Does Subaru Need To Change Fuel Filter?

Ane of the worst problems that can happen to your Subaru Impreza is a bad fuel filter. When the filter goes bad, it can limit the amount of fuel that enters the engine. Without fuel, the vehicle volition not run at all. With that in mind, most of the symptoms of a bad fuel filter circumduct around the vehicle stalling out.

Bad Fuel Filter Symptoms Subaru Impreza

Fuel filters have been making a rearward progression for the concluding fifty yøears, literally. For a long time, you'd find information technology under the hood. It looked like a little pill, and it would be quick and easy to supplant. This was in the era of carbureted vehicles.

Things began to change in the eighty's. Fuel injection requires higher fuel force per unit area. College fuel force per unit area meant that a more robust fuel filter would be required. This meant the fuel filter was no longer left under the hood. It was put in the steel fuel line, betwixt the gas tank and engine bay.

These fuel filters were more than reliable, but they also were tougher to change. Repairing them means getting nether the vehicle and disconnecting steel fittings. It really still isn't that difficult to deal with, as long equally you give the vehicle a few minutes for the fuel pressure level to go downwardly.

The good news is, no matter how onetime your Impreza is, the symptoms of a bad fuel filter are universal. It doesn't affair if information technology's in-tank or in-line. And, fuel filters are cheap.

Signs of a Bad Fuel Filter: Subaru Impreza

Subaru Impreza Bad Fuel Filter Diagnosis — Typical Fuel Filter

At that place are physical signs that yous tin experience when your Impreza's fuel filter is clogging. Earlier taking anything apart, check to see if your engines computer has any trouble codes saved in it.

The engine may throw a P0087 trouble lawmaking. This trouble code detects that the fuel rail/organisation pressure level is as well low. Any problem codes that exist could be a clue. Sometimes when in that location is low fuel pressure, you may besides get an oxygen sensor related trouble lawmaking as well. The real consequence with diagnosing a bad fuel filter is that information technology resembles many other vehicular issues in terms of symptoms.

Here are the most common symptoms of a bad fuel filter in your Subaru Impreza:

Sputtering Under Load

The merely fashion that you are going to know that your Impreza's fuel filter may be going out is that it is no longer letting enough fuel through to proceed the engine running under a heavy load, or at high-speed. Typically, if yous are heading up a loma (or accelerating) the engine may kickoff to feel like it is merely running out of steam. That'southward what it feels like with a bad fuel filter.

Now, a bad fuel filter tin too experience a heck of a lot like a bad catalytic converter. Both atmospheric condition volition brand the motor feel similar it is running out of current of air when you lot hit the gas. A bad catalytic converter will non experience as jarring. Information technology's a polish lack of power. If yous are unsure, check out this article on troubleshooting catalytic converters. If yous get P0420 or P0430 trouble codes with a scanner, it very well may be the catalytic converter causing these symptoms.

Hard to Start Engine

One of the all-time indicators of a chock-full fuel filter is going to be that the your Impreza is difficult to start. This considering at that place's not enough fuel pressure level to properly disintegrate the fuel as it enters the combustion chamber.

If your car is difficult to start, a clogged fuel filter would probably not be the place to start looking, particularly if y'all are getting no problem code for fuel pressure or the oxygen sensors.

Instead, nosotros'd recommend taking a wait at the ignition system first. Oft it'll be bad spark plugs, or a bad curl pack.

Engine Not Starting

If the fuel filter has become so contaminated that the minimum amount of fuel has not been let through it, the engine won't showtime at all.

At the almost basic of levels your Subaru Impreza needs three things to start: Air, fuel, and spark. If any of these things aren't nowadays, the engine won't turn over at all. If in that location'southward been zero warning that the fuel filter could be going bad (hesitation, difficulty starting, etc) than a clogged fuel filter might non exist the identify to start. It could certainly crusade the problem though.

Here'south a great video on using your eyes to diagnose the fuel filter:

Information technology Could Also exist Your Impreza's Fuel Pump

A fuel pump that is going out is going to feel the same as a bad fuel filter. This makes telling if you accept a bad fuel pump vs bad fuel filter very challenging.

How do you tell them apart? A chock-full fuel filter will have high pressure on its input side and low pressure on its output side. They are both going to crusade the same hesitation at loftier speed and difficulty starting. The only way to truly tell is to place a fuel pressure gauge on both sides of the line and become a reading from both.

If your machine isn't starting at all, and you hear the fuel pump prime number that is normally a good indication that the pump is working to some capacity. Testing your Impreza's fuel pressure on each side of the pump would be the best way to diagnose this problem.

A priming fuel pump sounds similar a high-pitched whine for a few seconds and can be heard with a precipitous engine right after the ignition key is turned, but earlier the starter is engaged.

Conclusion: Subaru Impreza Bad Fuel Pump

The symptoms of a bad fuel pump match a lot of other common bug that can occur in the Subaru Impreza. Testing the filter and pressure level on each side of it are going to be the quickest means to dominion it out. If there is annihilation you would like to add, please leave a annotate beneath. Good luck!