Stuck front fuel filter cap

[Learjet]

As somewhat mentioned.... proper 6 point 28mm socket, constant pressure from a long extension with a break bar...someone with a pipe on one of the teeth on the top of the cap and tap the pipe gently with a hammer while apply the pressure to the nut. Also, a careful relief cut or two...on the end of the cap to relief pressure might be the end game, if the above doesn't work. I would not cut through and get debris in that canaster.

I found slow and steady pressure is required to get that cap loose, if tight.

 

[SnoKing]

As somewhat mentioned.... proper 6 point 28mm socket, constant pressure from a long extension with a break bar...someone with a pipe on one of the teeth on the top of the cap and tap the pipe gently with a hammer while apply the pressure to the nut. Also, a careful relief cut or two...on the end of the cap to relief pressure might be the end game, if the above doesn't work. I would not cut through and get debris in that canaster.

I found slow and steady pressure is required to get that cap loose, if tight.

Me too!

 

[Dave Wood]

Any updates?????

Update on my cap. I went to a Cummins repair shop (for the big boys) and they tried all the things I had done then they brought out the big boy air chisel, that didn’t work. The next step was to remove the canister put it in a marg Vice along with a larg pipe wrench and finally it came loose. No damage at all to the threads. The new filter and the billiard cap back on and I’m out the door with $214.00 less in my pocket. I was expecting much more. Thanks go out to Ron’s diesel.

 

[AH64ID]

Any evidence of what causes it to seize up?
I would think a billet cap would have a better chance of seizing than a plastic one.

 

[Dave Wood]

Any evidence of what causes it to seize up?
I would think a billet cap would have a better chance of seizing than a plastic one.

No evidence at all. The threads looked fine. Shop guy’s said they have seen this many times. Was told the Billard cap would have better results and not to Go with spect of 22.5ftp. Just hand tight and a 1/4 turn.

 

[seafish]

Cant imagine how a light coat of vaseline (or antisieze if your using a billet aluminum cap) on the cap threads would hurt anything and would likely prevent any seizing up in the future.

 

[Ozymandias]

Any evidence of what causes it to seize up?
I would think a billet cap would have a better chance of seizing than a plastic one.

On the plus side, you don't have to worry about destroying the 28mm if you put more torque onto it.

 

[2013megacab]

Mine has been hard from the get-go. I use a 28mm 6-point and a 2' breaker bar. I don't understand how a plastic cap on a plastic housing can be so hard to turn.

 

[monovasia]

Update on my cap. I went to a Cummins repair shop (for the big boys) and they tried all the things I had done then they brought out the big boy air chisel, that didn’t work. The next step was to remove the canister put it in a marg Vice along with a larg pipe wrench and finally it came loose. No damage at all to the threads. The new filter and the billiard cap back on and I’m out the door with $214.00 less in my pocket. I was expecting much more. Thanks go out to Ron’s diesel.

Holy Smokes! Mine was tight but I would have been besides myself if I had to pull the canister! Glad it all worked out for you!

 

[Jim W]

On a side note, what year is your truck?

Geno's garage sells a tool to facilitate in removing the fuel filter cap on MY 13-18 trucks for under $15+shipping. I don't know about the later years' trucks if this would work or not.

I do know the tool works because I purchased one for my younger son's truck. Which he uses to remove his fuel filter cap.

 

[Dave Wood]

On a side note, what year is your truck?

Geno's garage sells a tool to facilitate in removing the fuel filter cap on MY 13-18 trucks for under $15+shipping. I don't know about the later years' trucks if this would work or not.

I do know the tool works because I purchased one for my younger son's truck. Which he uses to remove his fuel filter cap.

I’ve been looking and reading what I can to learn why this happens with this canister. Why plastic, how the cap seams to get tighter and moving the location so the service would be easier.

 

[Learjet]

I think the plastic sort of welds itself together if too tight or too much heat

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Plastic expands and contracts more than metals do. Ever try threaded PVC pipe fittings? Hand tightened and you can barely get them apart.

 

[Jim W]

I’ve been looking and reading what I can to learn why this happens with this canister. Why plastic, how the cap seams to get tighter and moving the location so the service would be easier.

They have moved the Fuel Filter on the later 6.7L engine, to make it easier to change. Try changing an early 6.7L fuel filter say from MY 2007.5 to around 2010. To make the early fuel filter easier to access most of us remove the LH wheel/tire and then get fuel oil bath all over our arms when changing.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Not a hill of beans different between 28mm and 1-1/8" 6 point socket.

 

[AH64ID]

Not a hill of beans different between 28mm and 1-1/8" 6 point socket.

On a plastic nut I would go with precise. A 1-1/8" socket is 28.575mm, and that's loose on a plastic nut.

https://www.dbraun99.com/Dave DuBois/Wrench_Size.pdf

 

[kthaxton]

On a nut that big, with a 6 point socket, .5 mm is nothing.

 

[AH64ID]

On a nut that big, with a 6 point socket, .5 mm is nothing.

Probably not, but the correct tool is easy to find.

 

[Cummins12V98]

On a plastic nut I would go with precise. A 1-1/8" socket is 28.575mm, and that's loose on a plastic nut.

https://www.dbraun99.com/Dave DuBois/Wrench_Size.pdf

Six point won't matter. 12 point we can agree.

 

[Cummins2014]

Six point won't matter. 12 point we can agree.

It comes right back to being PLASTIC, give it every chance to come loose without stripping that PLASTIC nut off . Let's give everyone that reads this , this advice especially the newbies , if you are buying a socket get the 28mm , why mess with 1*1/8" when the better socket is 28mm.