Auguste 1st, 2010

Pierre Bisonnette

 

Filters, Filters, Filters

When a Change Is Good

Filters are an integral part of vehicles today. They come in different shapes and sizes, not to mention different locations throughout the vehicle. Filters need regular maintenance, too, so let’s take a look at some of them.

We’re going to discuss some types of vehicle filters and we’ll start with the air filter. That’s one that used to be very easy to replace… not so today. In fact, in some vehicles it takes about a half-hour just to remove it! This is because it is inside the fuel injection system—automakers don’t make things easy anymore for the independent repair shop. And we all know why! When replacing it, make sure you install it the way it was. It needs to be replaced at different intervals depending on the roads you drive—dirt or highway.

Filter classification

A filter is classified by the number of microns it contains—the air filter is different from the gas filter and so on. In addition, the number of microns changes according to the price of the unit: Brand A (OE/premium filter) costs a lot more than Brand X (white box). The type of filter paper used is also different according to price. Cheap filters are not the way to go when replacing one for your customer, if you want to have his return business.

Cabin filter

I know that a lot of technicians do not realize that most vehicles from 1995 on have cabin filters and need replacing as well, again depending on the roads being driven on. This one is fairly easy to replace—most are in the dashboard behind the glove box. Watch the intervals for this filter because of the roads.

Fuel filter

The fuel/gas filter with carbureted engines was easy and cheap to replace—every tune-up was the appropriate time to replace it! Vehicles then had steel fuel tanks that could rust; now they are sophisticated plastic ones which don’t rust. Today the fuel filter is mainly found on the fuel line. When the vehicle has a module fuel pump (i.e. Dodge), the filter will be found on the pump. The fuel filter can be expensive on these vehicles, especially if it has never been taken off (as in 5 years, for example). Bear in mind, you can change just the filter… you don’t always need to change the pump, too! The electric pump has a strainer in the tank. If you are going to change the pump, be sure to clean the tank as well.

Remember too, that some fuel injectors have strainers—don’t forget to check them out. The evaporator system has filters as well, and they could need replacing at the same time.

In addition…

The best way to ‘sell’ a filter to your customer is to follow the Owner’s Service Manual. This booklet tells you the time or kilometres driven as to when the various filters should be changed. Show your customers these suggestions… they’ll understand that you’re not trying to sell them something they don’t need.