Coarse fuel filter: characteristic, device, resource

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

As you know, the fuel system of modern cars is very picky about the quality of fuel. And this concerns not only the octane number, but also its banal purity. After all, dirty fuel can significantly harm a car engine. Therefore, in order to prevent a sudden breakdown, the car has a coarse fuel filter. "Kamaz" is also equipped with them. What is this element? How often to change the fuel filter? All this and more further in our article.

Characteristic

This element is used to clean the fuel from large particles of dirt and other deposits. After all, if all this gets further on the plungers and nozzles, they will quickly wear out. Fine dust acts as an abrasive.

In addition, some filters (applies todiesel engines) are equipped with separators. These elements clean the fuel from moisture and condensate. Thus, the diesel fuel coarse filter is able to protect not only from dust, but also from moisture that has accumulated in the liquid. Condensation in the tank is especially common in winter.

Which cars are installed?

In most cases, such a thing as a coarse fuel filter is found on diesel engines. Many mistakenly think that these cleaning elements are installed only on cars with a diesel power system. But it's not. A coarse filter is also available on gasoline cars. But there are some differences. Which ones, we will consider further.

What's the difference?

As you know, the car power system has several degrees of filtration:

• preliminary (coarse);
• basic (thin).

If we are considering gasoline cars, then the coarse cleaning element is installed together with the fuel pump. It is submersible and installed in the tank. Previously, on carbureted cars, this element was located in the engine compartment, since the pump was mechanical. As for diesel engines, here this filter is located separately from the tank and has its own housing. On gasoline cars with an injection power system (of which most are now), this is just a mesh worn near the pump.

Device, principle of operation

With gasoline cells, everything is much simpler. The entire filter is a two-component mesh, whichput on the tip of the pump. Passing through it, gasoline is cleaned of dirt and other large impurities. But with diesel engines, things are more complicated. Such a coarse filter consists of a metal housing. A glass-sump is attached to it with bolts. There is also a sealing gasket in the design. The filter element itself is located on the hollow stem of the glass. It can be made of aluminum or brass plates and pressed against the body on a rack with a spring. Each of the plates has small protrusions with holes for the passage of fuel. Thus, gaps are formed inside the cleaning element, through which fuel enters the high-pressure fuel pump. And all the dirt with water falls into a glass-sump. At the bottom of the element there is a special valve for draining sludge. It should be opened periodically. Usually a dark liquid with water impurities drains from there.

Thus, the coarse fuel filter has special plates, thanks to which the fuel is cleaned and enters the high-pressure fuel pump through the fitting. Additionally, the lower part of the case can be magnetized. Thanks to the magnet, dirt is firmly pressed against the walls and does not spread through the filter during fuel cleaning.

About this resource

Many motorists are wondering how often to change the fuel filter. There is no single answer to this question. As for diesel cars, the resource of the element is about 80 thousand kilometers. Much more often you need to change the fine filter - every 10thousand. For gasoline engines, the figure is even higher. For fine cleaning elements, this is 40 thousand, for coarse cleaning - up to 100.

Signs of replacement

It is possible to determine whether a car needs a replacement of a coarse fuel filter by characteristic features. So, with a clogged element, fuel will not fully flow into the cylinders. This means that the car will twitch on the move, power will be lost.

In advanced cases, the motor simply stalls on the go. If such signs are observed, the coarse fuel filter must be urgently replaced. Along with it, it is desirable to change the fine cleaning element. After all, both are consumables and change entirely.

Conclusion

So, we found out how coarse fuel filters are arranged and work. As you can see, this is a fairly important component in the fuel system of any car. In order not to experience problems with starting the engine and other troubles, you need to monitor its condition and periodically change consumables. Note also that there are many fakes on the market. Therefore, if you see a famous brand at a cheap price, do not buy such a product. Judging by the reviews, the resource of such elements is 3 times lower than stated.