Is used Fuel Filter always black?

[HiTorque]

I was a bit surprised finding my fuel filter as black as oil filter. The recommended interval is 60K km and it was changed at 60K km service and I changed it after adding another 35K km. The car stalled twice last week just meters from home and it was sort of shaking in idle. I wonder if it's OK to get dirty black after 35K km. I use only BP diesel from 2 places.
I used Pela pump to suck the diesel out from canister and inside it had black residue on the bottom and on internal surfaces so I removed it and washed it with diesel. I bought OEM filter but noticed that the same filter used in US for 20K miles. Now the car feels like a new one, but I guess cold morning will show if stalling fixed.

[gldgti]

Hi Mate,
blocked filter will certainly cause your stalling issues. I would not say that theres any kind of "normal" looking used filter - it all depends on what has been going though it. If you have this buildup after a short time, then likely you are still "cleaning" it out of the tank over time, and it will pay to change the filter out more regularly and check that the black stuff is disappearing.

Give your tank a dose of diesel fuel treatment to make sure theres nothing growing in there.

[Transporter]

What you probably see on your filter is Asphaltene, it's caused by our crappy quality diesel fuel. It's harmless to fuel injection systems but eventually it will block the filter.

[Preen59]

When I replaced the filter in the Caddy, it was jet black, too. I don't think it's any real issue.

[HiTorque]

Hi Mate,
blocked filter will certainly cause your stalling issues. I would not say that theres any kind of "normal" looking used filter - it all depends on what has been going though it. If you have this buildup after a short time, then likely you are still "cleaning" it out of the tank over time, and it will pay to change the filter out more regularly and check that the black stuff is disappearing.

Give your tank a dose of diesel fuel treatment to make sure theres nothing growing in there.

OK, thanks, I was using Pro-ma diesel additive for a couple of years Fuel Additives and recently switched to Morey's Diesel and just bought a bottle of Liqui-Moly cleaner which I will add to the next tank..