What happens if the fuel filter is not replaced for a long time?
2 Answers
The fuel filter, if not replaced for a long time, will have reduced filtering capacity and may become clogged, leading to difficulties in starting the car and idle shaking. Here is an introduction to the fuel filter: 1. It is mainly used to filter impurities in the gasoline to prevent them from entering the injection valve and cold start valve, ensuring the quality of gasoline flowing into the fuel system. 2. If not replaced for a long time, the contamination will become increasingly severe, potentially causing blockages, reducing fuel supply pressure, leading to insufficient fuel supply, decreased engine power, and issues such as difficulty starting, idle shaking, and poor acceleration. 3. Additionally, a clogged fuel filter can result in poor fuel atomization, causing an imbalance in the air-fuel mixture ratio and incomplete combustion, which generates carbon deposits. These carbon deposits can worsen the blockage of the three-way catalytic converter, pollute the spark plugs and front oxygen sensor, leading to excessive emissions and other faults. 4. Under normal driving conditions, it is recommended to replace the fuel filter every 30,000 kilometers; if the gasoline quality is poor, the replacement interval should be shortened appropriately, such as every 20,000 kilometers. Replacing the fuel filter is a complex operation, so it is advisable to have it done at a professional repair shop or 4S store.
Delaying gasoline filter replacement is like putting a dirty mask on your engine. I learned this the hard way - my car kept hesitating during acceleration and the engine shook violently at red lights like it was falling apart. When opened, the filter paper had turned into a cake of black sludge that couldn't even trap rust particles. The result? All four injectors got completely clogged with debris, costing me nearly a thousand yuan to clean. Now I change the filter religiously every 20,000 km - it's way cheaper than repairing injectors. This inexpensive component is critically important; when it fails, even the fuel pump suffers the consequences.
