Changed fuel filter and oil today

[RAMINSPEED]

Well after all the talk about other members dirty fuel filter after only 10k miles I decided to change mine at 9400 miles. I expected to see a very dark filter like the other ones I've seen posted here. To my surprise it wasn’t bad. That makes me feel better about the fuel I'm buying around here. I was wondering why DC didn’t make the fuel filter drain hose longer. Draining it made a mess out of the underside of the engine. I cleaned it up with a little aerosol brake cleaner.



While I was at it I changed the oil and filter. Last time I changed it I installed one of the ez change drain plugs I got from Geno’s. Using the ez change, it was the cleanest oil change I have ever done. For once, I didn’t splash oil all over the floor. I do like this product. The only negative I can see is you don’t get all (as much) of the oil out of the pan due to the depth of the plug protruding into the pan. I can live with that. That’s my 2 cents.



I was wondering if anyone could tell me exactly how tight I should tighten the lid on the filter housing? Thanks

 

[Tony T.]

I also changed my fuel filter at 10,000 miles, and will probally keep that every 10,000 mile maintenance interval. Mine was'nt that bad looking either compared to some pictures of others I seen here on the TDR. A little tip you might use next time you change the fuel filter when draining, is I took a 2 liter plastic drink bottle (like Dr Pepper or Coke) and slid the drain tube in the bottle holding it from underneath you can reach the yellow valve to open, an drain fuel easily from underneath the truck (no mess that way). The filter lid I would just tighten snug, and after you crank the truck up check for any leaks.

 

[Crunch]

Extending the drain tube

Originally posted by RAMINSPEED

I was wondering why DC didn’t make the fuel filter drain hose longer. Draining it made a mess out of the underside of the engine. I cleaned it up with a little aerosol brake cleaner.

I didn't like the length either, so I went to Lowes and bought a length of 1/2" ID hose and used a connector to extend the length. It works well, but the hose is sold in a roll, and it wants to retain that shape after you get it connected. I just tuck it out of the way when not draining the fuel/water. I wanted to replace the entire tube, but I couldn't get my hand up there to clip the zip-tie, and didn't want to be in the position of not being able to connect the new one once I got the old one off. Extending it was the next best solution.

 

[BillGotthelf]

That black stuff that coats the outside of the filter element is algae. It grows in diesel fuel that has been sitting around awhile. There are additives that will stop this but the fuel companies don't like to spend $$ unless they have to.

 

[KKlepfer]

Fuel Filter Torque

Long story short it's 25ft lbs. Actually its no tighter then 25ft lbs. When I changed mine at 5000 it was pretty black so I was glad I did it early. But I couldn't find any info on the torque spec either. I was reading my issue 41 of turbo diesel register and there is a whole story on how the pre 2000 cover was cracking due to using the wrong tool to losen and/or tighten the cover (Pg 16). Anyway I retightened it to the recomended torque which is the same for all 24 valve CTD. I guess the seal is designed to swell with diesel fuel so its probably not that critical. I tend to be anal and even torque my oil drain plug.

 

[rbattelle]

I think I'm going to use an engine-hour based fuel filter replacement interval, rather than a mileage. I think I'll change every 250 hours, regardless of mileage. I'm also tossing around the idea of changing after a certain number of gallons of fuel have been burned. Any thoughts?

 

[KKlepfer]

I think your on to something. Most industrial/agricultural equipment is tracked and maintained in relation to hours. Mmmm... could it be that planned obsolescence is not just a conspiracy theory? In my opinion you can't change the fuel filter too often. Just make sure your using stratapore.



This is a whole different topic but I also think fuel mileage should be calculated in hours per gallon not miles per gallon. It would give a much more accurate reflection on how efficient an engine is. I get great mileage on the freeway, but I'm also burning more fuel. Remember it's a rate dependent on distance not time. I'm more concerned about how much fuel and money an engine will cost over time not mileage.

 

[rbattelle]

I calculate my mean fuel flow rate at every fill up. My lifetime (for this truck) average is 1. 8210 GPH, and my last tank was 2. 0876 GPH.



KKlepfer, what you're proposing is the inverse of the flow rate, which I used to calculate instead, but the number was totally non-intuitive to me. My mean hours/gallon, for example, would be 0. 5491. GPH just makes more physical sense to me. But either way, it's an interesting way of looking at things.

 

[BillGotthelf]

It would be better to install a fuel pressure gauge after the filter and replace element when fuel pressure drops >10% from new.