I just changed my fuel filter today for the first time. I went with the FS 1221.

First, the filter change on these trucks is a PITA. Not easily accessible for a strap wrench compared to my other diesels. Lot of crap in the way, and who woulda thought...I had to disconnect more electric plugs than I do on a Duramax for a filter change. I can't wait to finish up my lift pump setup with dual Caterpillar 749 two micron filters so I'll never have to touch that stupid thing again.

I know the filter hadn't been changed in forever because the PO took more "shortcuts" than anyone I have ever seen. When I got the new filter back on, my Fuel PSI shot up 3 PSI at idle.

Anyway, when I took the old filter off, it broke loose without too much struggle, but the threaded-stud coupler that the filter screws onto came out with the filter. This allowed the plate above the filter (fuel heater, maybe? Not sure) to fall down. Problem is, I didn't see which way it fell off, shiny side up or down. The filter seemed like it would fit with it flipped either way, so I just put it shiny side down, filled the filter with grey Power Service and tightened her back up. Is this correct? Or did I put it on upside down?

 

One side has a rubber gasket on it. That's the side that goes up.

Stop whineing.

 

Yeah that's your fuel heater. I had the same trouble with my filter stud. And a good way to tell if it was backwards you wouldn't been able to screw it all back together lol and fuel would have shot every where when you tried to prim it. But I agree that it can be a little bit of a pane in the neck.

Hope this helps

Jim

 

Aw come on, it ain't that bad.That is why I put a fuel pressure gauge on the filter outlet so I don't change them for no reason.

 

Yep O-ring side to the head and shiny side to the filter, or you can buy the fuel heater delete stud from case for about $10. Probably oughta change that O-ring above the fuel heater while your in there unless you get the delete stud, they get old and hard and leak. But I guess if your goin with a different setup then don't worry about it.

Once you take the linkage out of the way they aren't bad at all if you ask me. I'll have to admit this airdog is much easier though

 

I changed my heater gasket and the only thing I unplugged was the heater.

 

You unthreaded the fuel filter completely without disconnecting the WIF plug?

I think you guys are missing my point. It's not that the fuel filter change is a three day long job, I was just surprised at how it is much tougher to access than on the newer diesels which are notorious for being LESS friendly to the home-mechanic. Especially shocking considering how easy this motor is to work on. I guess the bottom line is that its odd to me that you can have an engine where its easier to R/R the turbo than the fuel filter. That's all I was saying.

Thanks for the replies on the heater, though.

 

It was already in my toolbox.

It is a pain to get at, and I used a flat washer in a pair of vice grips to turn the stud out. It was a lot easier once I realized I had just turned it half way around. The wrong way. No idea why I thought it had to turn the opposite way that the filter did.......

 

It could be worse.
You could have the cannister type that's on a P-7100 truck.

Or the VP style.

At least on a 1st gen you can SEE what you need to remove to change it.

If simplicity in this seldom performed activity is what you want, there's always the option of going to a mid-80s Ford with a 6.9, where the fuel filter is on top of the engine, and the only thing hard about changing it is getting fuel on yourself.

Mark.

 

If you think that is hard you need to stop.

Start ripping your truck apart and you'll find dozens of harder problems than that.

I have learned that never being in a rush is the way to go.

Have fun wrenching!!!!!!!

 

PLEASE REREAD POST #7

This truck is VERY easy to work on...which is precisely why I was surprised that the fuel filter was even the slightest bit difficult to access. I'll say it again so this thread can die...IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO DO in the grand scheme of things. It is difficult RELATIVE TO THE EASE WITH WHICH OTHER SIMILAR TASKS ARE PERFORMED ON THIS TRUCK! The English language does not allow me to provide you with any more assistance in understanding my post.

I am one of those guys, though, that gets very angry at the idea that ANY filter should be tough to get to on any vehicle. It simply should not be, and with the amount of engineering that goes into a vehicle design, it amazes me that this is still the case. One of my heroes in this aspect is an engineer for Isuzu that also worked with GM on DMAX, LTD (The Duramax project).

Since he first got into vehicle design (way back when) he has been advocating a universal (relatively) filter panel that would be at an accessible central location on a vehicle that houses all the filters (spin-on style, of course) His rationalization was great...he said having filters all over the vehicle in tough-to-access places was like having fuses equally scattered around. It was a VERY short time before the fuse panel was implemented into the automobile, yet we still chase and struggle with filters. He wrote a very detailed report on the amount of time, money, and man hours this design would save auto companies (and eventually owners) each year regarding service as well as warranty service. He also included the end cost figures for what this filter panel would cost companies to implement into production lines for their most popular models. The numbers were staggering, yet the idea was swept under the rug.

 

This engine was originally designed to go into farm tractors and construction equipment. The filter location is convenient in (most of) those applications. I agree, though, filters should be easy to get to, but other than having to lay on the flippin fender, these ones aren't all that bad.