Q about Fuel filters...
 

OK, just finished going through 4 pages of search results and couldn't find an answer to my question...

I know that there are differences in performance between brands of filters, such as oil filters.. e.g. WIX vs. Fram vs. Motorcraft, etc... Some are just better than others.

That said, does anyone know if there is a difference in brands of fuel filters? I was at Autozone yesterday to buy one, but they only carry 2 brands (their Duralast brand and another off brand). I am curious as to whether anyone knows if they work just as well... I am sure they aren't bad as they surely wouldn't be selling them if they didn't filter to the micron they are supposed to (i hope anyways), and I don't need a high performance Aeromotive unit. Hell, these are supposed to be changed every 30k miles, so it might all be moot anyways. I am worried that the filter orafice holes could be too small preventing proper flow or even too big and allowing too much crap to get to the injectors.

Does anyone know? I could go to the stealership and probably pay $20 for the MC one, but why if they aren't better.

Thanks in advance,
Don

Don I am glad you asked this question because I was wondering the same thing. I have done 2 fuel filter changes, the first one was an off-brand from an auto part store and the second one I just did recently was a Wix.

Good question, I am due for a new filter myself. Hopefully someone has an answer.

I use this one:
http://www.americanmuscle.com/ford-fuelfilter-0510.html

For $14 you can't really go wrong. Not sure about differences between brands, but I would imagine some are better than others

If I don't hear any confirmation that they are different, that is the one I will order... However, after reading all the threads regarding the noticeable difference after replacement in mileage as low as 20k miles, I figured a) that some gas is worse than others, and b) this is an important thing to replace regularly and maybe the filter brand could be important.

Don

In trying to exercise my google-fu, I ran across a site that differentiated between paper and steel filter media... Does anyone know which is better and what is in the OEM Motorcraft filter?

Don

I replaced the one I that came with the car and still have it. I'll saw it in half when I get home, but knowing Ford I'm 99.99% sure it's paper. As cheap as possible but good enough to protect the car at least for as long as the warrantly lasts :p Seriously though, the amount of crap that came out of that filter was amazing, so I guess it works just fine.

I got the Motorcraft FG1083 Fuel Filter at Amazon for 14 bucks and free shipping.

That would be awesome of you to tear it apart and post up some pics... I also went ahead and purchased the OEM Motorcraft one online (damn stealerships wanted $24-27 for this filter).

Can't wait to see the pics and hopefully others with more experience and knowledge will post up on this topic... Seems to be very little info available regarding this.

Don

This is the one I always go with:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...2515&ppt=C0023

Wix filter

+1

I ended up just getting that one from AM also when I had it changed last spring. Free shipping and no tax. Don't know if it's any better or worse than other brands, was just a convenient replacement.