Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Way back when (circa 1983) I had A 1981 Toyota Corolla SR5 'SPORT HATCH'.
Had fuel filter replaced during normal maintenance (at the ARCO station!). Got the car back and drove it home. Later that day my dad tells me: "Arco called. they think they left the lock grips on your fuel line" (that they used to stop fuel flow while they replaced the in-line filter).
Funny, I was able to drive it home and around (about 10 miles).. Yup they left it there and I removed and returned the lock pliers...
back in the day, before EFI was common, and a carb was in place, fuel filters were changed with every (or every other) tune up. Points, plugs, wires, cap, condenser, and fuel filter... oh, those were the days...
I currently own, among other vehicles, a 1987 Dodge Ram 50, a 2003 Dodge Dakota, and a 1998 Ford E250 cargo van. I've changed the fuel filter on all 3 within the last 24 months and noticed no improvement in drivability or fuel economy. By the time a filter is so clogged that it is negatively impacting drivability/power/economy, it's waaay past due for replacement.
Most people don't know it, but having your FUEL FILTER changed is somewhat of routine maintenance, most people never do it (I fail to do it as well). For those of you with cars older then 2006, if you had your fuel filter changed, did it seem to drive any better? Did the engine seem stronger? Did the car drive better?
I got the filter done on my F150 (it's an '03) for a mystery shop at a Mister Car Wash and it really wasn't that dirty for being the factory filter (I presume). No driveability issues. No misfire CEL before or after that. I chuckled when the AutoNation Ford dealer I shopped tried to recommend a fuel filter flush right of the bat. Then I mentioned in the report that that really wasn't confidence inspiring, either.
My truck's fuel filter is in the gas tank, not normally replaced.
When I had fuel filters replaced in my previous vehicles, I could only tell the difference one time, and that was because the car had THREE fuel filters, one of which had never been changed by the previous owners. And it was an OLD car.
Most people don't know it, but having your FUEL FILTER changed is somewhat of routine maintenance, most people never do it (I fail to do it as well). For those of you with cars older then 2006, if you had your fuel filter changed, did it seem to drive any better? Did the engine seem stronger? Did the car drive better?
I've never changed the fuel filter on my 2007 Tacoma truck, now roughly 105K miles. Unless they monkeyed with that during the supercharger install at 93K miles.
It is "possible" someone changed it in one of the other services, too. I usually have the Toyota dealer do those, because one of our local dealers is actually enjoyable to work with and not out to defraud me on service.
So, color me a bit skeptical *in my case*. If it works for others, great. Or, who knows: I'm missing something. Just searched my records PDF, and it ain't mentioned in any record going back to purchase, so guess it's irrelevant.
back in the day, before EFI was common, and a carb was in place, fuel filters were changed with every (or every other) tune up. Points, plugs, wires, cap, condenser, and fuel filter... oh, those were the days...
LOL: they sure were the days. The days when my mom's '58 Plymouth Fury wouldn't start, e.g.? "White Fang", they called it, because it was indeed a white beauty but also unfortunately had teeth that bit hard too.
Or my dad's '72 Duster, new when I was a wee lad, that he could keep running only with a healthy dose of coathangers, trips to the parts counter, and general TLC. Great car when it ran, but he was a tinkerer.
I admire the romanticism, I really do, but have zero time for that anymore, I bill out at $200/hr when on the clock. My father never "got" that I drive German sports cars, mostly, and/or JPN coupes and trucks, vs. his unending stream of Chrysler products until the day I buried him (and later buried has last damn Pacifica). None of my German or JPN vehicles are romantic. Any and all bury...to continue the metaphor...most of what comes out of my own country's manufacturing sector, though. EFI/DFI "FTW", as the kids say.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
