Fuel Filters

Today’s gasoline and diesel formulations are highly refined. Nevertheless, contaminants like dirt, paint, rust, and water can find their way into your vehicle’s fuel through storage tanks, fuel transfer equipment, and your fuel tank. In sufficient quantities these contaminants can overwork the fuel pump, reduce fuel flow and clog injectors, causing drivability problems, but the fine particles can also act as an abrasive, causing expensive component damage. Water is particularly harmful to diesel engines. It can cause rust and corrosion to form in the fuel system and these particles in turn can wear components like injectors. Diesel fuel also acts as a lubricant, and when it is displaced by water components like fuel pumps can suffer premature wear. Water can also promote the growth of microbes in diesel fuel, which can in turn form sludge that clogs filters and injectors, negatively affecting performance.

The filter in your vehicle’s fuel system is designed to trap contaminants and prevent them from causing component wear and poor engine performance. The only way to ensure it can do its job properly is to change it at the manufacturer’s recommended intervals, or sooner if you’re experiencing difficulty starting the engine, rough idle, stalling, and sluggish acceleration, which are indicators of a plugged fuel filter. The first line of defense is the in-tank strainer, but this is usually only serviced when the electric fuel pump is replaced. However, on some vehicles this is the only fuel filter so refer to your owner manual.

In addition to the tank strainer, carbureted vehicles have a fuel filter mounted either in-line between the mechanical fuel pump and carburetor, or attached to the carburetor inlet. On Electronic Fuel Injected (EFI) vehicles the filter is in-line between the fuel tank and engine, mounted either under the vehicle or in the engine compartment. There may be O-ring seals and threaded connections between the filter and fuel lines, or quick-disconnect fittings may be used that require a special tool to disconnect. Diesel fuel filter/water separators usually have a replaceable cartridge or spin-on filter.

Regardless of your vehicle’s fuel type or system, we have the replacement filter that will ensure only clean fuel reaches your engine, keeping it protected and running at its best. We also offer performance fuel filters which are constructed to deliver clean fuel without sacrificing fuel flow, so you don’t have to worry about engine damage or fuel starvation. And they’re designed to fit into the structure of performance fuel systems and meet the requirements of specific fuels. No matter how you have your fuel system configured or the type of fuel you’re using, we have the filters.

We offer both in-line filters, with and without replaceable filter elements, and canister filters. These filters come in a wide range of sizes and with adapters can be connected to most common AN fitting and line sizes. Many 100 micron filters use a woven stainless steel mesh filtering element that can be cleaned, while 10 micron filter elements are commonly fiberglass or cellulose and must be periodically replaced. Some in-line filters come with a built-in fuel shutoff valve to minimize fuel loss during filter cleaning or changes. Canister filters come with replaceable cartridge or spin-on filter elements, and some elements have a petcock at the base of the filter so water can be drained.