Fuel System Filtration by Paul Yaw @ Injector Dynamics<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Just like an oil filter protects your engine from harmful particles of ‘trash’ that will cause damage to engine
\ncomponents, your fuel filter protects your injectors.<\/p>\n
We have seen a lot of injectors come back for inspection with a deviation in flow that is the result of
\nimproper filtration. I don’t think anyone intends to build a fuel system that’s not right, it’s just not
\nunderstood in full by many. We want to change that!<\/p>\n
Fuel filters are rated in microns. A micron is a unit of measurement, equivalent to .000039 inches. (39
\nMillionths of an inch.) The symbol for micron is \u00b5, though you don’t see it too often in fuel filter ads.<\/p>\n
To put this into perspective, a human hair is about 100 microns in diameter. Anything less than about 30-40 microns
\ncan no longer be seen with the naked eye. A ’10 micron’ filter will block contaminants larger than 10
\nmicrons, and let those smaller than 10 microns pass.<\/p>\n
Here’s Bosch’s take on fuel injector filtration.<\/p>\n
“Resistance to Fuel Contamination – Quality of the Medium. Dirt particles and contaminants in fuel
\nrepresent a potential danger to the fuel injectors. They are to be avoided in order to preserve the correct
\nfunction of the injectors. The dirt content in the fuel system must therefore be minimized via a suitable
\nfilter. Recommended filter quality: nominal rating 5\u00b5, minimum 82% capture efficiency according to ISO\/TR
\n19438; dirt particles >35\u00b5 are not permissible. The basket filter in the injector serves only to catch
\nresidual particles. Nonconformance of the recommended filter quality can cause damage to and failure of
\nthe components”<\/p>\n
So Bosch recommends a 5\u00b5 filter and says anything over 35\u00b5 can cause injector damage. Think about that,
\nthings you can’t see with your naked eye are big enough to cause damage to a fuel injector. Not only is there
\nthe concern of the contamination clogging the internal filter enough to cause a reduction in flow, but the
\ncontamination that makes its way into the injector scores the bore, affecting critical tolerances.<\/p>\n
Seems simple enough, so why are so many people misinformed? I hear pretty regularly that people are told
\nby fuel filter manufacturers that their 10\u00b5 filters are not ethanol compatible, so if they’re going to run
\nethanol, they need to run a 40\u00b5 or bigger stainless element. While this is true, a stainless element is much
\nbetter for use with ethanol, the manufacturer has just made a recommendation that will likely cause
\ninjector problems down the road. People don’t like to hear this after the damage, trust me!<\/p>\n
The filter before your pump serves mainly to protect the fuel pump. Depending on the pump, usually a 30-
\n100\u00b5 filter is used here. The filter after the pump serves to protect the injectors and as noted, needs to be
\nmuch finer. Being that the filter is protecting the injectors, anything after the filer is technically not
\nfiltered. This isn’t a big concern in OEM fuel systems which mostly have hard lines, but when you’re plumbing
\nyour race car with rubber hose, do yourself a favor and put the fuel filter right up by the rail inlet. This will
\nleave the least amount of unfiltered fuel system and protect your injectors.<\/p>\n
A 12\u00b5 filter is generally sufficient and they are readily available, with paper elements. If you’re running
\nethanol I suggest digging a little and finding a 12\u00b5 or similar ethanol compatible element. The 6 and 12 micron
\nmicroglass, ethanol compatible fuel filters, have done well in our testing and are recommended.<\/p>\n
Also, stay away from small fuel filters, especially those tiny ones with a single round screen disk. Those
\nshouldn’t even be allowed on the market. The least bit of contamination and they’re clogged enough to be a
\nmajor restriction in the system. The more surface area your filter has, the longer the service interval will
\nbe. A pleated filter cut apart and stretched out would probably surprise you with how much surface area of
\nfiltration there is!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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