Fuel filter change

[Doc12]

Thanks for sharing, nice to know that you only got 11,300 out of the filter based on the EVIC. In prior years with purely mileage based intervals I bet we could change at 15k regardless of the use (or whatever the recommended interval), but with the EVIC measuring load/use there is the possibility of needing to do it sooner.

Every 15k sounded attractive, but maybe every 10k is a more universal and consistent number.

I had the fuel filters changed at the dealer and now I am at 0% left on the EVIC with only 4500 miles on the new filters!
I got over 14000 miles on the first set of filters.
Any idea why the usage would go down so fast?
The oil was changed at the same time and it is at 70% on the EVIC

Should both filters be changed each time or could the engine mount filter be every other change?
Is the frame mounted filter the one providing info to the EVIC for usage?

 

[RikDavis]

Hopefully that confirms my thoughts that the reflash was responsible for mine going to 22%.. I have only driven about 40 miles since I reset but it still shows 99% which is what it reset to. I am not sure it resets to 100%. Mine didn't after the fuel filter change. The oil filter does reset to 100%.

We have now made it to FL and the filter life seems to be working ok since the reset. Apparently some of the computer flashes will mess with the reading.
It may be they did a reflash when you had the oil changed

 

[GJolicoeur]

When I bought my filters at the dealer, they told me they didn't stock the frame mounted filter since they never change that - only the engine mounted filter. I'm changing them both anyway since I'm pretty sure the manual says change both and I want my warranty to be intact.
Anyone else heard anything like this from a dealer mechanic?

 

[jus2shy]

When I bought my filters at the dealer, they told me they didn't stock the frame mounted filter since they never change that - only the engine mounted filter. I'm changing them both anyway since I'm pretty sure the manual says change both and I want my warranty to be intact.
Anyone else heard anything like this from a dealer mechanic?

Sad, but yes it happened at my dealership. The parts personnel and my "Service Advisor" thought I was psycho. I pointed out the physical filters on my truck. The parts guy did some research and finally found that Chrysler calls it a "Water Separator". They immediately started stocking up on these parts to include in the filter change outs.

It is imperative that the rearward filter gets changed. It takes the brunt of the hit and is chocked full of the grungy stuff. Brockman did a post on the "Anatomy of a Filter". Search for it, you'll see just how much gunk it really filters so that the engine filter deals with the much smaller/finer stuff. I think calling it a water separator confuses people as they think it has no filtering property with a title like that.

 

[gsbrockman]

Sad, but yes it happened at my dealership. The parts personnel and my "Service Advisor" thought I was psycho. I pointed out the physical filters on my truck. The parts guy did some research and finally found that Chrysler calls it a "Water Separator". They immediately started stocking up on these parts to include in the filter change outs.

It is imperative that the rearward filter gets changed. It takes the brunt of the hit and is chocked full of the grungy stuff. Brockman did a post on the "Anatomy of a Filter". Search for it, you'll see just how much gunk it really filters so that the engine filter deals with the much smaller/finer stuff. I think calling it a water separator confuses people as they think it has no filtering property with a title like that.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...tomy-of-a-MOPAR-Fuel-Separator-p-n-68197867AA

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

I changed my filters again this morning. I was down to 9% and I'll be on the road again tomorrow. This change, I got 16,500 miles on the filters, a little over 3K more than the first set after the reflash. I cut the rear canister open again to check the element. There were no particles/residue on the outside of the filter or in the bottom of the metal casing. The filter element itself looked clean too. The under hood filter looked as clean as the new filter I changed it out with.

Old under hood element

New element soaked in fuel. You wouldn't be able to tell the old from the new.

Rear element cut open.

 

[TCDiesel]

I would have put them back in and reset the minder.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Believe me, it crossed my mind. I just don't want to chance anything to lose my warranty. Although, they could still make up anything they want to make it go bye bye.

 

[TCDiesel]

Make sure You document the Dates and Save the picture...That way if you ever get contaminate Fuel You have Documentation. I will give you one example Sam Buys Pump and Injectors form Me, puts on 5000 miles changed oil and filter + fuel Filter On SAT, take pictures of filter and Mileage, Drives around on SAT fills up on Monday on the way to Work, By the Time he gets to the job, truck rum like crap and Dies, YEP has flat bedded to home drops tank trash fuel. Fuel station pays $4000.00 for the Repairs and Tow.

 

[Bigmike17]

I changed my fuel filters yesterday and the engine bay filter looked new, with the exception of the dead fly on top. I have no idea how it got there as this was my first FF change.

 

[gsbrockman]

I changed my fuel filters yesterday and the engine bay filter looked new, with the exception of the dead fly on top. I have no idea how it got there as this was my first FF change.

Cut open the frame mounted separator and let us know your findings. Those filters take the brunt of the filtering----the underhood filter generally always looks good.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...tomy-of-a-MOPAR-Fuel-Separator-p-n-68197867AA

#ad

 

[Newsa]

I bought only about 2 ft of 3/8 in diameter hose. The truck comes from the factory with the front filter drain that has a bout a 8 in long 7/16 in ID hose hanging from the drain spout.

I just stuffed the 3/8 ID hose that fits the back filter drain into the 7/16 ID hose that came from the factory on the truck. And I have a single hose that fits both filter drains.

The big side of this hose fits the front filter and the small side fits the back filter. It doesn't leak between the 2 hoses. See the picture where the short hose was the original on the front filter drain from the factory.

 

[NickSullivan]

I have 4200 miles on this last set of filters (14,000 total) and after my truck was in at the dealer last week for an issue with my exhaust brake they flashed the truck. When I got back in it the fuel filters said 12% life left.

I stopped by the dealership and they thought maybe I got some bad fuel and suggested the filters get changed and that I dilute the old fuel with new fuel. They treated me great and sold me the filters at their cost since I just had them change them out. So, for $130 I drove away with new filters and the idea that I would be changing these out in the next couple days. Now I read this thread and I see that flashing the computer with updates is screwing this up. In the 100 miles I drove my truck today it went from 12% to 10%......

 

[Newsa]

When you put the new o-ring on the engine housing, make sure you have it all the way down where it is supposed to be. I didn't have it seated properly the first time and the lid tightened up, or so I thought, and it leak all over when I started it up! Lesson learned.

Should have read this before changing my filters a few days ago. I accidentally ran the threads of the cap over the seal and broke it.

I just reused the old seal and was a bit more careful after I discovered my error. It was a hot humid day and I had sweat running in my eyes.

Those o ring seals are way too soft!

 

[garrettg84]

I finally did my first filter changes about 2 weeks ago. It took me almost 45 minutes of banging away at the engine mounted canister to finally get it to let loose. I literally had to put a cheater bar on my ratchet to put enough torque on the top to come off. The manual says it is only supposed to be torqued down to (roughly, off of my memory) 22lbs of torque. I'm a pretty big guy, and with the correct socket, I still slightly rounded the edges of plastic top nut on the canister.

Did they have some retard with an air impact wrench put these things on without lubricating the factory o-rings? I cannot fathom the amount of torque I put into loosening the cap. Needless to say, it shouldn't be that hard my next filter change as I tightened it down with a torque wrench to the proper torque. Did anyone else have a similar experience or did I just get a 'gem' from the factory?

 

[jus2shy]

I finally did my first filter changes about 2 weeks ago. It took me almost 45 minutes of banging away at the engine mounted canister to finally get it to let loose. I literally had to put a cheater bar on my ratchet to put enough torque on the top to come off. The manual says it is only supposed to be torqued down to (roughly, off of my memory) 22lbs of torque. I'm a pretty big guy, and with the correct socket, I still slightly rounded the edges of plastic top nut on the canister.

Did they have some retard with an air impact wrench put these things on without lubricating the factory o-rings? I cannot fathom the amount of torque I put into loosening the cap. Needless to say, it shouldn't be that hard my next filter change as I tightened it down with a torque wrench to the proper torque. Did anyone else have a similar experience or did I just get a 'gem' from the factory?

Did my 2nd filter change and it was just about as hard as the first change. I think it's just the seal and losing that little bit of oil that made it easy to install in the first place.

 

[Newsa]

Yes, similar experience. I think the plastic just likes to stick though. After a while on there it doesn't want to let go.
It was my second filter change, so I'm the idiot who tightened it.

Also, that positive battery terminal likes to give me a shock when I accidentally lay my sweaty arm there.

If you think DC 12 V won't give you a mild shock, think again. I laid a rag across the terminal to prevent shock. But as I was wrestling the filter cover, it moved several times. I was careful not to lay the wrench over it.

 

[RVTRKN]

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...tomy-of-a-MOPAR-Fuel-Separator-p-n-68197867AA

One can easily understand why the underhood filter looks so good.....the rear separator does most of the filtering. These 2013 & up trucks have superior OEM filtering abilities IMO.

Has anyone changed the fuel filter (not water separator) every other change out, due to the water separator keeping the primary filter clean?

 

[Ram4Sam]

Has anyone changed the fuel filter (not water separator) every other change out, due to the water separator keeping the primary filter clean?

From what I have seen and read online, I am seriously thinking about this..........

Sam

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I change both fuel filters around 13k miles. You probably won't see anything on the engine mounted filter because it is mostly to remove the very small particulates--it is a Nanonet filter. It still should be changed every 15k or more often. I put a foot long piece of 1/2" copper tubing into the front factory drain hose, and 1/2" clear tubing on the nipple of the rear filter's water separator. The front tubing will be just in front of the front differential cover.