11 best fuel filter manufacturers

*Review of the best according to the editors. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective, it is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to purchase. Should be consulted with a professional before buying.

Fuel filter is an important element of fuel system, which protects injectors (in case of injection gasoline and diesel engines) from clogging and the whole engine from sudden failure.

Topical question in the choice of fuel filters remains the following: the products of which companies meet the highest quality requirements, and how many manufacturers in general should be trusted. Well: based on consumer feedback and expert opinions we have compiled a rating of the 11 best companies-manufacturers of fuel filters, which maintain their goods quality brand at a steadily high level for a long time.

How to choose a fuel filter

It is not very difficult to choose a fuel filter for a car, especially for experienced car owners. In order not to run into a low-quality or unsuitable product, it is enough to pay attention to the following characteristics:

filtration level.There are 3 levels of fuel filters:

1. medium filters are able to trap 50% of total amount of particles of a certain size. It only makes sense to install them if the car is filled with high-octane fuel (95 and higher).
2. nominal – level of separation of particles in such filters is close to maximal level. They retain up to 95% of total mass, that is why they are versatile and can be installed on cars of different ages.
3. absolute – the “purest” filters, which durability depends on fuel quality. Capture 99,97% of impurities, keep the fuel system in good order and in general are of higher quality than previous versions.

Quality of filter paper. Yes, it is quite difficult to assess this criterion in practice, because it is difficult to give an opinion on the quality, not having special knowledge or the possibility of direct comparison. However, it is very important to assess the quality of the tracing paper to the touch: soft structure and flaking are the true signs of a fake or low-quality product. Needless to say, getting lint in engines is fraught with serious consequences. They will not appear at once, as clogging of the system is a long term process. But, buying a low-quality product, be prepared for the failure of the unit at the most important moment.

Winding density. a very important parameter, showing how well the filter will cope with the declared working functions. The density of paper can be evaluated by touch or visual inspection: the filter layer should be quite dense (not see-through), without any breaks or continuity faults over the whole area. If there are any defects in the consumable, any satisfactory quality of filtration is out of the question.

Overall dimensions. Perhaps the determining factor in the performance of a fuel filter is the fit of the cartridge dimensions to the seat in the sump. Even a millimeter deviation from the correct position in the long run can provoke big problems with the engine.

11 best manufacturers of fuel filters

MANN-Filter

Rating: 5.0

First place goes unconditionally to MANN-Filter – the most popular producer of filter elements for cars, SUVs and trucks. More than 40% of MANN fuel filters are supplied to German automakers. Another 20% goes to Japanese and American refineries. The rest 40% are products for the aftermarket, the variety of which simply exceeds all imaginable limits.

Not counting a certain percentage of imitations, without which, alas, the domestic market does not exist, the quality of fuel filters by MANN is excellent. The fine particle sieve characteristics here are in accordance with the indications on the packaging: from 75 to 99.98% of the total amount of impurities in gasoline and diesel. Even mediocre domestic fuel quality does not affect the long-term performance of the filters. The cost level is also slightly above average, but in terms of durability the purchase is very profitable. If we focus on budget versions of the range, then the minimum price tag on the filter for VAZ will be from 280 to 320 rubles. Not bad, but?

Bosch

Rating: 4.9

The German corporation Bosch is a major player in the automotive aftermarket, so the news about its fuel filters should not be perceived as something special. On the contrary, the Germans are able to keep the quality at a consistently high level, while remaining in the rank of producers of average price segment. It is true that lately the cases of MANN filters release in “Bosch” boxes became more frequent, which may indirectly mean the re-qualification of the brand as the next packer.

In the Bosch range of fuel filters you can find supplies for any brand of car, including Russian VAZ and Japanese Honda, Suzuki, Mitsubishi and Lexus. True, there is a nuance here, too: always look carefully at the country of manufacture, since the branches and plants of the corporation are located all over the world. The filters that are produced in Europe are the best choice – they have higher requirements and output quality control is much stricter. Try to avoid consumables made in China and other countries outside the European circle, because their quality is consistently low.

urflux

Rating: 4.8

The third place of the rating by a wide margin goes to the company Pruflux, which creates quite cheap filters with high nominal filtration quality and long reserve of working life. The practice shows that one fuel filter of this company covers more than 25 thousand kilometers – a very good result compared to the competition.

The design principles behind the Pruflux fuel filters are remarkable. The filter cartridge in them always occupies the entire space of a metal cylinder with valves, and therefore has a large usable filtration area. The paper used in the manufacture is also of high density and sifts out about 90-95% of the inclusions. According to official statistics, the average price level for the range is 260-290 rubles, and according to this indicator Pruflux practically compares to Bosch. Unfortunately, the Russian market is experiencing a shortage of fuel filters of this manufacturer, so we can not give it a higher place.

Knecht

Rating: 4.7

One step away from the top three was Knecht, an expensive packager working in tandem with German manufacturer Mahle. The average price tag of fuel filters of this brand is 500 rubles, which is much higher than the average check of the abovementioned competitors: Pruflux, Bosch, and even MANN.

Despite the high price, the quality of Knecht/Mahle filters is very high. The quality of filtration allows to replace the filter once in 20-25 thousand km, and the reliable operation of valves and high density of paper does not provoke stress on the system. The main part of the range is designed for Japanese and German cars: mainly for such brands as Mazda, Suzuki, Mitsubishi and Toyota. Filters for KIA and Hyundai and VAZ are not uncommonly available, even for older models. According to the reviews, there is only one disadvantage: a very high price, which discourages most domestic buyers.

Fleetguard

Rating: 4.6

The brand of Cummins Filtration, which produces filter elements for cars, SUVs and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. The main method of work of the manufacturer is to improve the existing solutions and integrate them with their own developments. Fleetguard is best known in the segment for StrataPore, a synthetic, multi-layer filter that provides multistage fuel treatment and high absorption capacity.

The primary function of Fleetguard is to develop fuel filters for diesel engines, which are developed in parallel with the main headquarters of Cummins Inc. Thus, the test site of the brand is an entire production hall. With this successful collaboration, none of the named competitors match Fleetguard in the performance component. However, the brand can only count on 5th place in our rating, and the reason for that is simple: while fuel diesel filters have over 5000 items, there are no gasoline filters in the range at all.

Filtron

Rating: 4.5

One of the most numerous representatives in Russia, which can be competed only by the big “two” in our rating: Bosch and MANN-Filter. The company is headquartered in Poland, which is the main reason of the popularity of the brand, both in Europe and in the former Soviet Union. Approximately 35% of the total number of manufactured products goes to assembly lines of American (General Motors, Ford), German (Volkswagen) and British (Land Rover) automakers.

It’s worth noting that Filtron, until recently, enjoyed the privilege of being one of the most stringent filter manufacturers, as the level of output quality control resulted in a record defect rate of 2.3%. Additional costs for ensuring control have more than paid off, resulting in a slight increase in price of the product. As a result, the average price tag for Filtron fuel filters is 300 rubles. The only problem: a large flow of fakes in connection with the popularity of the company, the cost of which is sometimes 50% less than of the original. As a domestic consumer is used to taking cheaper goods, the level of discontent has greatly increased recently.

Hengst

Rating: 4.4

The seventh place of Hengst company due to the lower popularity of products in Russia, although the quality is not inferior to the filters from Knecht or conventional MANN. They work perfectly with local fuels and provide reliable protection of the fuel system for long periods of time. According to independent research, some representatives of advanced series of filters can withstand up to 60 thousand kilometers between replacements. The average figure ranges from 28 to 30 thousand kilometers.

To give the cartridge additional rigidity and fixation in the body, Hengst practices the manufacture of external plastic cylinders. They do not prevent the passage of fuel through the filter paper, but avoid backlash and distortion of the cartridge during operation. The average cost of buying a gasoline filter is 380 rubles, and it is about a quarter of the average price on the market.

Champion

Rating: 4.3

Behind the structural simplicity of Champion filters there is a thorough manufacturing process, which ensures excellent long-term performance of the cartridges. They are among the cheapest, but at the same time, as reviews and independent tests have shown, some of the highest quality in the domestic market. The filter paper is dense, without any excess of paraffin and lint, polluting the fuel system. The throughput varies widely up to particle elimination of 5 microns, but even these tolerances are often not enough to ensure the required purity of gasoline for internal combustion engines (especially in Russia).

As the users note, the average mileage of Champion fuel filters is 30 thousand kilometers. The premium models can keep working even during 60 thousand kilometers, still keeping the minimum stock of the working resource. The main problem of assortment in Russia is a high percentage of fake French product, but the paradox is that even they sometimes work on an acceptable competitive level.

Sakura

Rating: 4.2

A brand with Japanese overtones, Sakura is the official trademark of ADR Group, an Indonesian corporation for the production of low-cost auto parts. The annual output is over 100 million filters, which includes fuel filtration cartridges (about 30%).

Among the advantages of consumables from Sakura, users highlight the low price and good filtration performance. The quality is definitely not as good as the European competitors, but is up to the level one would expect from a budget filter. Among the disadvantages many notice a high level of falsification (according to different data from 28 to 44% of products on the Russian markets are fakes). To avoid a low-quality purchase, always pay attention to the packaging box. The original filters have on the box a bar code with the company prefix, as well as two-color high-definition printing (if there is no, or it is faded and pale – better to refuse from the acquisition). Another important difference is that the thank-you phrase (in Japanese) is not translated into other languages in the original.

UFI

Rating: 4.1

The rating of the best is continued by the Italian company UFI, whose branches are concentrated in Europe and a number of states of America. Among its merits, it stands out in particular for its cooperation with Ferrari, supplying fuel filters not only for serial automobile assembly, but also for the race cars of the elite Formula 1 racing series. Naturally, the quality of these consumables is beyond doubt: multi-level control over manufacturing operations and the use of tested materials allow for increased longevity of the original filter cartridge elements.

But as for the export batch of fuel filters, here UFI has a couple of serious claims. Firstly, the price policy. Almost the entire range of products has a price that is 1.3-1.5 times higher than the average market price. Secondly, the quality parameters of export filters, albeit slightly, but still inferior to those of products for the domestic market. We can mention some problems with counterfeits, but this issue is solved by the company quickly, by introducing new security measures and identifying the originals. In general, the description of the company is quite good, but the complex of negative factors does not allow putting it higher in the overall rating.

SCT-Germany

Rating: 4.0

SCT’s former greatness, which is headquartered in Germany, has rapidly declined since the company moved most of its production facilities to China. The initial plan to enforce strict quality control in Chinese territory failed, and what are now commonly referred to as fuel filters from SCT-Germany have flooded the market. Out of the entire mass of products, only 40% have the declared characteristics, while the remaining 60% are suitable only as a temporary expendable. Soft shell metal, the presence of thinning on filter paper (or even breakthroughs), distortions of the main structural elements are the main drawbacks of Chinese SCT products.

And with a few European filters the situation is much better. The level of defects is at 1,5-2%, the fit of the elements is perfect, and the paper itself has a solid section, without thinning and rough edges. So if you decide to buy a fuel filter from SCT, be sure to clarify the country of manufacture.