Replacing Your Fuel Filter

Picture from: Melton

You would never like to drink a glass of mud, right? Well, your car feels the same way. It needs a steady supply of clean fuel in order to run well and deliver good fuel economy. 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 plug your fuel injectors and allow damaging particles into your engine.

A car with a partially clogged fuel filter might run well around town, 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 and the gas you buy. If you drive a lot on dirt or gravel roads in rural , your fuel filterwill have a harder time keeping the fuel clean.

And, we hate to say it, but buying the cheapest gas from cut-rate 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, your manufacturer recommends intervals for changing the fuel filter. But, it's a little more complicated than that. Some manufacturers 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 fuel pump. That can shorten its life and result in a costly repair.

As is often the case, spending a little money now on something as inexpensive as a fuel filter can save money down the road. At Levin Tire & Service Center in , we can check your fuel filter. It is better than fixing a burned out fuel pump or ruined fuel injectors.

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Top 10 Most Fuel Efficent Cars

It is impossible to drive down the street or stop at the pump and not notice the gas prices these days. If you're looking for a more fuel efficient vehicle here's the Top 10 List as of January 2013 according to ConsumerReport.org. 

Coming in at #10 with 50 MPG highway and 28 MPG city is:

  

Honda Civic Hybrid

#9 is a sleak looking model that gets 47 MPG highway and 31 MPG city:

Lexus CT 200h Premium

 #8 beings the Toyota streak with 47MPG highway and 33 MPG city:

Toyota Prius V Three

 #7 is counting down while counting up with 48 MPG highway and 37 MPG city:

Toyota Prius C Two

#6 taking the top efficient spot for the Toyota line up with 55 MPG highway and 32 MPG city:

Toyota Prius Four

#5 has a funny name, but nothing funny about the mileage, 55 MPG highway and 34 MPG city:

Fisker Karma Ecosport

#4 is a new twist from a classic line with 76 MPG highway and 45 MPG city:

Chevrolet Volt

Now onto the top three for 2013 so far...

#3 based on its 118 MPG highway and 86 MPG city we think this car is as light as its name:

Nissan Leaf SL

#2 the ultimate fuel saver for the around town driver with 107 MPG highway and 108 MPG city:

Ford Focus Electric

And the #1 rated vehicle for its fuel efficiency landslide is:



Mitsubishi i SE