Hello Gig Harbor motorists! You would never like to drink a glass of mud, right? Well, your car, truck, SUV feels the same way. It needs a steady supply of clean fuel in order to run well and deliver good MPG. The fuel filter's job is to clean dirt and rust out of the fuel before it gets to your engine. A clogged fuel filter can actually choke off the engine so that it won't start or run. Some fuel filters have a bypass valve that allows fuel to go around the clogged filter so your car will still run. But, then the contaminated fuel can clog your fuel injectors and allow harmful particles into your engine.
A car with a partially clogged fuel filter might run well around Gig Harbor, but sputter and strain on the highway because it's starving for gas. There are two things that affect how often you need to replace the filter. They are: where you drive in Washington and the gas you buy. If you drive a lot on dirt or gravel roads in rural Washington, your fuel filter will have a harder time keeping the fuel clean.
And, we hate to say it, but buying the cheapest gas from bargain Gig Harbor area stations sometimes means dirtier fuel that'll clog the filter sooner. Major brands tend to be cleaner and certainly have higher levels of detergent additives.
Of course, auto manufacturers recommend intervals for changing the fuel filter. But, it's a little more complicated than that for Gig Harbor drivers. Some car makers stopped listing recommended intervals for fuel filter replacement or have very long intervals like every five years or eighty thousand miles. So you may need to look to other sources for recommendations. Cars older than six or seven years are especially at risk because they have had time for dirt and rust to build up in the fuel tank. A clean fuel filter keeps the gas flowing. Even a partially clogged filter puts added strain on the car, truck, SUV fuel pump. That can shorten its life and result in a steep repair.
As is often the case, spending a little money now on something as inexpensive as a fuel filter can save money for Gig Harbor car owners down the road by improving fuel economy and preventing costly repairs. At Mackert Automotive in Gig Harbor, we can check your fuel filter. It is better than fixing a burned-out car, truck, SUV fuel pump or ruined fuel injectors.