Where Is Fuel Filter On 07 Chevy Cobalt

One of the worst bug that tin happen to your Chevy Cobalt is a bad fuel filter. When the filter goes bad, it tin can limit the amount of fuel that enters the engine. Without fuel, the vehicle will not run at all. With that in listen, most of the symptoms of a bad fuel filter revolve around the vehicle stalling out.

Bad Fuel Filter Symptoms Chevy Cobalt

Fuel filters take been making a rearward progression for the last 50 years, literally. For a long time, you'd find it under the hood. It looked like a piddling pill, and it would be quick and easy to replace. This was in the era of carbureted vehicles.

Things began to change in the eighty's. Fuel injection requires higher fuel pressure. Higher fuel pressure level meant that a more robust fuel filter would be required. This meant the fuel filter was no longer left under the hood. Information technology was put in the steel fuel line, between the gas tank and engine bay.

These fuel filters were more reliable, only they also were tougher to modify. Repairing them means getting nether the vehicle and disconnecting steel fittings. It really still isn't that difficult to deal with, as long as y'all requite the vehicle a few minutes for the fuel pressure to go down.

The good news is, no matter how former your Cobalt is, the symptoms of a bad fuel filter are universal. It doesn't matter if it's in-tank or in-line. And, fuel filters are cheap.

Signs of a Bad Fuel Filter: Chevy Cobalt

Chevy Cobalt Bad Fuel Filter Diagnosis — Typical Fuel Filter

There are physical signs that y'all tin feel when your Cobalt's fuel filter is clogging. Earlier taking anything apart, check to meet if your engines computer has whatever trouble codes saved in it.

The engine may throw a P0087 trouble code. This trouble code detects that the fuel rail/system pressure is too low. Whatsoever problem codes that exist could exist a clue. Sometimes when in that location is low fuel pressure, you may as well get an oxygen sensor related problem code as well. The real issue with diagnosing a bad fuel filter is that information technology resembles many other vehicular issues in terms of symptoms.

Here are the most mutual symptoms of a bad fuel filter in your Chevy Cobalt:

Sputtering Under Load

The but manner that you are going to know that your Cobalt'due south fuel filter may exist going out is that it is no longer letting enough fuel through to go on the engine running nether a heavy load, or at high-speed. Typically, if y'all are heading up a colina (or accelerating) the engine may outset to feel like information technology is simply running out of steam. That's what it feels similar with a bad fuel filter.

Now, a bad fuel filter tin also feel a heck of a lot like a bad catalytic converter. Both weather will make the motor feel like it is running out of current of air when you hit the gas. A bad catalytic converter will not feel as jarring. It's a smooth lack of power. If you are unsure, cheque out this article on troubleshooting catalytic converters. If you get P0420 or P0430 trouble codes with a scanner, information technology very well may be the catalytic converter causing these symptoms.

Difficult to Commencement Engine

One of the best indicators of a clogged fuel filter is going to be that the your Cobalt is difficult to start. This because there's not enough fuel pressure to properly atomize the fuel as it enters the combustion bedroom.

If your car is difficult to kickoff, a clogged fuel filter would probably non be the place to kickoff looking, especially if you are getting no trouble code for fuel pressure or the oxygen sensors.

Instead, we'd recommend taking a expect at the ignition organization first. Often it'll be bad spark plugs, or a bad coil pack.

Engine Not Starting

If the fuel filter has become so contaminated that the minimum amount of fuel has not been let through it, the engine won't start at all.

At the most basic of levels your Chevy Cobalt needs 3 things to offset: Air, fuel, and spark. If any of these things aren't present, the engine won't turn over at all. If in that location'south been zero alarm that the fuel filter could be going bad (hesitation, difficulty starting, etc) than a clogged fuel filter might non be the place to commencement. Information technology could certainly cause the problem though.

Here's a great video on using your eyes to diagnose the fuel filter:

It Could As well be Your Cobalt'southward Fuel Pump

A fuel pump that is going out is going to feel the same as a bad fuel filter. This makes telling if you have a bad fuel pump vs bad fuel filter very challenging.

How practice you tell them apart? A clogged fuel filter will have loftier force per unit area on its input side and low pressure on its output side. They are both going to cause the aforementioned hesitation at loftier speed and difficulty starting. The only mode to truly tell is to place a fuel pressure estimate on both sides of the line and get a reading from both.

If your car isn't starting at all, and yous hear the fuel pump prime that is unremarkably a good indication that the pump is working to some capacity. Testing your Cobalt's fuel pressure on each side of the pump would be the best mode to diagnose this problem.

A priming fuel pump sounds like a loftier-pitched whine for a few seconds and can exist heard with a abrupt engine correct subsequently the ignition key is turned, merely before the starter is engaged.

Conclusion: Chevy Cobalt Bad Fuel Pump

The symptoms of a bad fuel pump match a lot of other mutual issues that tin can occur in the Chevy Cobalt. Testing the filter and pressure on each side of information technology are going to be the quickest ways to rule it out. If at that place is annihilation you would similar to add, delight leave a comment below. Practiced luck!