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Fuel Filter & Oil Change

9K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  IAfarmer 
#1 ·
Hello Everyone. First time poster here.

I own a 2001 Dodge Caravan SE (135k) and doesn't come with a maintenance manual when I got it. My questions are:

1. What's the change interval for the fuel filter. The last time was at 75,000km, so it's now 60,000km from the last replacement.

2. The van is due for an oil change next month and I plan to switch from regular oil to synthetic. I usually do a 5,000km (3 months) OCI. Is an engine flush necessary or is it just okay to switch to synthetic.

Thanks
 
#2 ·
In my experience, you replace a fuel filter when you have a problem that might be the fuel filter. This one is mounted inside the gas tank or something, so I'm personally going to cross my fingers and hope it lasts a good long time.

As far as engine flushes, even if you insist on wasting your money on synthetic, please don't waste your money on an engine flush.

Just my opinions. Take 'em or leave 'em.
 
#3 ·
Ditto. FWIW, I haven't changed a fuel filter since I had my '78 Gremlin with an "in line" filter located near the carburetor (what's a "carburetor"?).

I'll leave the question of synthetic oils up to other posters; I've never had experience with it.

And just how do they do an engine flush, anyway?
 
#4 ·
It don't matter what a maintainence manual says, because a fuel filter is good for vehicle lifetime,.......unless you take on dirty fuel of course. And if a manual said "every 50,000" what good would that do if it plugged in 20,000 from dirty fuel ?

But I figure the same way about oil changes. My owners manual doesn't know what my driving conditions are, therefore doesn't know the condition of my oil at 3,000, let alone 7,000.

Rich
 
#5 ·
Like Drew, I've never replaced a modern fuel filter. My old Oldsmobiles had the small inline filters in the front of the Rochester carburetors, but as far as the modern fuel filters in fuel injected cars, I've never replaced one.
 
#6 ·
I replaced mine at 50,000, as I would rather be safe than sorry. That being said, you generally have some notice before a clog that will leave you stranded occurs.

As for sythetic oil, I used to use Royal Purple, but now use Havoline. Dino's are just about as good as synthetic, and I have yet to see a real gain from paying the extra money for the synthetic. Longevity, maybe. Fuel mileage, no.
 
#7 ·
I have replaced fuel filters on vehicles three times. Once on the 92 Mazda Miata. It's a big tin-can style filter, somewhere around the rear wheels, very accessible.

On both the 88 Caravan and the 95 Grand Voyager, I changed it out also. As many of you know, it is very accessible, underneath the passenger side, just about in the middle of the sliding door.

In all cases, I did not notice any appreciable difference in performance, so it was a waste of time. In the case of the 95 GV, the old rubber tubing was old, and caused a leak that I had to immediately run home and fix. I had to get some new tubing and new clamps.

The only reason I did it on the GV was because when they replaced the fuel pump they recommended changing the fuel filter. They were going to charge me something like $150 to do it, and having replaced the fuel filter on the Caravan, I "knew" it was an easy job, and I could "save" some money by doing it myself.
 
#8 ·
I am from the old school. Preventive maintainence should be performed in my opinion. I would rather be changing something at my schedule then having to lay underneath it ,wearing a new suit, out on the road, in the rain, 280 miles from home, in the dark, with no tools , hoping that where I finally walked to and found it, that they gave me the right part, at a rediculous price. Well, you get the point.
I keep my vehicles over 10 years and 150,000 miles so I do preventive maintenance to keep it in shape. I guess if I just kept them 3 years (lease or buy new ones all the time) I would skip it.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Well, you get the point.
---------------------------------
Point well taken,......but as was already said, fuel filters always give plenty of warning that they are even close to giving a problem, such as when climbing the steepest hills while towing first of all, or when using WOT for any reason. Safe to say, a dirty fuel filter will never leave you stranded. And w/ the late model filters inside the fuel tank, there is no doubt in my mind that mines not gettin changed till it (if ever) starts starving for fuel on WOT.
 
#11 ·
Well, I guess if you didn't take the hints, and just keep drivin, over time (like years?) and your top speed keeps gettin slower, and slower and slower yet, till all it will do is idle, I guess that could be called "stranded", but the heater would still work, so you wouldn't freeze to death ! :biggrin:
 
#12 ·
A few thoughts...

On my '98 the fuel filter is mounted next to (but not in) the tank. It comes with its own quick-disconnect hoses already attached to the filter.

It is wise to change the filter if a pump has gone bad. Bad pumps can generate shrapnel....

If the fuel filter is restricted, it can cause the pump to have to work harder to generate the needed pressure at the injectors. If the pump overheats, that can cause a loss of pressure (also a good reason to not run your tank low on fuel all the time).

These are MAP systems without a manifold-pressure-sensing regulator on the fuel system. The PCM knows the manifold pressure and the fuel pressure required is constant. You might only notice problems under heavier loads if the system isn't able to generate enough fuel flow, but if a restricted filter makes the pump overheat and lose pressure, I'm not convinced that engine load is going to make a difference on the setup on my '98 anyhow.

I guess I'm "old school" like DSMLVR and IAfarmer. Bottom line - you're "probably" OK just leaving the fuel filter alone if it's not listed as scheduled maintenance. But a lot of us want better than "probably".

- G
 
#13 ·
If you change to synthetic oil and your engine has high miles on it, you expose your self to a very slight risk of problems.
The syn oil will clean out much of the gunk, over time. If the previous oil changes have been long intervals, you will be getting a lot of crap circulating in the engine. If the engine is clean from frequent previous oil changes, you should not have any problems.

I have only seen a fuel filter get completely clogged once in my life, a 1964 Chrysler New Yorker, in 1969 at 64,000 miles.
Engine would cut out at 65mph on the turnpike, replaced fuel filter which was located in front of engine compartment.
Car ran great on the way home, space rocket power, no problem blasting to 95mph.
 
#14 ·
Since I got this van at 65,000km, my OCI was always at 5,000km or 3 months and 90% of those at the dealership. After doing a lot of reading here and in other forum sites, I was thinking that I should be doing at least between 6000km - 7000km OCI for a dino oil.

I am now nearing the 5000km mark since the last OC and when I did a visual check on the oil the other day, it is still clean. Since it is now at 136,000km (high mileage category), I was thinking of switching to synthetic although opinions varies as to the advantages of using this type of oil. On a second thought, I am also considering the valvoline maxlife instead of jumping to synthetic. Any thoughts on the maxlife or equivalent.

Anyway, thanks to all the response. :thumb:
 
#16 ·
I am now nearing the 5000km mark since the last OC and when I did a visual check on the oil the other day, it is still clean. Since it is now at 136,000km (high mileage category), I was thinking of switching to synthetic although opinions varies as to the advantages of using this type of oil. On a second thought, I am also considering the valvoline maxlife instead of jumping to synthetic. Any thoughts on the maxlife or equivalent.

Anyway, thanks to all the response. :thumb:
Thoughts - (you asked for it!) my opinion is that using synthetic oil is a waste of money. I am skeptical of high mileage oils, but only because I have had engines last a good long time before these oils were available. My opinion is that if they provide any added protection, it is not worth the extra money you pay for them.

Conventional oils protect the engine very well, especially if you are sticking to 5000 km intervals. If you have 136,000 km on the vehicle and after 5000 km the oil is still clean, it ain't broke. Don't fix it.

Just my opinion. You know what they say about opinions. They are like noses. Everybody has one. Or was that some other body part?
 
#15 ·
I have changed out the fuel filter of several of my fuel injected vehicles and even after many miles never found one that was close to being restricted. If you floor the vehicle and it runs out of steam, you can suspect a restricted filter.

I have had good luck with Mobil 1 but would change it out at about 2,500 miles at the first change and go a bit extended after that.

Richard.
 
#17 ·
Dad and I got stranded in our 78 D150 due to a clogged fuel filter. There was slight warning, then it was done. We were stuck in a blizzard on the side of the road, and it was 5 miles to the nearest town.
 
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