It is so important that you have clean fuel in the combustion chamber that the fuel runs through the fuel filter twice. This ensures that all contaminants and sediment are removed from the fuel. Naturally, over time, the fuel filter will get clogged and will need to be replaced. How can you tell if your fuel filter is clogged? Advanced Automotive lists the signs below.
Hard Starts
It makes sense that if the fuel filter is clogged, it will be difficult to start your automobile. This is because the fuel is not making its way from the gas tank to the combustion chamber. It is being blocked by the clogged fuel filter. Any fuel that does seep through can be dirty and damage the combustion chamber.
Acceleration Loss
If your engine is being fuel-starved by a clogged fuel filter, you will also have problems accelerating. As you press down on the accelerator, your vehicle will lag before it picks up speed. If no fuel is making its way into the engine, it may not pick up speed at all. Again, the fuel is being blocked by the clogged fuel filter.
Sputtering Engine
If your vehicle does accelerate, you may find that your engine will sputter once you’ve picked up speed. The engine needs a constant stream of fuel in order to keep the combustion going on inside of the combustion chamber. A clogged fuel filter prevents this constant stream of necessary fuel.
Gas Odors
You may also be able to smell diesel fuel or gasoline fumes inside your automobile if your fuel filter is clogged. You can smell them outside of the automobile, as well. No matter what the cause, it’s important to have any gas fumes investigated right away. Otherwise, you run the risk of inhaling carbon monoxide.
Reduction in Gas Mileage
It might seem odd that a clogged fuel filter can reduce your gas mileage, but your engine is burning what diesel fuel or gas makes its way into the combustion chamber quickly in an effort to provide power. This can actually reduce your gas mileage because the fuel filter is not working efficiently and, thereby, the engine is not working efficiently.
Advanced Automotive in Stanwood, WA, would be happy to change your fuel filter when it needs it. The average lifespan of the fuel filter is 30,000 miles. It’s important to have the filter changed at that mileage milestone or every two years at a maximum to ensure you always have clean fuel in your vehicle’s combustion chamber.