Should I Replace My Fuel Filter With A Genuine GM Part?
If you need to replace the fuel filter on your GM car or truck, you're probably wondering if it's better to use an OEM or aftermarket filter. In this guide, we'll cover the differences and explain why an OEM product is often the best option based on the following:
- Quality
- Fitment
- Cost
Quality Is Important
A fuel filter may seem like a minor part but it plays an important role in the health of your fuel system. It's the primary component protecting your fuel injectors and engine components from getting clogged or fowled by particles in the fuel. For this reason, it's important to use a quality OEM filter to help prevent the following issues:
- Fuel leaks due to incorrect fit or cheap gaskets
- Premature filter clogging, leading to poor engine performance including hard starting, rough idling, and hesitation or poor performance
- Insufficient filtering, leading to contaminants passing through the filter into the fuel injectors
An OEM fuel filter can not only help prevent these issues, but it will be easier to install, last longer, and is backed by a GM warranty.
Correct Fitment
Besides leaking, an incorrect or poor-fitting fuel filter can cause other issues. If your car or truck uses a fuel filter housing, like the Duramax 6.6L diesel engine, an aftermarket fuel filter may not fit correctly or have the exact same dimensions as an OEM filter. This issue might lead to a clogged filter or one that lets contaminants pass through to the engine.
If your vehicle doesn't have a fuel filter housing, there could still be issues with fitment. Whether or not your fuel filter uses a fuel filter housing you could also experience one or more of the following issues:
- Incorrect fuel flow rate that causes fuel starvation, flooding, or fuel system trouble codes that trigger a check engine light.
- Incorrect fuel flow rate causing issues with the fuel pump or injectors.
- Loss of power or reduced fuel mileage.
Cost Matters
You can save a little bit of money on an aftermarket fuel filter. However, while you may save a few dollars upfront, an aftermarket fuel filter could cost you a lot more in repairs later on. This is why using OEM parts is recommended for all GM cars and trucks. The cost savings, if any, won't cover even a minor fuel system repair.
Summing Up
In addition to quality and the peace of mind that comes with using OEM fuel filters, another advantage is service. It's much easier to find the correct OEM fuel filter than spend time researching aftermarket parts to find the right one. And if you need assistance, we're glad to help! We have a massive online database of parts to fit your GM car or truck. You can either look up the part or contact us for help.