In a perfect world, the fuel tank would never have any contamination from dirt and debris. But, contaminants can find their way into the tank from gas pumps, filler neck and the from the tank itself. This is why we have fuel filters
The first line of defense is mesh fuel filter or sock mounted on the fuel pump assembly. This type of filter is a “lifetime” part of the fuel pump assembly buried inside the gas tank. The only recommendation is to replace it if it is clogged or the fuel pump is being replaced. New fuel pump modules usually come with a new filter or sock as part of the assembly, but if a customer is replacing the pump separately they should also change the filter and pickup screen.
On vehicles that have inline fuel filters, there may be a recommended service interval that is typically 50,000 miles. But if the filter becomes clogged with dirt, rust or sediment from the fuel tank, it may have to be replaced sooner. Frequent fuel filter clogging would tell you the fuel tank is being contaminated with outside dirt, or it is rusting like in a steel tank, or is flaking like in an older plastic tank. The fix here may require cleaning or replacing the fuel tank.
A common symptom of a clogged fuel filter is loss of high-speed power caused by a restriction in fuel flow when engine demand is high. If the filter becomes completely blocked, it will starve the engine for fuel causing the engine to die. You can cut open a clogged fuel filter to find out what caused it to clog up.
This video is sponsored by FRAM
