Fuel Filter & Air Filter time Change..

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Hi.

I have a 2008 F-150 with only 11K miles. I drive only about 2,500 to 3,000 miles per year...

Ford says to change the Fuel Filter and Air Filter at 30,000 miles...I may ever get to 30,000 miles in my lifetime,, LOL....

I've read that changing the air filter can actually hurt the engine as a dirtier air filter catches more dirt...I don't know...

I never let my gas tank get below 1/2 a tank so is my fuel filter still OK even after 5 years but only 11K miles...

I bought a Wix air flter and a Wix fuel filter to have installed when it is time, but I don't want to do it if it isn't necessary yet or if it will do more harm than good...Any thoughts are appreciated..
Thanks Everyone..
 
Check the air filter seal, if it's pliable then don't change it. If the seal is harden it may not seal to the air box well then change it.

Fuel is pretty clean from the gas station, no need to change fuel filter until 100-120k miles.
 
I would change the fuel filter because of age and possible rust. The air filter should be fine. The only thing you are going to have to worry about with the air filter is the seal which will probably take ten years to get brittle. If you are going to open the box, you might as well change it because the seal is compressed in the housing and once opened it might not seal as well, but that varies by application.
 
Unless you are driving in extremely dusty conditions I doubt very much the air filter is in need of replacement.
A fuel filter is also dependent of the condition of the fuel. Time really isn't a factor,gallons of fuel filtered is.
If you are noticing the truck isn't as responsive as it once was or is sluggish then changing the filters may or may not improve the situation.
I'd just follow the oem's suggestion as far as the fuel filter is concerned unless you are operating under extremely dirty conditions and does the air box have a restriction gauge?
Anyways it sounds to me that the truck isn't operated in severe conditions. Just follow the oem suggestion. Their recommendations are already conservative and likely sooner than you'd actually need.
Use tc-w3 in your fuel. 1 ounce per 5 gallons. By the sounds of it the truck sits for long periods of time between use and the tc-w3 is a multi function ad that is cheap preventative maintenance. Especially if you're using ethanol polluted fuel.
Jmo
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Unless you are driving in extremely dusty conditions I doubt very much the air filter is in need of replacement.
A fuel filter is also dependent of the condition of the fuel. Time really isn't a factor,gallons of fuel filtered is.
If you are noticing the truck isn't as responsive as it once was or is sluggish then changing the filters may or may not improve the situation.
I'd just follow the oem's suggestion as far as the fuel filter is concerned unless you are operating under extremely dirty conditions and does the air box have a restriction gauge?
Anyways it sounds to me that the truck isn't operated in severe conditions. Just follow the oem suggestion. Their recommendations are already conservative and likely sooner than you'd actually need.
Use tc-w3 in your fuel. 1 ounce per 5 gallons. By the sounds of it the truck sits for long periods of time between use and the tc-w3 is a multi function ad that is cheap preventative maintenance. Especially if you're using ethanol polluted fuel.
Jmo


What is this tc-w3 and where do you buy it?
 
Air filter, up to you..but its likely still good. Check it. If its really dirty replace it. Id leave it a couple more years than change it. Fuel filter, i wouldnt bother.
 
I myself have used Wix filters in our 08 since we brought it home.

I change the fuel filter ever 50K miles.
I change the air filter every other year.

The 08 averages around 10K miles a year.

The truck never really sees dirt roads. I will take the filter out before summer and winter and blow out the filter with the air compressor. As well as vacuum out the filter housing.

Like posted above check your foam seal around the lid. I have replaced ours twice already. Cheap fix!

I agree with Clevy on the TC-W3.

With you only driving 3k miles a year. I wouldn't worry about changing the air filter till around 15-20K miles.

Fuel Filter? MHO-->If you fill up at a very busy-clean fuel station-->I would not worry about the filter for at least 30K-50K miles.
 
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Unless you are driving in extremely dusty conditions I doubt very much the air filter is in need of replacement.
A fuel filter is also dependent of the condition of the fuel. Time really isn't a factor,gallons of fuel filtered is.
If you are noticing the truck isn't as responsive as it once was or is sluggish then changing the filters may or may not improve the situation.
I'd just follow the oem's suggestion as far as the fuel filter is concerned unless you are operating under extremely dirty conditions and does the air box have a restriction gauge?
Anyways it sounds to me that the truck isn't operated in severe conditions. Just follow the oem suggestion. Their recommendations are already conservative and likely sooner than you'd actually need.
Use tc-w3 in your fuel. 1 ounce per 5 gallons. By the sounds of it the truck sits for long periods of time between use and the tc-w3 is a multi function ad that is cheap preventative maintenance. Especially if you're using ethanol polluted fuel.
Jmo


What is this tc-w3 and where do you buy it?


TC-W3 is a two cycle ash free oil.
I've bee using it for 3 years or so.
Motor seems to be smoother and possible slight improvement in gas mileage.
It does not affect catalytic converters.
Some say to not use in motors with direct injection.

Wal-Mart here has it in Pennzoil and Super Tech brands.
 
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I might be tempted to change the air filter, only because I've had issues where it's gotten clogged up with acorns. I probably should have been able to notice by the power loss, but at the time I wasn't caning the vehicle very much.

Fuel filter, I'd skip.

I keep hearing about adding two cycle oil, but never came to a conclusion about it.

At such low miles I would try to keep the fuel tank full, if only out of condensation worries. I don't think it will cause rust, and these days I don't seem to hear much complaints about water in fuel (meaning, how many people are dumping dry gas in these days?), so I wonder if E10 is better able to deal with moisture in the fuel... Which then brings up the point, at such low miles you can justify premium fuel, not for the octane boost but so as to avoid ethanol, since IIRC 91 octane generally lacks this. Depending upon your stance about ethanol, that is.
 
Sometimes I think cars that sit still for a while would still benefit from regular fuel filter changes, that's because gasoline can decay during long storage, and E10 makes that problem even worse. That could be bad news for the filter.

Also, since you have a Ford, the longer you wait to change the fuel filter, the harder the spring lock coupler becomes to remove. It makes most Ford fuel filters harder to change.
 
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