New Fuel Filter Suspicions

[jtay2024]

Evening all!

I have just bought a brand new filter which was labelled as a "Genuine Honda Filter". It arrived in the post today and I am wondering if it has been badly handled potentially.

When I took it out the packaging, I could hear something inside knocking about. It sounds like how I would expect it to if the filter element was loose in the housing and was hitting the sides of the plastic casing.

I tried screwing the water fuel sensor into the housing to see if that stopped the clunking noise, but it didn't.

I've never had one of these types of filters before, my previous ones have been either metal canister ones or just the element that goes into a plastic housing attached to the engine.

Also, when I took the little rubber bungs off, the pipe connectors were wet and smell like diesel. I assume this would be from the testing process in the factory perhaps? Or is there a chance this is one of those that have ended up somehow being returned and resold by accident?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Where did you buy it?

 

[jtay2024]

Where did you buy it?

Should have said in the first message. It was a very reputable company that specialises in genuine Honda parts. They have excellent reviews and I've dealt with them before. That's why I'm intrigued by this as they definitely don't seem the type to send out bad parts. I'm just wondering if it's likely that it's been damaged in transport, and the diesel smell is just from a test procedure during manufacturing.

 

[RAR]

I’d send it back for exchange.

The internal rattling and diesel smell suggest a used item. Not one I’d place on my car.

I’ve bought many filters and none came to me with fuel or other chemical smells beyond the material used in it’s construction.

 

[jtay2024]

I’d send it back for exchange.

The internal rattling and diesel smell suggest a used item. Not one I’d place on my car.

I’ve bought many filters and none came to me with fuel or other chemical smells beyond the material used in it’s construction.

Me neither. I have got in touch with the company. But don't expect a reply until at least 2nd April as it's now the Easter Weekend here in the UK.

Oh well. Luckily the car isn't booked in to get the work done on it until the 15th April so hopefully the replacement part will come in time!

Thanks for confirming my suspicion guys. I wanted to check I wasn't being daft first!

 

[Kira]

May you realize an expedient exchange.
While we all know honest mistakes happen and that angry employees can ship out returned or clearly damaged items out of spite,
I'll go one further.
I believe truly unscrupulous businessmen will ship known garbage whilst counting on a percentage of customers not expending the energy to return.
Figuring-in the distractive quality of the holiday is not far fetched.

If you can get 'em on the phone and they send out a replacement immediately -with your promise to send them the baddie- it'd go far to reinforcing their reputation.

Once a well regarded Europarts source sent me a pair of sway bar links. A stud on one of them gave way with no pressure applied.
A phone rep said he'd send one right out. I asked him if he wanted the faulty one back and he said, "Oh yeah, that would be nice".
They earned my business forever.

 

[jtay2024]

May you realize an expedient exchange.
While we all know honest mistakes happen and that angry employees can ship out returned or clearly damaged items out of spite,
I'll go one further.
I believe truly unscrupulous businessmen will ship known garbage whilst counting on a percentage of customers not expending the energy to return.
Figuring-in the distractive quality of the holiday is not far fetched.

If you can get 'em on the phone and they send out a replacement immediately -with your promise to send them the baddie- it'd go far to reinforcing their reputation.

Once a well regarded Europarts source sent me a pair of sway bar links. A stud on one of them gave way with no pressure applied.
A phone rep said he'd send one right out. I asked him if he wanted the faulty one back and he said, "Oh yeah, that would be nice".
They earned my business forever.

I doubt there is anything suspect going on here.

Yeah that kind of story is always good!

I have no doubt that they'll be happy to send out a replacement. They seem like a very genuine company. And as you say, if they deal with this well I have every intention of continuing to use them. Specially for specific service kits etc.

 

[atikovi]

Luckily the car isn't booked in to get the work done on it until the 15th April so hopefully the replacement part will come in time!

If you're having a shop replace it, why aren't THEY getting the part?

 

[jtay2024]

If you're having a shop replace it, why aren't THEY getting the part?

Because it's a friend that's doing the work, and I wanted to get the Honda Genuine part myself. They often use the same two suppliers and they'd have been aftermarket filters they would have most likely bought.

 

[kschachn]

Should have said in the first message. It was a very reputable company that specialises in genuine Honda parts. They have excellent reviews and I've dealt with them before. That's why I'm intrigued by this as they definitely don't seem the type to send out bad parts. I'm just wondering if it's likely that it's been damaged in transport, and the diesel smell is just from a test procedure during manufacturing.

Other than an actual Honda dealership, where do you get genuine Honda parts there in in England?

 

[atikovi]

What Honda is this? I don't recall any of them having an external filter in over 20 years. That picture doesn't look like any fuel filter I've seen.

 

[jtay2024]

What Honda is this? I don't recall any of them having an external filter in over 20 years. That picture doesn't look like any fuel filter I've seen.

It's a Honda Civic 1.6 I-Dtec diesel. I don't think they sold them in the US.

 

[Kira]

Trucks, yes, but no diesel cars here to speak of. There were a few into the 80's.
Manual or automatic? You will not be judged by your answer.

 

[jtay2024]

Trucks, yes, but no diesel cars here to speak of. There were a few into the 80's.
Manual or automatic? You will not be judged by your answer.

Was that aimed at me? If so, it's a Manual. It easily gets 60mpg (UK) which is 50ish (US). And if I drive carefully then 75 (UK) or 62 (US) is pretty easy to get.

 

[97prizm]

I’d send it back for exchange.

The internal rattling and diesel smell suggest a used item. Not one I’d place on my car.

I’ve bought many filters and none came to me with fuel or other chemical smells beyond the material used in it’s construction.

Are you in a country where honda has a diesel option. I know in the USA and maybe Canada Honda didn't offer a diesel engine option. I think the UK and Japan had it for the outback. Second I dont think the fuel filter is supposed to rattle, sounds like the filter element was damaged.