Many novice motorists are often interested in the question of when to change the fuel filter. It is important to know what it is. This element cleans gasoline before it enters the engine cylinders. Clean fuel is the reliable operation of the machine.
What does the filter protect against?
It's no secret that the fuel at our gas stations is not of high quality. Gasoline contains sand, rust, metal scale - all this settles on the filter. If these substances get into the motor, the main parts will wear out much faster.
As a result, the owner will receive the need for major repairs. In addition, oxidized sulfur, or rather sulfuric acid, which is formed during the combustion of fuel, has a detrimental effect on metal surfaces. A normally operating fuel filter completely captures various dirt and dust, condensate, rust, and paraffin inclusions. You cannot use a dirty element. And if the car owner is thinking about whether to change the fuel filter or clean the old one, it definitely needs to be changed. If you ignore the regulations, problems with the car will not be long in coming. The stable start of the engine will be disturbed, various elements of the injection system may be damaged. A clogged element entails clogging of the carburetor, a drop in engine power.
Varieties
The period when you need to change the fuel filter also depends on the characteristics of a particular part. Some elements have a long service life, while others have to be changed very often. All existing filters in the automotive market can be divided into two types. These are submersible and trunk. The submersible element is often located in the fuel pump housing and, together with the sediment, is placed in the tank. There are models where the possibility of replacing the filter is completely absent. The main cleaning element is located on the section of the fuel line between the power unit and the gas tank. In addition to the installation location, filters also differ in the type of fasteners. On most models, replacement requires the use of a standard set of wrenches and screwdrivers. Some elements can be dismantled by hand without the need for tools. And sometimes manufacturers mount it on special fasteners. 
Then the same special tool is required for dismantling. Because of this, car owners need to contact professional service stations more often.
When is a change obvious?
The fuel filtration system has two levels of purification. One of them is coarse (to remove large particles), and the second is fine. This thin element is most often located between the motor and the tank. Experts, answering the question of when to change the fuel filter, insist that the replacement should be carried out every 60,000 km of the car run. Clogged cleaning elements, as already noted, can lead to disastrous consequences. For example, as a result of filter clogging, there is a significant load on the fuel pump. It can fail faster, namely, burn out, working “dry”.
The car may troit, stall or refuse to start at all. In addition, a dirty filter affects the operation of the automatic transmission - the electronic system of the automatic transmission incorrectly interprets the engine commands. Switching occurs out of time or the automatic transmission does not switch at all. You can test the condition of the fuel filter at low speed. With a sharp press on the gas, the car should pick up speed. If jerks appear instead of acceleration or the engine refuses to gain momentum, then it is urgent to replace the filter. Often, at the very beginning of the appearance of a problem, the car does not show any signs of its presence. And only when the fuel completely stops being supplied to the power unit, the owners think about the problem and intensively look for the cause. How often to change the fuel filter? For each car, this regulation is different and is indicated in the instructions.
Replacement terms
All modern automakers for their cars set fairly accurate replacement schedules for consumables. So, on average, it is recommended to replace cleaning elements every 40-50 thousand km. These figures are relevant for gasoline engines. On diesel engines, filter replacement periods are shorter.
Submersible filters for Ford cars can be changed less frequently - every 70 thousand km. On the Ford Focus, the replacement can not be carried out at all. The manufacturer completes the car with a maintenance-free element that can work without replacement during the entire period of operation. But it's all about foreign cars. But in the case of domestic cars, the timing is slightly different. Information for those who do not know how much to change the fuel filter on our cars: this must be done every 10-30 thousand kilometers. The reason for this is the low quality of fuel. But not everything is so simple here either. If you use the official recommendations of domestic automakers, you can simply not get to the MOT. Owners on specialized forums often say that with low mileage, the filter element looks like it was not gasoline that passed through it, but at least oil. Experienced specialists and motorists with experience recommend not looking at the instructions, but listening to your own car. The engine will tell you how often to change the fuel filter.
Replacement terms for popular cars
For VAZ-2114, 2107 and other classic models, the replacement frequency is 30 thousand km. The same period for Renault Logan. Renault Megane has a more durable filter - it can operate as much as 120,000 km.
On the Duster and Kengo with diesel engines, the period is short - only 10,000 km. On the Toyota Camry, the element resource is 80,000 km. Nissan Almera is equipped with a filter designed for the entire service life. And for those who do not know how long it takes to change the fuel filter when refueling with Russian gasoline, these figures must be divided by 2.
Consequences of driving a car with a clogged fuel filter
Many car owners do not think and do not see anything wrong with operating a car with dirty cleaning elements. However, this is very dangerous. It is worth considering possible malfunctions in more detail. And then everyone will decide for himself whether it is necessary to change the fuel filter or you can do without it. First of all, a dirty filter element can no longer cope with fuel cleaning. So, part of the pollution goes further along the fuel system. Further, the fuel lines are most often clogged, and with them the injectors. As a result of this, the engine cannot be fed normally, and a large load is placed on it. Fuel that has not been cleaned well enough will not burn completely. The products of combustion that settle on the walls of the combustion chambers will accumulate on the valves.
This increases the risk of overheating and leads to incorrect operation of the engine, and ultimately leads to a major overhaul. Fuel consumption is associated with the psychology of drivers. With a dirty filter, the motor noticeably loses its power. The car does not want to go, but the driver presses the gas harder and harder. The injector will inject even more fuel into the cylinders, but nothing will change, only the consumption will increase. That is why it is so important to know when to change the fuel filter. After all, even replacing nozzles (and this is the least) is much more expensive than a new cleaning element.
Fuel filter for diesel engine and its features
Diesel and petrol are very different. Diesel fuel contains water condensate, and it is he who has various contaminants. Therefore, the main difference between such a filter is the ability to retain water. It has a detrimental effect on the operation of the motor. At best, only efficiency and power will fall. At worst, a water hammer will occur - this is already a major overhaul.
How often to change the diesel filter
As for the service life of cleaning elements for such power units, they are lower when compared with analogues for gasoline.
Automakers officially recommend replacing every 30 thousand kilometers for imported engines, and even then, subject to high-quality fuel. And in the case of domestic fuel, this period can be divided into three. By and large, the car itself will tell by its behavior when to change the fuel filter. This will be the most correct frequency.
Summary
The engine needs high-quality and clean power to work efficiently. If gasoline with sand or metal scale enters the cylinders, a major overhaul is provided. It is necessary to change all filters in time, and then the car will serve its owner for a long time.
