Another fuel filter cut open - with a twist

[sonofbumperbolt]

My wife drives a 2003 Ford Focus as her work car. She has a 50 mile commute 5 days a week. Last week she was in town running errands with our daughter and it quit on her. I drove to town and checked the engine code it had thrown. It was PO191 - Fuel Rail Pressure Sensor Circuit Range/Performance. I slowly drove it home noting that it wouldn't rev over 3000 rpm and had a hard time climbing grades. We bought the car with 94,000 miles on it. I changed all of the fluids and filters (yes even the fuel filter) at that time. The car now has 146,000 miles on it. I changed the filter and performance resumed to normal. Today I cut the old filter (Fram G8018) open and this is what I found:

 

[oldhp]

I think I would change gas stations. That's gross.

 

[NHGUY]

Wonder how that got past the strainer in the tank?

 

[widman]

From the pic, it could be bacteria that grows in moisture and lives in the hydrocarbon fuel. Looks like a fair share of rust as well. I'd clean the tank.

 

[sonofbumperbolt]

It's a plastic tank. What is the best way to clean it?

 

[Texan4Life]

I wouldn't worry too much. the filter went 50k miles... if it was clogging one after another in only a few thousand miles, then I would worry.

But in this case.. put in a new and keep on going

thanks for the pics.

 

[901Memphis]

I would just stay on top of filters for now. Cut open the next one in 10k and see how it does. The filter is doing its job, just too loaded.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: widman
From the pic, it could be bacteria that grows in moisture and lives in the hydrocarbon fuel.


I would agree with your comment about bacteria if this was a diesel filter and if the car sat for awhile. Yes, bacterial can grow in diesel, especially if it sits for awhile.
While the filter may be dirty (and that can happen from a single tank of bad fuel, BTW), bacteria growing in gasoline in the U.S. is rare.

 

[Bluestream]

You are getting bad gas. I have cut open filters with 200K on them cleaner than that

 

[badtlc]

Fuel filters are life savers. I love our 2007 Escape because the fuel filter is super easy to change DIY. I wish every vehicle had accessible, easily replaced DIY fuel filters.

 

[sonofbumperbolt]

Took the Focus on a 300 mile round trip this week. It ran flawless.

 

[southernjeeper]

I'm glad I bought a filter for both the jeep and Toyota. I just haven't gotten under them to change the fuel filters out.

Made me think that I want to cut them open too.

 

[mcrn]

What gas do you use?

 

[DBMaster]

Ford fuel filters of that type are so easy to change I would just make it a periodic maintenance item and not worry about it.

 

[sonofbumperbolt]

Originally Posted By: mcrn
What gas do you use?


Regular 87 octane available locally. There is a gas station on the route to my wifes work she is going to avoid getting gas there and fill up elsewhere.

 

[sonofbumperbolt]

Update: The car threw the same prior code as before and performance was degraded. This occurred on consecutive hot days. I replaced the fuel pump today and the car runs a LOT better. The in tanks screens and filters were nasty and clogged but the new pump came with everything.