i have heard this before and was just wondering if anyone could confirm this for me. i have recently started to get alot of soot on my rear bumper and the bottom of the bed above and behind the exhaust tip. i can see a bit of smoke coming out at idle and a good bit coming out when on the throttle especially at night through the headlights behind me. i have close to 15k and havent changed the filter yet but i will be very soon. just curious to know if anyone has noticed a difference after changing their filter? i have a white truck and the first time i drive it after washing it, its already got a coating of soot on it and starts looking bad after a day or two of driving. i never had this problem before when the truck was new so im hoping theres nothing wrong w/ it.

 

No. A dirty fuel filter would restrict the amount of fuel to your motor. The air filter on the other hand would. Less air to the motor and the same amount of fuel will cause extra abnormal smoke.

 

Oh, BTW, 15,000 miles is a lot of miles on a fuel filter. I'd change it and the air filter very soon.

I usually replace my fuel filter every other oil change or sooner if there is a loss of power. Sometimes you just dodn't kbnow about fuel conditions at certian stations. Because I work in very dusty conditions, I change my oil every 5,000 miles.

 

the air filter is a new amsoil nanofiber. im planning on changing the fuel filter very soon, i was just following the recomendations in the owners manual. so a dirty fuel filter will cause a loss in power? would it have to be clogging or just pretty dirty? im not sure if the soot on the bumper is just fuel or oil, im guessing its fuel but some of the smoke is blue/white in color so that would be oil correct? then again our fuel is oil.....

 

Ghost,

You don't really give enough info to answer completely.

A clogged filter will starve the engine of fuel while under power. Black smoke is excess fuel while under power. A clogged filter will not cause black smoke. If it has suddenly gotten worse I'd replace the air filter because too much fuel has the same affect as not enough air. Black smoke deposits on the bumper are normal. I call the rear bumper the early version of the DPF.

Blue smoke is a different story. My first gen would smoke blue on the highway with a clogged fuel filter and starving for fuel. But that won't make it smoke at idle. A bad turbo seal will make it smoke blue and use oil.

Also, a fuel filter can clog from a bad load of fuel. This could happen in much less time than the normal change interval. They also clog from algae, so sitting a long time can be as bad as driving many miles. If you suspect algae (black scum) get some fuel treatment, do more filter changes, and drain the water separator.


John

 

Hey Ghost, just fyi, Chrysler updated the fuel filter change interval. They are now recommending putting a new one in every 10,000 miles using at least 7 micron filter or better. Fleetguard part# used to be FS19800E but now it's FS19856 for whatever reason.

 

thanks for the help guys, i guess i will start changing the fuel filter at every other oil change from now on.

 

Ghost Ram, I have the same problem with soot on the bumper and lower body. Mine is from the five inch tip that is not sticking out far enough from the truck. I would bet your soot problem on the truck is the same thing.