I was informed by my local Honda service manager that my 08 Pilot does not have a fuel filter in the traditional sense. I have to drive from Texas to Maine soon and need to insure I have no water and crud in the fuel system. Should I go with a fuel additive or just keep some food and a blanket handy and hope it doesn’t stall out? The idea of no fuel filter is totally incomprehensible to me.
You have nothing to worry about. Your Pilot will be fine. Enjoy your trip.
Your Pilot is not going to “stall out.” Stalling out is not even remotely possible. You could drive across the United States three or four times and your Pilot would not “stall out.”
I don’t know why your “local Honda service manager” would say such a thing (Profit motive, perhaps), but, I repeat, you have nothing whatsoever to worry about.
From what you have said, I think your vehicle has a non-replaceable strainer or screen, not a replaceable fuel filter. This gets changed out if you need a new fuel pump. My 2001 Mazda MPV has a similar set up, and I have had no problems in 134K miles.
If you are concerned, then go ahead and put in a fuel injector additive like Techron, although I doubt if you need it.
Taking a winter prep kit with you (blanket, candle, coffee can, shovel, etc) is always a good idea when traveling in winter. Energy bars aren’t a bad idea, either.
I agree there is no reason to suspect a problem.
I don’t know why your “local Honda service manager” would say such a thing (Profit motive, perhaps), but, I repeat, you have nothing whatsoever to worry about.
I don’t see where the service manager said that. I think it’s just the OP who’s concerned about it.
As for NO filter. I too have concerns about this type of system. The way the system is suppose to work is all dirt/grime is filtered in the tank…The screen prevents the dirt from ever entering the fuel system. My 4runner has this type of system.
The problem I have is…is in the other type of systems with an external fuel filter…any crud in the fuel is being removed from the system. With this system the crud NEVER leaves the system…UNLESS you drop the tank. It’s suppose to last forever…It depends on THEIR definition of forever…Are they assuming that MOST people don’t keep their vehicles past 100k miles…that FOREVER just means up to 100k miles (although I’m 40k past that). I tend to keep my vehicles well past the 250k mile mark…I suspect that I’ll probably have to drop the tank to change the pump and filter before that. With my pathfinder…I changed that filter two-three times a year…and EVERY TIME I CHANGED IT…IT WAS FILTHY.
The one thing you might do to keep from worrying is to put a bottle of fuel line anti-freeze (“Heet” is the brand I know) in the gas tank, it takes care of the water. But you might have trouble finding any here, it’ll be in the gas stations as you travel further north, you could buy it then. But you really don’t need to worry.
But you might have trouble finding any here, it’ll be in the gas stations as you travel further north, you could buy it then. But you really don’t need to worry.
Almost impossible to find these days since most of the gas around here is 10% ethanol. Thus no need for it.
Makes sense, that Heet was just a bottle of methanol, anyway. So the OP needs to do nothing at all.
Heet and other fuel system moisture treatments contain isopropyl alcohol. Not ethanol or methanol. The reason? Isopropyl alcohol doesn’t phase seperate out of gasoline like ethanol and methanol do. This allows the isopropyl alcohol along with any moisture it absorbs to remain mixed in the gasoline so it can be carried off and burned in the engine.
Tester
Methanol is the first listed ingredient in Heet.
Regular heat with methanol doesn’t remove moisture from the gas tank. Instead it causes the moisture to sink to the bottom of the gas tank. Who wants that? IsoHeet contains isopropyl alcohol so it mixes with the gas so it can be burned off. http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/heet/faq.aspx#23
Tester
Your Pilot was designed for a wide range of climates worldwide; it will even run in Alaska!!! Ignore what you were told; and drive happily all over the US in any kind of weather.
Filters filter out dirt, not water! Nearly all gasolines have some additive now that absorbs small amount of water due to condensation. If you really want to be sure, just buy some of those little bottles of “gasline antifreeze” that are sold at nearly every gas station. Add one little bottle with each fillup. We used to do that in the past when gasolines were formulated differently.
Your Honda service manager needs to become enlightened that the world does not stop at Amarillo!
So it sounds like fuel filters are falling by the wayside…The car manufactures have a lot of faith in the oil companies supplying pristine clean gasoline…More faith than I have…So now instead of changing a plugged fuel filter for $6, you are set up for a major repair costing hundreds of dollars to drop the fuel tank. (In-tank filter screens are nothing new, cars have ALWAYS had them.) Should some fine suspended particles get through the screen and plug the injectors, a $600 repair bill can be extended to $1500 or more.
If I ever own such a vehicle, I will install an external filter and keep repair costs at the $6-$12 level…
I personally agree with Caddyman. I’ve got 45+ years with diesel engines and they have filters for everything, even coolant. Honda makes good stuff but bad fuel can stop anything. These kids they get to run the local stop-n-rob gas stations don’t even know when the stations water separators are stopped up until someone complains the pumps are running slow. I’ve been told many times to never refuel when the stations tanks are being filled because it churns the crud up off the bottom. When I see diesels and airplanes with no fuel filters, I’ll believe I don’t need them either!