The time the AC Delco filter shines is when your motor is using almost all the fuel that the pump,with good voltage,can put out. If that is where you are,a restrictive filter can mean the difference between getting enough fuel or not.
If your fuel system is keeping up,there's no sense of urgency. Get an AC Delco and change it when you get it. Are you unable to get one where you are? If so,order from Rock Auto or Amazon.There's no rush.
Well, now that you mention it, I am chasing a fuel pressure problem. I have two problems:
1) part throttle knock when accelerating below full throttle but with 10 psi or more boost and,
2) full throttle fuel pressure in 3rd gear is only about 55 psi. That is with initial fuel pressure at 43 PSI and boost at about 22 PSI. So, I should be getting about 65 PSI at max boost and am only getting about 55 PSI.
Funny thing is, I'm not getting any knock or timing retard in 3rd gear. But, I do have the Razr Alky system turned up so, it's probably compensating with more alky.
I began troubleshooting the problem today and found that my hot wire was getting very hot to the touch back at the crimp connectors at the fuel tank and voltage at the pump was about 12.8 (while it was 14.2 at the alternator). So, today I removed the crimp connectors and hard soldered both the ground and +12v wires. Now, I'm getting 13.5 volts back at the pump with the wires nice and cool. It was way too hot to do any serious testing today so, I'll take her up on the interstate this weekend.
But, the transitional (part throttle) knock has me stumped. I'm running a TT alky chip that isn't supposed to have any transitional knock. That's why I was asking about the fuel filter as a possible source of the problem. By the way, my combo below my sig is accurate and I'm still running the 60 lb Motron injectors. Any ideas? I have a Red's XP pump in the tank that's about 17 years old. Could it be going bad from old age?