The Main Role of The Fuel Filter

The Main Role of The Fuel Filter

The main function of the fuel filter is to remove various contaminants present in the environment, which makes it an important part of the fuel system. It provides high-quality protection to the injection system and the engine for the small particles present in the gasoline or diesel fuel.

The truth is that there are countless tiny particles in the air that are the enemy of the engine and the fuel filter is a barrier to them. If they enter the engine, they may interfere with its proper operation and cause serious problems, such as cylinder mirror violations, clogged nozzles or jets, etc. Therefore, it is very important to check the condition of the fuel filter regularly and replace it in time. The quality of the filter depends on the type of fuel we use and the construction of the engine.

The fuel filter traps particles such as sand, rust, and dirt that enter the metal fuel tank to store or transport fuel. There are two types of fuel filters: rough cleaning and fine cleaning.

Coarse Fuel Filter

These types of filters remove fine particles larger than 0,05-0,07 mm in size from the fuel. Their filter elements can be a belt, mesh, flat or other types.

There are filters with settling tanks for rough cleaning. They enter the fuel through the inlet hollow bolt (also called injector), which is screwed into the hole. The fuel passes through a nozzle at the top of the filter.

It then reaches the distributor and from there flows through the reflector to the bottom of the filter housing. Larger contaminants and water accumulate at the bottom of the container.

The fuel enters the fuel pump through the nozzles and holes. The filter tank has a dust collector welded to it. It serves to reduce the turbulence of the fuel in the cup (allowing debris to accumulate in the tank). During vehicle maintenance, the deposits are drained through a plug.

Fuel Fine Filter

In this type of fuel filter, gasoline or diesel fuel passes through it before it is injected by the fuel pump. The filter will remove all impurities larger than 3-5 microns. The filter material is usually made of special multi-layer paper, but it can also be made of mineral wool impregnated with adhesive, felt, or other materials.

The filter consists of a housing and two replaceable filter elements, as well as two containers, to which two bolts are welded. They serve to hold the housing in place with nuts. The oil drain plug is fixed to the bottom of these bolts.

Fuel filter fine filters consist of paper filter elements. They have an outer layer made of perforated cardboard and are sealed on the front surface. They are firmly pressed against the filter housing by springs.

In addition, fuel filters trap particles that form as condensates on the walls of the fuel tank, such as organic elements, sludge, and water, as well as paraffin waxes that undergo a crystallization process in the fuel.

These elements either enter the fuel after refueling or are formed under the influence of chemical reactions in the fuel. Diesel vehicles have more precise fuel filtration. However, this is not a reason to think that diesel engines do not need timely filter element changes.

How does The Fuel Filter work？

The fuel filter on most car models is located on the fuel line between the injector and the fuel pump. In some systems, two filters are installed: for a coarse cleaning before the pump (if it is not in the fuel tank), and a fine cleaning afterward.

It is usually located at the highest point of the vehicle's fuel system. Thus, air entering from outside is collected and returned through the nozzle valve together with a part of the fuel.

It is made of special paper and it is located in a steel container in the engine compartment of the vehicle. To find out where the fuel filter is located, consult the manual.

The appearance of the fuel filter and its location depend on the model of the car. Typically, diesel fuel filters look like thick metal cans.

The spring-loaded valve opens according to the manufacturer's specified overpressure. The valve is adjusted by selecting the thickness of the gasket located in the access hole. The function of the cork is to remove air from the system.

Common Fuel Filter Problems

If your fuel filter is damaged, you can simply buy a new one and replace it, for example, if you need a model ar50041 fuel filter, then you can replace it separately.

Failure to replace the fuel filter in time will complicate the operation of the engine. When the separator expires, crude fuel enters the engine, which reduces the efficiency of combustion and thus the overall efficiency of engine operation. This increases the consumption of diesel, gasoline, methane, and propane-butane. Therefore, when changing the oil, it is recommended to change the fuel filter of your car.

Engine performance is directly dependent on how clean the fuel filter is and how often it is changed. When the fuel filter is clogged with dirt, this reduces the efficiency of the engine. He does not receive the amount of fuel configured for the injection system, which usually leads to starting problems. Not changing the fuel filter regularly can also lead to increased fuel consumption.

One of the most important tasks of the fuel filter is water separation. This is due to the fact that if there is water in the fuel, it will make the engine more worn and shorten its life. Water has the ability to cause corrosion in metal chambers, deprive the fuel of lubricity, damage injectors and cause inefficient fuel combustion.

In addition, water is a prerequisite for increased bacteria formation. Water separation is achieved through a combination of fuel separator filters. As the name implies, they separate water from fuel.

This type of filter has a housing, also called a reservoir, in which the water separated from the fuel is collected at the bottom. You can remove it yourself. There are two ways to separate the water contained in a fuel separator filter.