Something that still bothers me is why my petrol engined 2.5L XT has no fuel filter - only a (regular, metal?) strainer or sieve at the pump in the tank. This just happens to be the first vehicle I know of with no replaceable fuel filter... Will this not increase the chance of problems with say dirt in the injectors, etc.?
Does somebody know the technical/engineering answer as to why Nissan can get away with a design like this? So far I could not get a good explanation from our local Nissan people. Maybe somebody has a manual describing the fuel system?
Leongster & Aussietrail, yes, as admitted in my post, also my understanding is that there is a strainer in the tank. But, that is all. All other cars I know of has a strainer in the tank plus a replaceable filter (easy to reach and to be replaced at some service intervals). I would feel a bit better if I knew the "strainer" is not your usual metal sieve type but that it includes somekind of a micro pore filter element.
Did anyone had to get their in-tank strainer cleaned after prolonged use?
GFB, Nissan refer to this "stainer" as the Fuel Filter and it is described as such in the electronic service manual. Getting to it and replacing it is not that hard once you pop the rear seat you will have full access to it. I believe this is a more advanced fuel filtering method than the old plastic type of fuel filter located in the engine bay.
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Jalal (Sydney, Australia)
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Thanks, Aussietrail - so I do understand you're saying an official Nissan manual calls it a Fuel Filter. Thing is, I have seen that on the computer system of the local dealer's parts counter the item is listed as a Fuel Strainer.
Would be interesting if somebody who actually have seen it, could clarify whether it is simply a very fine metal screen or not. I've indeed seen the mounting/access part to the fuel pump - easy to get there but one needs to make up a special tool to undo the big plastic ring nut (guess 120mm dia)...
I'm not necesarily saying this whole issue is a problem, but I would have peace of mind if I understand the engineering behind it. You know, I do have my doubts about cleanliness of fuel in some remote areas...
PS: Just again spoken to a workshop guy - he claims it to be a very fine nylon type screen.
Some months back I removed my fuel pump assembly to access the tank and recalled seeing a fine nylon mesh bag at the base of the assembly. I assumed (incorrectly) that this was the strainer/pre-filter that is attached to most fuel pumps.
But from what you've described in your latest post that WAS the fuel filter.
At 20,000 + km mine looked pretty clean, but short of seeing it under a microscope I guess there's no way of telling.
Don't worry too much about it though. Just watch the fuel you put in.
Gooday chaps, is this filter a wash and re-use or a chuck out item ?
Expensive to replace every 20/30000 kms ?
Honestly, I wouldn't know. It seems to be made of a cream colored, pretty tough, polymer-based material not unlike very fine mosquito mesh so I guess you could always reverse flush it. If it were a replaceable item I would imagine it shouldn't cost more than a standard in-line filter...
My real concern is how long the standard fuel pump is known to last. Given that the X-trail has no return fuel line, the pump must have to work very hard.
GFB
There is definatly a fuel filter that needs to be replace at 100,000km and it's not cleanable.(It is called a strainer in Australia as well) And the no return line is due to the system being pressurised so it delivers fuel when needed it also means that the fuel is delivered cooler other than going back to the tank and completing a loop in turn heating up the fuel in the tank it is a miror temp increase but still an increase
Dave
Dave
It seems difficult to settle this filter issue! May I ask what is the source or reference of your replacement remark? - I ask so, because according to the Nissan service manual I have seen, the fuel filter is a "maintenance free" item... But, I tend to believe one might have to wash it out at say 100 000 km's - if you happened to have made use of not-so-clean (rural?) fuel supply. Nobody clearly said so, but that's the impression I got from the workshop guys at the dealer...
GFB,
We service x-trails at work and we use a generic servicing manual that covers specifications on all makes and models timing ,A/C specs,oil/coolant capacities and when to change what filter and suspension setups and so on. There is a paper element in the sealed fuel filter/strainer and it would filter in in microns so the last thing i would be doing is back flushing a fuel filter when you only need change them a 100,000k's. The orange element inside does not look to orange when you cut the filter in two hope this helps
Dave
Thanks, Dave. The presence of a paper element is both interesting and confusing news...
The slightly clashing bits of info makes me wonder whether it could not be that the specs/filter differs according to country or region, and/or year model.
Anyhow, seems quite sure that there is no short term worries!
Hi guys,
I had to change the entire fuel pump and filter a couple of months ago due to poor acceleration and water in my fuel due to bad gas at gas stations.
The fuel pump is located in a hard plastic cylindrical housing which is submerged in the gas tank.The fuel filter is a porous mesh bag which can be replaced.
However I got an adaptor made using the same design of the high power hosing that supplies the fuel to the injector rail.
Now I have a replaceable fuel filter before the injector rail since this mesh fuel filter located in the tank attached to the fuel pump is not adequate for all filtration.
This has helped the performance of the engine considerably.
It's quite easy to install once you have a good hydraulic pressure hose technician.Anyone who makes hydraulic pressure hoses should be able to come up with an adaptor to use on your fuel system hoses.
So along with the mesh bag (filter) in the tank I also have a changeable steel fuel filter.
Last edited by Sean King : Feb 23rd, 2007 at 07:57 AM.
Hi guys,
I had to change the entire fuel pump and filter a couple of months ago due to poor acceleration and water in my fuel due to bad gas at gas stations.
The fuel pump is located in a hard plastic cylindrical housing which is submerged in the gas tank.The fuel filter is a porous mesh bag which can be replaced.
However I got an adaptor made using the same design of the high power hosing that supplies the fuel to the injector rail.
Now I have a replaceable fuel filter before the injector rail since this mesh fuel filter located in the tank attached to the fuel pump is not adequate for all filtration.
This has helped the performance of the engine considerably.
It's quite easy to install once you have a good hydraulic pressure hose technician.Anyone who makes hydraulic pressure hoses should be able to come up with an adaptor to use on your fuel system hoses.
So along with the mesh bag (filter) in the tank I also have a changeable steel fuel filter.
DriftKing has posted some useful info in the XT forum under " maintenance-free fuel filter". Suggest you take a look at it as he discovered that the white fuel pump housing actually does contain a paper element. I believe ALO4X4V noted something similar earlier in this post.
Why no fuel filter?
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