Fleetguard Fuel Filters Question

[rbattelle]

Does anyone know what size particles Fleetguard fuel filters for the 2003 Cummins are able to block?



I ask because I'm concerned that we're going to need VERY fine filters for maximum injector life.

 

[lschultz]

Don't know the answer to what you are asking. Seen Fleetguard a email and ask them. I been using them since I got my first one in 91 and have not had any problems. Just change them when you are suppose to. Me I change filter every 10000.

 

[smartineau]

I was worried about injector problems after the Duramax's had/have many problems.



Last Thursday I stopped in at Cummins Northwest to buy a few filters and saw an auxiliary fuel filter system. I asked if they had one for the 03's yet. He said no and that I don't need one because the injector is a totally different design than that of the Duramax. He said that the Duramax is a car injector were the high pressure to open the piston (of the injector) is at the tip of the injector. The high pressure on the Cummins is up at the far end of the injector. Then he pulled out his pen and said that the pressure is applied to an area about the size or slightly larger than this pen. He thinks there should be no problems.



His parting words to me were "You have a real motor"



Maybe somebody who understands mechanics and engineering can find out for sure how the whole system works and if we need to worry about our new trucks.



steve

 

[rbattelle]

Smartineau,



That statement from Cummins Northwest certainly makes me feel better.



Perhaps the tips of these new injectors look like jerk-pump type injectors (where there is no needle/seat at the very tip of the injector), and the needly/seat is entirely located up at the opposite end of the injector? Maybe that's what Cummins Northwest meant. Such an arrangement would vastly improve the susceptibility to wear.



I wrote to Cummins inquiring about this issue... I will let you all know what they tell me.

 

[rbattelle]

Interesting

Pasted below is the response from Cummins. Sounds like they're very "hands-off" when it comes to potential injector issues. I will make an attempt to contact Bosch about this. I'll post when they respond. It seems like Cummins is taking Bosch at blind faith that their fuel system will be durable. I'm not sure that makes me comfortable.



Solution:

Thank you for your question about the relative durability of HPCR injectors vis-a-vis their jerk pump counterparts. This question would best be asked of Bosch, from whom we source both pump and injectors. We have to assume, as with internal engine components, that the materials technology and tolerances (overall design considerations) and the design requirments are in step and the end product meets the functional specification - including reliability, durability and maintanability as new designs are implements.



Though HPCR was new to Cummins' domestic experience, we had been running the common-rail systems in Europe in the 3. 9 liter ISBe engines.

 

[rbattelle]

There doesn't seem to be any convenient way of contacting Bosch on their website.

 

[rbattelle]

Ok, I manged to find an email contact at Bosch. Here's the important parts of what I sent them:



We have seen, over the last year, many failures of the injectors in the General Motors "Duramax" engine, caused by wear at the needle and seat of the OEM Bosch common-rail injectors. It's clear that common-rail type injectors are far more sensitive to such wear than their jerk-pump counterparts. For the Cummins common-rail ISB engine, whose OEM fuel system is a Bosch unit, what has Bosch done to address the sensitivity of the injector needle and seat to wear? Are the injectors on these two engines the same?

Reading over at the Diesel Page, I found many people are putting auxillary fuel filters on their Duramax's. One company that is making them is Kennedy Diesel . Perhaps they will come out with one for the Cummins.



I'll post when (if) I hear from Bosch.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I also heard the Cummins injectors are built a little differently than the DMax injectors and should be less susceptible to wear and erosion. I know the injectors in the Cummins do not require very much power to energize, whether or not that has any effect on durability (not likely).



I read all the filter & injector failure threads on the DMax site, but after a lot of thought I concluded I'm not going to worry about injector failure and just run my fuel system as designed and change filters every 10K. If my injectors don't last 100,000 miles, I'll replace 'em with a set of DD injectors and address the filtration system (add increased filtering).



I'm a little irritated at the Diesel Page because they suddenly decided to require $19. 95 membership dues and didn't tell anyone anyone about it, just suddenly cut me off after being a member there for almost 3 years



Vaughn

 

[JDalton]

Vaughn:



So that is what happened at the Diesel Page. I tried to get on the site and couldn't the other day but didn't bother to find out why. Since joining TDR and test driving a Dodge I no longer consider the Dmax as an option anyway so I guess it doesn't matter. I enjoyed reading the posts on the DP but find this site very helpful and informative. Now back to the tread, I agree with your take on the injector issue.