IN THE BAY
The Importance Of
Filtration To A Properly
Maintained Fuel System
Contaminated fuel
can have severe
consequences
20 Fleet Maintenance | AUGUST 2017
electrically or mechanically driven and is pressurized
at 20 to 60 psi.
Primary/secondary fuel fi lters – Th ese remove
contaminants from the fuel. Th e primary fuel
fi lter usually mounts before the fuel pump on the
suction side. It is designed to protect the fuel pump
from contaminants and abrasives. Th e secondary
fuel fi lter is usually mounted aft er the fuel transfer
pump on the pressure side. It is designed to
remove fi ne abrasives that can block and damage
fuel injectors. Note: Some fuel systems contain
F
By Zafar Hussain, Senior Product Engineer, Luber-finer
» Because of the considerable consequences
contaminated fuel can have on a vehicle’s
fuel system and engine, it’s very important
to understand the key benefits of a properly
maintained fuel system and how fuel filtration
contributes to fuel system performance.
Photo courtesy of Luber-finer
IN VEHICLE
uel is the lifeblood that runs through the heart
– the engine – of any heavy duty vehicle. When
fuel enters the cylinder chamber, it is mixed with
air, vaporized and burned to produce energy and
send power into the rest of the vehicle’s circulatory
system.
Th e key to the on-highway heart health of vehicles
lies in the engines getting plenty of exercise as
they rack up miles, as well as making sure engines
receive the cleanest diesel fuel possible.
Th at’s where fuel fi ltration comes in. Left
unchecked, fuel contaminants can negatively
impact overall fl eet operations and profi tability.
Most of these contaminants are external to the
fuel system itself and come from the fuel that is
delivered to the fuel tank.
Fuel fi lters capture these contaminants before
they can cause signifi cant and expensive damage
to many vital fuel system components.
Primary Components
Th e primary components of a vehicle’s fuel
system are:
Fuel transfer pump – Th e fuel transfer pump
delivers a vehicle’s fuel from the fuel tank to the
engine through the fuel lines. Th is pump may be