Flashlube pre-filter kit tested

Coping with a dirty load of diesel is often on the cards while travelling to remote areas and even closer to home.

Yep, the larger, more frequented servos in the cities and towns are less likely to have contaminated fuel, but it’s sure not unheard of for water or contaminants to find their way into busy servo tanks at times. Having said that, you are more likely to cop a dose of dirty diesel at the lesser used outback servos and when pumping fuel from drums. For this reason, it’s a wise idea to not only fit a prefilter but also to carry extra filter elements.

Fitting a Flashlube pre-filter kit to any 4x4 ensures your engine will only drink the cleanest fuel possible. The kit includes a diesel fuel filter and water separator in one, utilises a replaceable 30-micron filter, and ensures that neither dirt nor water will pass into your vehicle’s main filter.

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Has it happened to me?

Yes. My last Troopy was also fitted with a Flashlube filter kit, and it saved my neck.

Well, it saved the innards of the Troopy’s fuel pump, fuel lines, injectors, and every other component that the dirty fuel could come into contact with. While it may have only saved the mechanicals once over 10 years and over 100,000km of remote driving, that once was more than enough to pay for itself many times over.

Essentially, the Flashlube kit is an insurance policy, keeping your 4x4 running at its best with clean fuel.

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Filter spares

I carry a few spare filter elements with my other spares, not only for changing at the required maintenance intervals but also for when a dirty, contaminated element needs replacing.

The clear glass bowl at the base of the Flashlube unit allows me to see the general condition of the element. If in doubt or if I’m unsure of its cleanliness, I renew the filter just to be on the safe side.

Given that the Flashlube kit filters the fuel before the OE primary filter, that factory-fitted unit will stay cleaner longer. It will still have all factory warnings and sensors intact and ready to beep, flash or buzz if it becomes contaminated in any way. The micron of the Flashlube filter is not so fine as to slow the flow of diesel but it’s fine enough to filter the gunk from the fuel as needed.

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Vehicle-specific kits

While the filter assembly and filter element are one-size-fits-all products, the fitting brackets and fuel hoses are vehicle-specific. This makes fitting quick and easy; no more custom brackets are needed for most installations.

Installation into the HiLux was a breeze, and I’m confident that I won't be left stranded with a clogged main filter or suffer internal mechanical failures from contaminated fuel. That’s an insurance policy that I’m happy to dish out for.