How to choose a fuel filter

The fuel filter is an important structural element of an internal combustion engine, the correctness of which directly affects the functioning of the vehicle as a whole. Its main purpose is to clean the fuel coming from the fuel tank and prevent dirt and harmful substances from entering the combustion chamber. In order for the engine to take care of the time stated by the manufacturer and not cause trouble to the car owner, it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the filter element and also to replace it in a timely manner.

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1. Top car fuel filter manufacturers
   
2. Types of fuel filters
3. Fuel filter selection options
4. About the fineness of screening
5. How to determine the quality of the fuel filter
6. Features of the choice of fuel filter for diesel
7. A brief tour of the brands

Top car fuel filter manufacturers

Currently, the best products are the following manufacturers of filter equipment:

1. Knecht;

2. Mahle;

3. Filtron;

4. Mann;

5. Sachs;

6. Boge;

In order to choose a high-quality filter, it is necessary to study not only the recommendations of the car manufacturer and technical information, but also to get acquainted with user reviews, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of specific models. You can find them on the Internet, on thematic forums and on social networks.

Types of fuel filters

Classic fuel filter is a special element of conical shape, made of soft porous material, which allows gasoline to pass through to the injectors without hindrance. The folds, which are the main structural element, retain grains of sand, moisture, debris and other substances that could harm the fuel equipment of a car.

Depending on the design, there are two main types of fuel filter.

Filter - insert

Special tool, devoid of outer shell. It is integrated directly into the fuel line of the engine, the installation site is a special compartment in the engine compartment. Depending on the design of the car, it may have different dimensions, as well as a cylindrical or conical shape.

Virtues

• Compact size;

• Installed in a special space under the hood;

• Inexpensive;

disadvantages

• Requires special equipment and certain skills;

• Some cars require careful disassembly of the engine compartment;

Fuel filter for outdoor installation

The functional purpose of this element is identical, only the appearance and the place of installation differ. The soft filter element here is enclosed in a special metal case with removed fuel tubes. The place of installation is the fuel line of the car, as a rule, under the driver's seat.

Virtues

• High degree of fuel cleaning;

• Installed in an easily accessible place;

• Undemanding to the qualifications of the installer;

• Metal construction protects from external influence;

disadvantages

• More expensive filters - inserts;

Filters designed for gas cleaning

Used in vehicles with installed gas equipment. The principle of their work is similar to the above, only the material from which the filter element is made differs. In this case, thick, well-permeable paper is used. Designed to hold dust, sand, as well as moisture and operational deposits, harmful to the fuel system.

Virtues

• Compact size;

• Long service life;

• Covered in a protective metal case;

disadvantages

• Requires skill and special equipment when dismantling;

• Expensive;

• Installation and replacement is carried out at specialized service stations;

Fuel filter selection options

Given the critical importance of the fuel cell, its choice is given the closest attention. Conformity assessment is carried out according to the following criteria.

1. Manufacturing firm. The choice to give should be products exclusively quality brands. Brands of the budget price range should be bought only if absolutely necessary and there are no alternatives;

2. Replacement period. Despite all the recommendations of the manufacturers, the replacement interval of the fuel filter should be reduced to 2-3 engine oil changes (usually 15-20 thousand kilometers);

3. The density and quality of the filter element. If you select a filter insert, its quality can be determined independently. The material from which the filter is made is dense and rigid, and at the same time it is good to let in gasoline or diesel fuel, thereby eliminating excessive load on the pump;

4. Filtration subtlety. A parameter that determines the size of the fraction that is guaranteed to be retained by inserting the filter. For a diesel car, this value is 5 microns, for gasoline - about 10 microns.

5. Guaranteed degree of purification. It is measured in percent and displays the number of elements that the filter will hold. For the best models, this parameter is at around 98-99%;

About the fineness of screening

A parameter that displays the number of particles of various sizes and fractions passing through the filter during its operation.

1. Marking "middle" dropout indicates that the filter is able to hold about 50-60% of the particles passing through it. Such filters are suitable for old and domestic cars and are not recommended for use on modern foreign cars;

2. Nominal screening - the filter holds 80-90% of particles. Such cleaning is quite enough for the daily operation of many modern cars;

3. Absolute sifting means that the filter element can hold almost 99.99% of the fractions. The best option for modern passenger cars equipped with turbocharging and multi-stage direct injection systems;

How to determine the quality of the fuel filter?

Even proven manufacturers can produce defective products, which are somehow not noticed in the acceptance. For this reason, when choosing a filter, it is necessary to pay attention to the following nuances:

1. The quality of the paper and the uniformity of its density. Affects the filtering properties - the more uniform the thickness of the paper, the better the filtration will take place and the lower the risk of passing contaminants past the filter;

2. Winding density The better the filter, the higher the overall winding density and the better its filtering characteristics;

3. Uniform filling of garbage. If during the dismantling of the spent filter there will be noticeable heterogeneity and irregularity of its filling, the purchase of such a filter in the future should be abandoned or it can be reduced to 8-10 thousand kilometers;

Features of the choice of fuel filter for diesel

Due to the design features, a diesel car places high demands on the quality of the fuel supplied.According to statistics, 80% of the total number of diesel car breakdowns are caused precisely by the malfunctioning of the fuel system, and therefore the fuel filter for a diesel car must have the following parameters:

1. Material - dense cellulose or a combination of synthetics and cellulose;

2. Form factor in accordance with the design of the car;

3. The degree of purification - at the level of 99-99.5%;

4. The size of the filtered fraction is not more than 5 microns;

5. The presence of an integrated moisture separator;

As a useful option, the heating of the fuel filter will probably become - a system that allows the temperature of the fuel inside the filter element to be raised to an acceptable level. It helps to start the engine in freezing temperatures.

A brief tour of the brands

1. The most functional premium brands are Knecht, Mahle, Delphi;

2. The optimal ratio of price and quality is present in the products of Mahle, Purflux, Bosch;

3. From low-cost manufacturers can recommend products Patron, WIX, Starline, Steelox;

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.