How often do you change you fuel filter ?

[coobie]

I know what the manuel says about fuel filter changes. I was thinking about changing mine about every 5000-6000 miles. This is my first cummins diesel. How often does everyone change there fuel filters? Just courios. Thanks. coobie

 

[DieselB59]

Regardless of what the drain intervals and the manuals say, I still drain my oil every 3,000 miles, and change fuel filters every 9,000 miles.

 

[MMeier]

Change my oil and oil filter every 5-8,000 miles depending on usage, and change fuel filter at every other oil change. also always keep spare fuel filter in truck at all times in case I pick up a load of nasty stuff!

 

[Tony T.]

Filter Change

5K oil change an 10K on the fuel filter. I use the Fleetguards on both. Ditto! on keeping a spare fuel filter.

 

[Spooled-up]

Every 10000 for me too. I think I'm going to switch to Amsoil at 20000 and change the oil every 10000 also. I'll do filter and sample at 5000 and 10000 for the first few changes. That Amsoil SAE 5W-30 is NOT cheap. $25. 50/gal. and that is my dealer cost!!

 

[MMeier]

Spooled up. why you running 5-30, the mighty Cummins should be using 15W-40!! I just picked up 5 gallons of the 15W-40 ,12 TBN oil for $71 ( helps when a buddy is a dealer for the stuff!!)

 

[gsbrockman]

5,000 miles to 6,000 miles for a tire rotation and the oil change using a MOPAR Filter and Rotella-T 15W40 oil and a new fuel filter every 10,000 miles. My oil was so clean at the last oil change that I may up the interval to 7,500 miles or so.

Greg

 

[rbattelle]

Fuel filter every 250 hours.

 

[Spooled-up]

MMeier

My owner's manual says to run 5W-30 if using a synthetic. I have an '03. Now I have to go look and make sure.

 

[DocDetonancour]

The fuel filter thing is interesting. I buy almost all of my fuel from a very high volume dealer and haven't found a dirty filter yet. I like to change it in the Fall before cold weather. I know farmers that run till the truck loses power, then change. Some of their rigs are very high mileage and still running strong with very questionable fuel. Doc

 

[y-knot]

I change mine about once a year, then again i don't drive it much. I would think every 10,000 miles would be a good number to live by.

 

[George O]

As you can see, I have a 2001. Change oil at 6000 and the fuel filter at 15000. I forgot the last fuel filter change untill 24000 and it was still perfectly clean to the naked eye. Of course I have only bought 1 tank of fuel from a gas station rather than a hi volume truck stop.



Just adjusted the valves for the first time at 132,000 miles and the valve train was looking good. I have seen a lot of gaser motors which had an inch of crud with not that many miles on them. My motor was really clean.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Originally posted by Spooled-up

That Amsoil SAE 5W-30 is NOT cheap. $25. 50/gal. and that is my dealer cost!!

I ran Amsoil 5W30 in my last Cummins ('01 HO) and my oil sample numbers came back worse than dino oil! Part of the problem was running it when it hit 113 degrees in eastern Washington that summer. It's just too darn thin for that kind of heat. IMO 5w30 isn't a good idea in the South and Western deserts.



One change of that expensive stuff and it was right back to the 15W40! I went 20,000 miles per change with Stratapore filters and no bypass.



Vaughn

 

[DPKetchum]

Every 15k on fuel filter. Carry a spare. Fixing to change to Amsoil 15w40 and will change every 12k or once a year.

 

[HOCummins04]

Carrying Spare fuel filter

I always carried 2 spare fuel filters and a Craftsman 1/2 inch ratchet that I bought at a flea market for $5. Including the right size socket and an extension, I had $10 total in the tool to change on the road. As it turns out, on the old truck I needed to carry a couple spare lift pumps as well - it had an appetite for them.



I did not want to spend $40 on a brand new ratchet/extension/socket to ride around in the truck that would probably get used a couple times.



On old truck, used Delo400 oil, Fleetguard Air, Oil, Fuel filters, changed oil every 5K, fuel and air every 10K. Plan on similar on new truck.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I have guages, and run several supplemental filters ahead of the stocker. I changed my stock filter after 22,000 miles and 1 1/2 years, not because of pressure drop, but to check for element deterioration. All was fine, only slight discoloration of the element, no discernable distortion or deterioration of the element material or adhesive bonding - so from now on will change based only on PSI drop - not much point in changing CLEAN filters!

 

[livetodrive]

Easy to change. Fuel filter element about $11 from Peterbilt dealer or $12 from Geno's. You'll need a big socket (I recall 1 1/8 or 1 1/4") and a torque wrench (25 ft-lb or 34 N-m is the torque spec for 2003). Wish I had done it before 15,000 miles, 'cause it was pretty crapped up. Not sure what to recommend for frequency after the first time, other than by the book.

Happy wrenching! Alan.

 

[ttreibel]

I am guessing my second fuel filter change will be much cleaner than the first. The first one was ugly probably dirt from assembly

 

[R.M.THOMPSON]

Changing fuel and air filters is like a comparison on "how often do we clean our windshields",pressure drop is the most effective way. Seat of the pants works after one finds what particular driving conditions affect the media,but on a bad day,it tends to effect performance first and waste time and money secound. Gary's is the method I'm going for,with the exception of just looking at final pressure ! Even to the extent of trashing the "filterminder"for a cab mounted vacuum gauge. Hope this helps and it was,nt intened to be a wise @#$%

comeback to everyones concern.

Mark T.

 

[Dean Upson]

I see no reason to change the filter much sooner than the recommended 15k. I have changed mine twice in 12k, but it was not at all necessary, the filters were clean both times. I changed it last week as part of getting ready for a trip. I always carry the filter and a spare 1 1/8 socket with me.



Dean