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It is something most people don’t think about. They simply put fuel in their car and expect it to be good to go - which is reasonable. However, it is not sustainable indefinitely.
Gasoline is refined petroleum. As such, it is filtered many times before it goes into your gas tank. Then it is filtered again by your automobile’s fuel filter before it reaches your engine. This is very important since most engines made since the mid to late 1970’s are fuel injected, and clogged injectors can be very costly to fix.
If your fuel filter works properly, clogged injectors is not your worry. Instead, there is the danger of ruining your fuel pump. When the filter has done its job, it becomes full of rust, dirt, and other impurities. The flow is restricted and resistance against your fuel pump will ultimately do it in.
In the case of my family Suburban, I was sure to change the oil and air filters, and even have the transmission filter replaced. But by 125,000 miles, the fuel filter had never been changed. Then one day the fuel pump died. That means having to drop the gas tank to replace it. And that means a lot of money or a lot of time, or both.
When replacing the filter, I did a simple little test. I wiped away the gas from the intake side and blew into it. I nearly burst my cheeks when trying to blow. It was clogged. Then I tried the same thing with the new filter and found no resistance to my breath.
Now I am still dealing with lots of residual fuel pump problems that are very expensive in terms of time and money. Boy, do I wish that I had taken 15 minutes to replace that $12.00 fuel filter long ago.
How often should you replace it? My suggestion is about every 36,000 miles. But recommended frequency many vary by vehicle, filter size, fuel quality, etc. Be sure to check manufacturer specs as well as your local mechanic and auto parts house.
Fuel filtration for diesels is a bit of a different story for a different article.
