Changing your fuel filter is a step in diesel repair and maintenance that is often overlooked by Reno drivers. Fuel filters can cause quite an annoyance if it gets out of hand. But when should you change your vehicle’s fuel filter?
Recommended Maintenance Schedule
Well, every vehicle is different. Some car manufacturers place the fuel filter in the car’s gas tank. Gas tank filters can last forever without service. Others, need to take it to a diesel repair shop every 5,000 miles. For most Diesel trucks it is recommended that you replace your fuel filter every 10,000-25,000 miles depending on how you drive, how often you commute and what type of vehicle it is.
Most cars will have information on how frequent you should change the fuel filter in the owner’s/maintenance manual. If you don’t change your fuel filter when recommended to, there is a very high chance the filter will become clogged with debris. Which means it can no longer filter all the fuel. This can result in your vehicle not getting clean fuel into the engine and will damage the vehicle’s engine and injectors over time, which will result in a visit to a Reno diesel repair shop.
A clogged fuel filter can result in more things than just a damaged engine. You can lose overall power, notice a bogging in your vehicle when trying to accelerate, and even end up with lower gas mileage. On top of all this, you are also getting a damaged engine due to contaminated fuel. Fuel filters are very important for our car and we don’t want them going out.
How Long Does A Diesel Fuel Filter Last?
Diesel fuel filters don’t usually last as long as gas filters. Just like gas engines, diesel injection systems require pure fuel. Today’s engineering produces diesel engines with such high precision that they need more strict tolerances when it comes to the fuel they consume. As a by-product of regular operation, diesel engines produce a large amount of heat and having a free flow of diesel fuel from the filter helps keep the pump and injectors operating at colder temperatures. So, if a diesel fuel filter is not doing its job, impurities can reach the chambers causing clogs. Clogs can lead to pressure buildup and increased heat signatures. Repairs caused by old diesel fuel filters can be costly. It is much cheaper to replace the diesel fuel filter before things go wrong.
To avoid these things happening to your vehicle, take a look at your owner’s manual to see their recommendation for how often you should change the filter, which is generally every 10-25,000 miles. If not, take it to Wayne’s Automotive Center to get the filter looked at. Our friendly diesel repair professionals will give a diagnosis what the condition of your current fuel filter is and when you should change it.