When to change fuel filter

[RSchwarzli]

Grand papy want to know why you need to change your fuel filter on a diesel if it doesn't look like it needs it. His question is in general if the factory says every 50k, and it looks good, does it still need to be changed?



Robert and Grand papy

 

[Jefff929]

All it takes is one bad dose of fuel to answer your question :{



IMO every other oil change is a minimum, Oo. that is just about 10,000 miles for me

 

[JLEONARD]

Robert and Grand papy

Sounds like your grandpappy is basically a cheap SOB like me :-laf I'm a cheap yankee... (and proud if it)

But even I change my fuel filter once a year... .

In my opinion, especially where it concerns fuel and a diesel, an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure.

You do NOT want fuel problems. For the cost of a filter and the time involved, change it.

Besides, it is a good way to not only check the function of your lift pump, but to practise/improve your fuel system bleeding skills.

On a truck... you may need those skills at zero degrees at night on the expressway with dead flashlight batteries.

As a boater (yup, that's me) you may need those skills in 8 ft waves during a storm.

Tell your grandpappy to let the moths out of his wallet and buy you a filter :-laf :-laf

Jay



ps... . no disrespect intended... . only stone busting

 

[bgilbert]

Every 50k, is that for a gasser fuel filter? It's every 12k miles for our Cummins. I change mine every oil change which is every 6 months reguardless of mileage. Breakdown are no fun and not cheap, fuel filters are cheap period.

 

[RSchwarzli]

bgilbert,

My bad. First off I was (actually it was pappy beside me telling me what to type, his wording was 50k K) thinking in kilometers and secondly pappys truck is a 02 Cummins, but I asked the question here as I like you all.



Quote "Sounds like your grandpappy is basically a cheap SOB like me" Bingo! You win what is behind door number 2! He was grumblin about "if it doesn't look dirty it doesn't need to be changed, so I am throughing money away". So to settle it, he wanted to ask you'all as he knows I am constantly on the site.



Anyways thanks alot, this has answered his question.



Robert (and pappy who is not sitting beside me tonight)

 

[1stgen4evr]

fuel filter change interval

Well I have to stick my two cents in here. I don't change the fuel filter on any schedule. I know if it is getting clogged by the way the engine runs. When it needs it, I change it. I know for sure that I have gone more than 50k miles on more than one occasion. The really big deal for me is the fact that you can get a bad tank of fuel immediately after changing the filter and will need to change it again. So, I ride a filter and the wrenches to change it as well as the wrenches to bleed out the system. The filter is cheap at you local parts supplier compared to the highway (robbery) price. When you are about to service the filter, it is helpful to fill the tank completely so that you have a full head of fuel. This will aid the lift pump when bleeding the system. This has served me for 460k miles on ole blue and a total of over a million miles on CTDs.



James

 

[RSchwarzli]

Well spoken. Your . 02 cents was worth it. Thank you.

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

JMO... but, ever second (mabey third max) oil change is the time for fuel filter replacement.

The guys are right, ANY garbage or water that does make it thru the system will quickly kill an inj. pump... Besides the pumps are lubed and cooled by fuel only, so you do want clean fuel at all times.



pb...