For the record, your car needs a new fuel filter every 30,000 miles. We can install a new one here at Collins Auto Care. In fact, we can take care of all of your automotive service and repair needs. If you fail to have the fuel filter changed, it will get clogged. When this happens, you will start to notice one or more of the problems listed below. These are the signs of a clogged fuel filter.
Problems With Ignition
You probably don’t need us to tell you that you will have problems starting your car if the fuel filter is clogged. Naturally, if the fuel cannot pass through the filter, it will be unable to make its way into the cylinders. Without any fuel in the cylinders, there is nothing for the spark plugs to ignite. Consequently, you will have a hard time starting your car or the engine will be dead.
Misfiring/Rough Idling
If you do get your automobile started, the engine is most likely going to misfire because there isn’t enough fuel in each cylinder. When this happens, the engine idles roughly. In addition, it will misfire while you are driving. The misfires will make it feel as if your car has the hiccups. Unfortunately, the engine performance problems will reduce your fuel economy.
Stalling Frequently
Once the misfiring gets severe, your engine will start stalling frequently. To make matters worse, there may come a point when you will be stranded because you cannot get the engine started after it stalled. You need constant fuel delivery into the engine in order for it to run efficiently and prevent it from stalling. Unfortunately, a clogged fuel filter prevents the delivery of the fuel.
Fuel Pump Problems
In addition, your factory fuel pump may go bad prematurely because it is working too hard. Its motor pushes the fuel through the filter and into the engine. A clogged filter will stop the fuel dead in its tracks, and the fuel pump will try even harder to push it through. This can burn out the motor.
Whining Fuel Tank
When the fuel pump starts to fight with the fuel filter, you will hear whining in the fuel tank that makes it sound as if the tank is whining. We recommend that you drive to our shop right away when you hear this noise.
We are Collins Auto Care in Houston, TX, and we are here to help you. Give us a call if you think the filter in your fuel system is clogged.
