Fuel Filter Replacement

[Ltngdrvr]

Are you doing the front first??? I always do mine first, no idea if that helps the rear.

Won't make any difference.
I do the rear first, hardest one to get to, all down hill after that.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Didn't think it would matter!

Not sure what to say to the OP as I have sERO mess doing my filters.

I did remove the front filter drain hole and replace with not that hangs below the front axle. I also pack a 1/4" ID poly tube for the rear filter, thanks SnoKing!

 

[johnharris]

Are you doing the front first??? I always do mine first, no idea if that helps the rear.

Never thought of which to do first, but I will take your advice. I usually do the hardest first which would be the back just so I get it out of the way.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Never thought of which to do first, but I will take your advice. I usually do the hardest first which would be the back just so I get it out of the way.

understood, kinda like saving the best food on the plate for last.

worth a try I suppose.

 

[jacknife]

Thanks so much, the locations are the same and procedure not much different from my 02....

It is different in the sense that on the HO the transmission check is right in the way . Unless you have tiny hands and forearms like Popeye you are going to need at least a 12' extension and a universal to get at . GO in the space just in from of the air intake on the front of the cab. Even though you use the petcock in the rear filter it will not drain all the fuel . Have something ready to catch it , naturally it is over your drive shaft another bright engineering milestone. Good luck 28 mm socket for both.

 

[johnharris]

It is different in the sense that on the HO the transmission check is right in the way . Unless you have tiny hands and forearms like Popeye you are going to need at least a 12' extension and a universal to get at . GO in the space just in from of the air intake on the front of the cab. Even though you use the petcock in the rear filter it will not drain all the fuel . Have something ready to catch it , naturally it is over your drive shaft another bright engineering milestone. Good luck 28 mm socket for both.

Thank you..

 

[p-Bar]

so assume we put them in dry and bump the key? Best way?

 

[Ltngdrvr]

so assume we put them in dry and bump the key? Best way?

Well, yes, sort of.
If your truck is key start, turn the key to the full on position, leave it on for 15 seconds, turn back off for 5 seconds, then repeat 6 times, total of 2 minutes, then start normally and let it idle for a few minutes to work the rest of the air out of the system.
For pushbutton start, you push the button without your foot on the brake, this does the same thing as turning the key to on.

 

[p-Bar]

thanks Ltngdrvr

 

[MRoberts]

I just did mine and for the first time, I did not get a diesel shower doing the rear filter! I ran a hose from the drain into a fuel can. After letting it drain for a while, it stopped, I loosened the sensor a bit, more fuel came out the drain. When it stopped, I loosened the filter, more fuel out the drain and then....no shower as I removed the filter! I can't recall if I did this in this order the last time, but I will be doing it in the future!

 

[Ltngdrvr]

I just did mine and for the first time, I did not get a diesel shower doing the rear filter! I ran a hose from the drain into a fuel can. After letting it drain for a while, it stopped, I loosened the sensor a bit, more fuel came out the drain. When it stopped, I loosened the filter, more fuel out the drain and then....no shower as I removed the filter! I can't recall if I did this in this order the last time, but I will be doing it in the future!

You don't need to pull the sensor loose before removing the filter, that's a sure chance of making a mess.
But, after loosening the drain valve all the way wide open, let it drain a few seconds, then loosen the filter a couple of turns, this breaks the vacuum of the fuel lines and allows the filter to drain freely without drawing more fuel from the lines.
Then, you can close the drain and finish taking the filter loose from the mount, carefully lowering it while keeping it upright so as not to spill the remaining fuel.
Then dump what's left in your can, then remove the sensor and transfer it to the new filter.

I've done this a few times in the last 603K miles, just last week was the last time, as a matter of fact.

 

[JPM]

My issue is that no matter how long I let it sit and drain, and even if I spin the filter off a few turns to get air in it...there's still a ton of fuel in it and it makes a mess.

Correct me if I am wrong but the one over the rear axle does not need to be changed as often . And I will never ever change that that one myself again.

 

[gsbrockman]

Correct me if I am wrong but the one over the rear axle does not need to be changed as often . And I will never ever change that that one myself again.

OK.....I’ll correct you.

You’re incorrect.
Both filters have a 15,000 mile / one year maximum.

 

[Newsa]

I went 16 months on both my fuel filters, but didn't feel comfortable about it. It was 10,000 miles over 16 months. Due to covid there were a couple of months it didn't even get started. And during that time 3 round trips to NC from south Florida. And one trip from south Florida to West Virginia. So about 7500-8500 of the 10,000 was mostly highway driving.

I was busy and that was why I postponed changing them, but I finally got a chance to change them earlier this month. The fuel filters from March 2020 to July 2021.

Not that I recommend using the filters more than a year, but I dodged that bullet.

 

[gtwitch]

I just did my 16/17 2500 and I was doing it because I kept getting WIF warning and had been draining both sensors/filter drains into clear containers to look at the drained fuel (no WIF). The code set was read by dealer and said #1 WIF sensor, but the dealer service manager did not know weather #1 was front or rear so my logic said that #1 would be the first filter/sensor that the fuel sees coming from the tank to the engine and I had bought both WIF sensors (by the way from Amazon with FCA part #s ) so in my trouble shooting habits I make one change at a time and drive on to see if the code and WIF announcement comes back and it has not for over 500 miles, so BAD # 1 sensor replaced and will carry the one for the engine with a FCS and a Cummins # on it in "Booney Box" I guess that FCA does not even talk with Cummins because if they did, they would use the same WIF sensor on both 1 and 2, that would too easy for all involved.
gtwitch in wyoming

 

[Newsa]

I just did my 16/17 2500 and I was doing it because I kept getting WIF warning and had been draining both sensors/filter drains into clear containers to look at the drained fuel (no WIF). The code set was read by dealer and said #1 WIF sensor, but the dealer service manager did not know weather #1 was front or rear so my logic said that #1 would be the first filter/sensor that the fuel sees coming from the tank to the engine and I had bought both WIF sensors (by the way from Amazon with FCA part #s ) so in my trouble shooting habits I make one change at a time and drive on to see if the code and WIF announcement comes back and it has not for over 500 miles, so BAD # 1 sensor replaced and will carry the one for the engine with a FCS and a Cummins # on it in "Booney Box" I guess that FCA does not even talk with Cummins because if they did, they would use the same WIF sensor on both 1 and 2, that would too easy for all involved.
gtwitch in wyoming

So according to your experience.... #1 is the rear filter? Just checking for full understanding, because this sounds like good info.

 

[gtwitch]

That was the code read at the dealer and my logic thinking and it worked so I am still assuming that #1 is rear chassis mounted filter and WIF sensor.
gtwitch in wyoming

 

[Ltngdrvr]

Almost always is the sensor on the water separator/filter that goes bad, hardly ever hear of the front sensor going bad.
What happens on that rear sensor is the insulation on the wires deteriorates and exposes the wires, and then they get wet and trip the WIF light, no water inside, just water outside on the wires.

 

[gtwitch]

If this issue comes up again, as you surmise that it might, I may try and retrofit the new #2 sensor (Cummins/Fleetguard) I have in my "Boony Box" to the rear position and see how that works, the system is only looking for conductance change between the electrodes of the sensor when the media (fuel vs moisture) comes into play. I have already looked at the values with an ohmmeter when no water is present and then put water in and the values of both new sensors are very close to the same, Oh well this the engineer in me coming out!
gtwitch in wyoming

 

[MRoberts]

You don't need to pull the sensor loose before removing the filter, that's a sure chance of making a mess.
But, after loosening the drain valve all the way wide open, let it drain a few seconds, then loosen the filter a couple of turns, this breaks the vacuum of the fuel lines and allows the filter to drain freely without drawing more fuel from the lines.
Then, you can close the drain and finish taking the filter loose from the mount, carefully lowering it while keeping it upright so as not to spill the remaining fuel.
Then dump what's left in your can, then remove the sensor and transfer it to the new filter.

I've done this a few times in the last 603K miles, just last week was the last time, as a matter of fact.

Just to clarify, I did not remove the sensor before removing the filter. I loosened it enough that it allowed the fuel to flow again, I still needed to use my fancy wrench to remove it once the filter was removed.

First time I didn't get a shower, so I'll keep using this procedure. Cheers!