Fuel Filter In Gas Tank...

[Warstud]

Just found out that my Trailblazers fuel filter is located inside the fuel tank

. Not a good idea as far as I'm concerned. As you may know a clogged filter can put alot of
stress on the pump and cause premature failure. Has anyone had a vehicle with relatively low mileage that the pump had failed due to it being located inside the tank?

 

[bdcardinal]

Not that I have seen on the cars we service. Consider yourself lucky, one less part to worry about.

 

[Donald]

I changed the fuel pump several times on my 93 Suburban and the tank, gas and the "sock" were almost spotless. Gas is pretty clean today. The fuel pump change was due to a [censored] GM design.

 

[RowdyYates]

my 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 has the filter in the tank also. Bad design in my opinion.

 

[2James1]

Quote:
Bad design in my opinion.

+1

 

[tommygunn]

Dodge Stratus, fuel pump in tank with a "sock" filter, and a regular filter aswell upstream on the fender.

I like this system so far. The sock keeps big crud from being sucked up and grenading the pump, and the more complicated filter is still accessible to be changed.

Of course, fuel pump in the gas tank means it runs cooler because it has a giant reservoir of fluid it can cool itself with.

No complains. Never had an issue, never changed a fuel filter yet in almost 150,000 miles.

 

[morris]

i dont see how mixing gasoline with electrical wires is a good idea. ever hear about flight 800?

 

[jim302]

A lot of vehicles are like this now. There don't seem to be a lot of problems reported with this system even though it sounds like a bad idea at first. I think someone posted an in tank somewhere on this forum with high miles on it, and it looked fine.

Some manufacturers are nice enough to have the fuel pump (and filter) accessible by a small but accessible door above the tank (such as in the trunk on some sedans), but others force you to drop the entire tank if the pump or filter has to be replaced, which can be a royal pain.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Mine is in tank and it can be accessed by taking off the rear seat cushion.

 

[mechtech2]

I don't think anyone says it doesn't work.
The problem is that a service item is now very much worse to work with/get to.

 

[MetalSlug]

only change it when you have to drop the tank or when change the fuel pump. other then that, never need to change it. one less thing to worried.

 

[jkhawaii]

since the vehicle has a returnless fuel system the filter does less work than in the past

 

[Jarlaxle]

My Jeep has the in tank sock...first year for it. I dont like it!

 

[MetalSlug]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
My Jeep has the in tank sock...first year for it. I dont like it!


I think my last 98 jeep 4.0 have in tank fuel filter too, and my WJ have outside fuel filter ( pain in the rear to change )

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
I don't think anyone says it doesn't work.
The problem is that a service item is now very much worse to work with/get to.


When it is in the take it is effectively no longer a service item.

 

[hattaresguy]

They don't seem to fail to often on the GM's, I know of a couple going but if you make enough of anything its going to fail.

I have 95k on mine with no issues.

 

[MNgopher]

If that is a returnless fuel system, the amount of fuel that filter sees is dramatically reduced and one can greatly increase its service interval. In some cases as pointed out, it becomes an item that doesn't require service.

 

[MarkM66]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
If that is a returnless fuel system, the amount of fuel that filter sees is dramatically reduced and one can greatly increase its service interval. In some cases as pointed out, it becomes an item that doesn't require service.


But even if the fuel cycles through it several times, it'll get filtered the first time, so that makes the second time a non issue.

All the fuel has to go through the filter once, on either system.

 

[Dakota1820]

My buddies ram just needed a fuel pump at 189k miles the sock inside wasn't very dirty. The system works fine Its not like other fluids like oil where its getting used over and over gas goes in gets burned and new gas is put it. So its very clean. A filter isn't really needed on a well maintained car. IMO.

 

[MNgopher]

I look at the returnless system as one less chance for debris to make it to the filter in the firstplace. Pumping a higher volume than necessary and then doing it a few times just inceases the odds that something will be picked up from the tank and have to be filtered in the first place. The fuel that was filtered the first time has a chance to carry stuff to the filter again, where it would not in a returnless system. I do grant though, that the overall volume of stuff that is delivered to the tank is the same in either system.