Why Does a Diesel Heater Need a Fuel Filter?
A fuel filter is important for anything that uses gasoline or diesel.
Especially small motors or heaters that have the kind of fuel tank that dirt and particles can easily get into during a refill.
Portable diesel heaters are extra vulnerable since they are often being filled at campsites where there’s dirt and dust everywhere.
Related Product: Stay safe by keeping battery powered carbon monoxide detector (click to view on Amazon) nearby when using a diesel heater.
Some portable all-in-one diesel heaters will have a fuel filter already installed, but many Chinese diesel heaters don’t come with one.
This was the case with my 8KW Vevor diesel heater (click to view on Amazon).
Overall it’s a great heater, but one downside was the lack of a fuel filter.
Luckily diesel heater fuel filters are easy to install. It’s a simple upgrade that will protect not only the diesel heater but the fuel pump as well.
Clean diesel will keep a diesel heater running better for longer.
A diesel heater that’s in good shape is especially important when you’re camping in cold weather and you rely on it to keep you warm.
See Also: Portable Vevor Diesel Heater (All-In-One) Review & Setup
What Fuel Filter is Best for a Diesel Heater?
There are two main kinds of diesel fuel filters; paper and metal screen filters.
Since diesel heaters use a fuel pump and can require a high fuel flow rate, it’s recommended to use a screen filter.
They have a higher flow rate than many small paper filters.
Another pro to metal screen filters is they can be cleaned and reused which is great for full time RVers who might not have access to paper filter replacements.
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The fuel filter needs to be small enough to fit inside the portable diesel heater and be compatible with a 4mm fuel line.
I used this screen fuel filter (click to view on Amazon) for my Vevor diesel heater.
The size and type worked best for the small space I had to fit it in.
I’ve seen other diesel heaters owners using this fuel filter (click to view on Amazon) as well.
The kind you get really depends on how much space your all-in-one diesel heater has inside.
How To Install A Diesel Heater Fuel Filter
Find the Right Spot
The diesel fuel filter needs to be installed before the fuel pump.
The fuel pump needs to be protected from dirt and particles just as much as the diesel heater, so make sure you install the filter before it.
The fuel line that’s coming directly out of the diesel tank is usually a good spot to install a fuel filter.
In the case of my portable diesel heater, there was a good amount of fuel line between the diesel tank and the fuel pump.
It’s almost like a filter was supposed to be there all along.
Take Out the Tank
One complaint many people have about Chinese diesel heaters is the fuel tank isn’t secured inside the unit at all.
It’s a little strange but when installing a fuel filter it’s nice because you can easily grab the tank and lift it out.
The fuel line is held together with some simple clamps that can be loosened using a flathead screwdriver.
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Install the Fuel Filter
The black fuel line on my diesel heater was exactly the same as the type that came with the fuel filter. So installation was really easy.
I pushed the intake part of the filter into the black line coming from the fuel tank, then used one of the black fuel line pieces for the outtake side of the filter.
I cut about 3 inches off of the white fuel line to make room for the filter.
When you cut the fuel line make sure you make a clean cut with a sharp blade so it doesn’t get crushed.
I then put the white fuel line into the black line on the top of the filter and it was ready to go.
Priming the Filter
After installing the fuel filter I put a little diesel in the tank and started the manual fuel pumping cycle on the diesel heater, but I quickly saw that the filter wasn’t going to get filled on its own.
I don’t have a priming pump so removed the white fuel line from the top so I could take out the fuel tank and filter.
I carefully tilted down the tank, which only had about a liter of diesel inside, so it would gravity fill the filter.
Once the filter was full I put my finger over the fuel line on top to create a seal to stop the diesel from flowing out of the filter.
I quickly reattached the white fuel line and started the manual pump cycle again.
This time the pump had no issue getting diesel from the tank and filter.
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End Result
I’ve been running my portable diesel heater for a few days now and so far I’ve had zero issues with the fuel filter.
There haven’t been any leaks and the fuel pump doesn’t seem to be having any issues getting enough diesel to the heater even when it’s on the highest heat setting.
I’ll update this post if I run into any issues, but so far it’s working great and I think the fuel filter installation was a success.
Have any questions about installing a fuel filter into a Chinese diesel heater? Leave a comment below.
