Fuel System

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Fuel System Services

There are a surprising number of small, inexpensive parts that can lead to expensive engine damage when they fail. It doesn’t seem right. Fortunately, a lot of those parts can be taken care of with routine maintenance. They may not be easy to remember, because it is a long list, but your service center can help you stay on top of it. We know you don’t really enjoy going in for an oil change and getting a list of other recommended maintenance issues to address, but automotive maintenance is all about prevention and addressing small problems before they get big.

Did You Know?

Everyone likes to save money on gas. But cheap no-brand gas may not contain enough detergent additives to keep your fuel system clean. Major brand gas may cost a few cents more per gallon, but it can help prevent expensive fuel system repairs down the road. Fuel Filter You may not know this, but the median age for private vehicles on our roads is over nine years. When cars get older, five years or so, they’ve accumulated a lot of dirt and rust in their gas tanks. If that dirt gets into the engine it can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage. So, somewhere between that dirty gas tank and the price of a great vacation is the lowly fuel filter – a very inexpensive part that is easy to replace. You might notice at first that your car is running fine around town, but struggles or sputters on the freeway or when you accelerate. A clogged fuel filter doesn’t let enough fuel through to meet the demands of higher speeds. Driving with a clogged fuel filter puts you at risk of damaging your fuel pump and your fuel injectors. If it gets bad enough, your engine might just shut off or not start at all. From an environmental point of view, replacing your fuel filter will increase your engine’s performance and help it run cleaner. Some fuel filters have a bypass. When they get clogged, they allow dirty fuel to move around the filter element so dirt ends up in the engine. We’ve already talked about how expensive that can be. The fuel pump is an integral part of the fuel system, literally pumping fuel from the gas tank into your engine. Without a functioning fuel pump, your engine won’t receive the amount of fuel it needs and might not run at all. If the symptoms are ignored long enough, the fuel pump will eventually fail and need to be replaced. From a safety standpoint, there is a bit of a risk, because a failing fuel pump might cause you to stall unexpectedly. There is low environmental impact from fuel pump replacement.

Recommendations

Check your owner’s manual or ask your service adviser how often you should change your fuel filter. It’s usually around 30,000 miles or so. Ask if it’s time for a full fuel system cleaning as well. They often go hand in hand. We recommend getting your fuel pump checked every 100,000 miles. However, if your vehicle loses power while accelerating, or if the engine sputters, chances are your fuel pump is not working correctly. SysTech Automotive has your back! When you’re motivated to maintain your vehicle’s performance and to reduce operating costs, you’ll think of us as your ally – and maybe even your memory.