Warning: That cheap fuel filter from AutoZone almost cost me an engine

I put a $8 fuel filter from AutoZone in my '04 F-150 last week and after 50 miles it started running rough and cutting out. Turns out the internal pressure bypass valve failed and sent junk through my injectors. Spent $600 at a shop in Phoenix to flush the fuel system and replace injectors. Anyone else had issues with off-brand fuel filters doing this?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamie8041mo ago

Funny how the same people who'll drop $50 on a single dinner won't spend an extra $15 on a part that keeps their truck running... it's the same pattern with cheap oil filters and brake pads too.

logan5611mo agoTop Commenter

Notices it with everything honestly. People will blow 60 bucks on two cocktails at a bar but then cheap out on their truck battery or tires. It's like they just don't think about the long term. I've seen guys buy the cheapest wiper blades that streak after a week, then complain about not seeing in the rain. Same mindset.

ray_williams1mo ago

I had a buddy back in Phoenix who put a $10 thermostat in his old Silverado and it stuck closed halfway through a summer trip to Flagstaff. Engine overheated so bad it warped the heads and he ended up parked on the side of I-17 for three hours waiting for a tow. Cost him like $2,800 at a shop in Prescott to get it all sorted out. He's the same guy who'll spend $80 on a nice dinner but complain about a $30 OEM thermostat. idk, people just don't connect the dots between saving a few bucks now and paying way more later.