1997 2.2 - Yesterday I was under the back of the car shortly after it was running and noticed the fuel filter was very hot. Not just warm, but very hot to touch. The heat shield around the gas tank is still all intact. The tank itself was cool all over. All the other fuel lines were cold, (EVAP, Fuel return) except the one feeding the filter from the tank pump.
Is this normal - or is my pump on the way out and running hot - thus heating the fuel it is pumping? Or is that just how this pump works, and the fuel heats up as it is pumped.
Any chance anyone out there with the same generation 2.2 might be able to quickly feel the fuel filter after having had the car running for a while and let me know if it is cold, warm or hot to touch?
Thanks for any info.
Mike
The filter is 23 months in the car.
The Fuel pump is the same as in the car when purchased into our family (Jul 2003).
I also noticed that on our 96 2.2 the filter gets warm, but the 97 gets downright hot. Not hot enough to burn skin, but pretty darn hot - much more so than the 96.
I also did feel the tank bottom to see if the gas in the tank seemed to be hot, but the tank seemed cool to the touch all across the bottom. But I'm also not sure that the tank bottom is thin enough to transfer the heat if in fact the gas itself was hot. There is definitely no heat transfer into the tank skin from the exhaust, as the tank is also cool in the areas under the heat shield next to the exhaust pipe.
Anyone else able to give feedback if they have felt the fuel filter after driving the car for a while.
Thanks again for input.
23 months!! replace that thing.
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Primer Counts as Custom Paint Right?
BTW: This is my Sig.
Some heat comes from the pump, but not all. How full was the tank when you noticed this? An empty tank has less thermal mass in it and the fuel will heat up much more quickly than a full tank. The fuel coming in from the return line has probably been heated to a good 160 degrees after passing through the rail under the hood. The fuel pump adds even more heat to this. I wouldn't stress over this too much. Hot fuel vaporizes better than cold fuel anyhow. Like others have said, if it's been 2 years (the recommended interval), go ahead and replace the filter.
2002 Cavalier 2200 5spd
I did not suspect it was caused by hot fuel return, as the fuel return line was not hot - just warm. Also the fuel tank bottom was not warm. Only the filter and the line from the pump to the filter. The line from the filter to the engine was hot near the filter, but cooled as it got closer to the engine. All this while the tank was about 3/4 full.
As the filter was due for replacement in a month, I replaced it. No change. It was in fact the pump. Although it sounded normal, it must have been overheating and likely on its last legs. Pump replaced and now the filter is barely warm to the touch. I suspect the pump would have failed on me in the near future and left the car stranded somewhere. Our 96 had the fuel pump fail about 18 months ago. I never did feel if that filter was hot anytime before the failure. It seems that feeling the filter on high mileage, older pumps might be a quick diagnosis for a pending pump failure. Both cars pump lasted about 10 years and around 300000 kms.
Mike
