Fuel filter, the lost filter..

[moribundman]

My '96 Audi A4 has a "lifetime" filter. I've got 125k miles on the clock, and so far there are no problems. However, I've heard from other people with the same car that their fuel filters clogged after sometimes only 20k miles. Go figure...
Changing the fuel filter is a nasty project on my car. The tank and rear axle have to come out - or one can use a 2x4 to push the loosened fuel tank down, thus gaining access to the fuel filter.

 

[Spector]

I have mine changed every 30,000 or so. Most are inexpensive filters, a few like Toyota can cost $60 with a part and labor. If they plug up your engine can die (just stop I mean) so what's another $15 every two years. I agree though, most never get changed.

 

[Cutehumor]

Hi everyone

I was talking to a friend of mine with a toyota camry and fuel filters. he told me that the dealer told him that the fuel filter in his car never needs to be changed. is this one of those "maintence free" items? On my car, I have driven it 48k miles without changing the fuel filter. my concern is will the fuel filter ever get clogged? At inspection, a fuel filter looks alot harder to change out than an air filter or oil filter. I read on another site that alot of shops don't want to change the fuel filter because of the increase chance that a fuel line will break. that is why it is a maintence free item? opinions welcome

 

[JohnBrowning]

Your friend should check his owners manual. I have not owned a Toyota that I am aware of that did not recomend a filter change. I always did it every 30,000 miles. I think the service manualy recomened somrthing like 50,000 or 60,000 miles. I have never paid more then $15 at a parts store for one and most were less then $12. Toyota normaly puts their on the engine low on the block. Rear wheel drive vechiles normaly have it on the RH/passenger side and FWD cars usualy have it on the block faceing the fire wall. Your friend might experince loss of power, surgeing, fluacateing RPM's due to opstructed filter.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I forgott to mention. On most Toyota's it is almost impossable to damage the fuel line. They use banjo fittings and in some cases an articulated banjo fitting. The filters are designed with aligning slots to hold the fitting in place while you thread the hollow bolt back into the new filter. Toyota also uses a combination of flexable fuel line and steel line to give you plenty of flexability. I have never seen anyone damage the fuel line on a toyota changeing the filter!!!!

 

[Bogatyr]

IMO any part with the name "filter" in it is a wear item and should be changed at a prescribed interval. What your friend heard at the stealership was just another example of people there (mostly salespeople) not knowing the slightest bit about cars. I've also heard stories about how driveshafts with grease points that the manual calls for lubrication every 7.5k miles are called "lubed for life" by the dealer. Don't buy into it, the only thing people should go by is the manual.
Bogatyr

 

[timzak]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bogatyr:
IMO any part with the name "filter" in it is a wear item and should be changed at a prescribed interval. What your friend heard at the stealership was just another example of people there (mostly salespeople) not knowing the slightest bit about cars. I've also heard stories about how driveshafts with grease points that the manual calls for lubrication every 7.5k miles are called "lubed for life" by the dealer. Don't buy into it, the only thing people should go by is the manual.
Bogatyr

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If that were the case, I'd be driving my 03 Accord almost 1 QT low on oil. The manual says oil capacity is 4.4 qts, actual capacity (based on my first oil change, confirmed by Honda's spec sheet on their website) is 5.3 qts. Oops!

 

[3 Mad Ponchos]

I've had several vehicles, GM and Ford, that specify in the factory service manual that the inline fuel filter is not a routine service item, and should only be replaced if it is causing problems.

And so far I have not had a lick of trouble following this advice.

Cheers, 3MP

 

[moribundman]

My fuel filter is HUGE - it's more than fist-size.

 

[cryptokid]

went 206K miles on my old subaru using the factory filter. it was about the size of a shot glass. i never had a problem.

i have 65K miles on my kia using the factory filter, and i will leave it on untill it restricts me though to slow me down.

fuel filters are funny items. you can know when they go bad because you will no longer be able to go at high speeds, or wide open throttle for any length of time.

on my old mercedes benz diesel, when the filter clogged up it would slowly lower my top speed. normally i could do 80, but it would go down 70 60 50 40 30 untill finally i could only idle the thing. that thing needed a new filter every 5K miles, i awalys kept one in the trunk to do a replacment on the road side, it took a measely 5 minutes. i never figured out why it clogged so quick, but it awalys had chunky black things in the filter.

so my point is basically, run the **** filter untill it needs to be changed. a filter is kind of like tires. you dont replace your car tires when they have 50% tread remainning do you? nah you run the tires till their wear bar says to change them. well run your filter till your top speed says to change it.

 

[Terry]

Cryptokid, you had microbiological growth in that Benz diesel that was clogging the fuel filter. That tank needed terminex dude !

 

[cousincletus]

I agree with checking the owners manual. Some newer cars have the filter inside the tank and doesn't need to be changed. However, if it is a replacable in-line filter, I always replace them every 30,000 miles. If you don't service the in-line type at least as often as the book says, then there's a chance of shortening the life of your fuel pump. The filter will get partially plugged up and put unnecessary strain on the pump.

 

[cryptokid]

terry, interesting theory. you are probably right.

ohwell, i sold that thing a year ago. to this day its still kickin around, the odo stopped at 350K miles, and that was 6 years ago. who knows how many miles on it now. the new owner still changes the fuel filter every 5K or so. next time i see him ill tell him to get some diesel treat for the thing to kill all that stuff.

thanks man.

 

[rilles]

Sounds like two different filters are being discussed.

The intank filter is pretty much a lifetime filter, while the inline (external) filter should be changed at some interval.

 

[moribundman]

My A4 Quattro has only one fuel filter. It's an inline filter, which is squeezed in right by the fuel tank. FWD Audi cars have the filter easily accessible in a different location.

 

[UncleS2]

My 97 Neon still runs fine on the factory-installed in-tank fuel filter/"sock" at 142,000 miles.

 

[harper]

I just changed mine at 191,000 miles as my new mechanic stated the Honda dealership never does it. I took my 95 Civic to the dealer for its 30,000 mile service checks. At first I did not believe the new mechanic but he was right never changed in 7 years (191k miles) but then again I did not have a problem with it. The odd thing is that it is very accesible right under the hood so who knows why the dealer does not nor does the owner's manual state anything regarding this item.

 

[Jim Spahr]

In the 70's a mechanic with a Toyota Corolla went on a trip. Coming back Sunday night, he got some bad gasoline and the engined died on him. He figured out wnat was going on and removed the filter, reversed it so that just the outlet was inserted into the supply line and got his wife to crank the engine which flushed out the clogged filter. He then properly installed the filter and made it home. He said after that he routinely changed the filter every 12k.

 

[wtd]

I change the fuel filter on my 98 chevy truck about every 12-15,000 miles just to make sure I don't have any fuel injection problems caused by dirt.

My wife's 98 Pontiac GP doesn't require periodic filter changes but I still change it about every 20,000 miles. I go longer on hers because its a pain to get to.

wayne