Should I replace my fuel filter?

Question

I'm looking to replace my fuel filter on my '95 Grand Am, as preventative maintenance and also to try and get back some horsepower that is probably missing. I've had the car for 3 years, and to my knowledge it has not been changed yet. I went to look and see if I could find it under my car, and I did. But when I saw it, it looked a bit shiny and almost like it was pretty new, but the nuts that are screwed on it on the one side are pretty rusty. Just wondering if it is most likely older than the 3 years I've had it, and if they usually stay pretty non-corrosive.

Answer 1

I've been working on my own cars for the past 30 years and as the others have answered, the only time I change my fuel filter is when my car suddenly starts having a performance problem. Mainly when it acts like its starving for fuel while running. If its hard to start, I'll check to see if its getting fuel up to the carburetor and if not, I'll check the filter. If there is no problem in these areas, then I would not bother changing the filter. For lack of better words, if it works, don't fix it.

Answer 2

They're quite weather resistent and I usually change them when I'm having fuel feed problems. I have gone five years easily before changing a fuel filter, but they're not expensive and easy to swap out so if you're in doubt about the thing, change it. It certainly won't hurt anything to do so.

Answer 3

You should not go for replacing Fuel Filter unless your ride is facing problems like jerking, stalling or starting issues. Also replacing fuel filter will not help to gain extra power to your ride. So if your ride is not facing any problem, you should avoid replacing the components.

Answer 4

Teh only thing a dirty or clogged up FUEL FILTER will do is to prevent HIGHWAY SPEEDS! it wil NOT change yoru fuel mileage or give extra power! What WILL hellp though is if you take $20-30 to the OIL CHANGE CENTER and have the throttle body and the IDLE AIR CONTROL vavle cleaned up to SHOWROOM clean! the final AIR/FUEL mixture is adjusted here andMORE AIR is added by the IAC uner instructions from the O2 sensor to make the IDELA air/fuel mixture! if you have been usingg REGULAR non synthetic oil, thes things wil have SDLUGY deposits and GOO and COKE cooked into them! This is why I hate WAX based oils like VALVOLINE! For BETTER MILEAGE and ECONOMY and POWER, use MOBIL ONE 0W-30 oil which PREVENTS sludge build-up.FO a 20% BOOST in economy and power, remvoe the factory plugs and install aset of BOSCH or DENSO iridium or FUSION plugs! You w=ill be AMAZED at all the HIDDEN power unleashed by these modern WONDERS of science! GOOD LUCK and E-mail me back with your results if you like! [e-mail]

Answer 5

I'll bet it has never been replaced.