is that the fuel will rise up to the top because it is less dense than water. The water is then drained from the filter until there’s nothing left but pure fuel.
Modern fuel filters still make use of the same principles of density and gravity, but the filters themselves are more sophisticated. Many cars and trucks now use sensors and other advanced technologies to make filtration more efficient. Fuel filters today are smaller and have an increased lifespan. Modern fuel filters need to be replaced less often and need less maintenance work than traditional fuel filters.
Advantages of Fuel Filters
In theory, an internal combustion engine can work without a fuel filter. The problem is that an engine without a fuel filter is very inefficient at burning fuel. Fuel filters have many advantages, including:
Increased performance. Without a fuel filter, the contaminants and impurities in your engine will have nowhere else to go but to the fuel injector devices and the combustion chamber. Contaminants in these parts of the engine will clog up your fuel line. The burning and combustion temperatures of the fuel are also changed because of the amount of contaminants in the fuel line. With a fuel filter, you remove all the contaminants found in the fuel, which means that you can completely harness the energy found in the fuel.
Cleaner fuel burning. One leading cause of pollutants and toxic emissions is the presence of contaminants in the fuel line. While exhaust pipes have filters and catalytic converters that help remove some of the pollutants, the key to minimizing toxic emissions is to get rid of the contaminants before they burn. With a working fuel filter, you are assured that your engine’s cylinders burn nothing but pure, unadulterated fuel.
Preserving the fuel line. Clogged fuel lines are almost always certainly caused by impurities in the fuel. When these impurities reach the more sensitive parts of your fuel line (especially the fuel injection system), the whole fuel line can be damaged. You’ll end up having to take your car to a service depot or a professional auto mechanic, which will set you back hundreds of dollars. A fuel filter is very important if you want to save on auto maintenance costs.
Replacing Fuel Filters
Like the oil filter, you need to replace the fuel filter every now and then to get rid of all the contaminants trapped inside. Some fuel filters can be emptied and cleaned out, although it’s best to buy a factory-supplied fuel filter. You can buy aftermarket fuel filters if you want that extra boost in performance. It’s very easy to replace your worn fuel filter, provided you have the following tools:
Fuel filter wrench - You can buy this from an auto parts store.
A new fuel filter - Make sure the dust cap is on.
Protective equipment like goggles, gloves, and apron - Never repair your fuel line without wearing protective equipment.
Here are the steps you need to take to replace your fuel filter:
Make sure that the engine is turned off and that the fuel lines don’t have fuel running through them. Don’t smoke while repairing your fuel line.
Look for the safety clip that connects the filter to the fuel line. Very carefully remove that clip. If it’s an original factory-made clip, you may want to hang on to it, because it’s sturdier and stronger than aftermarket fuel filter clips.
Use the fuel filter wrench to disengage the fuel line from the filter. You know it’s detached when you hear or feel a light click.
Once you remove the filter from the fuel line, you’ll have some fuel leak out of the hose. Take the dust cap from the new filter and attach it to one end of the original filter. Lift up the hose to minimize fuel from leaking.
Perform the same steps above to remove the filter from the other end of the fuel line.
You will notice that both hoses have tooth-like springs where you can attach the ends of the fuel filter. Hook and snap on the ends on the hose springs until you hear or feel a click. Do not twist or push too hard on the springs because you may damage them in the process.
Secure the safety clips and test-drive the car. Make sure you don’t have fuel leaks.
Whether it’s a motorcycle, a car, or a really big truck, fuel filters are very important for performance and reliability on the road. With proper working fuel filters, driving becomes a pleasurable, exciting, and environmentally friendly activity you can enjoy safely and without worries. If you’re interested reading this article, might as well read how to replace an oil filter.