My truck got to where it was real hard to start and would not idle. Took it to the dealer. They said it was contaminated fuel and there was dirt in the tank and the fuel filter was clogged. I saw all of this also. Then they asked the last time the filter was changed. I told them the truth...it was changed at 14148 when the vent hose recall was done (by them). It had been 19000 miles since it was changed. They said the schedule was every 15000 and it might be a problem being covered under warranty due to lack of maintenance. They said the fuel filter could get clogged and with the demand of the fuel system...it would bypass the filter ( around the rubber seal ) and carry on to the injectors. They say the problem "seems to be plugged injectors". My question is...if they changed to 7 micron or even 5 micron...this would plug even sooner and therefore " bypass " even sooner and ruin the fuel system correct?

The estimate to replace the fuel system to " bring it back to warranty status " is 6700.00.

Oh and I was told to contact my insurance company. I did and they went to the dealership...took pictures and samples. They were also told about the "lack of maintenance of the fuel filter". The final determination was: They would pay for the contamination of the tank and to reflush the lines etc. but "since dodge is bailing out because of the fuel filter...they are bailing out because of the fuel filter and would not cover the 6700.00 bill.

The service manager said he doesn't think it is right (for Dodge and the insurance company )and is trying to deal with a service rep. But it has been 19 days in the shop and I dont even have a rental that is paid for by either dodge or insurance.

 

Sorry, brother. You've got to follow maintenance intervals or you have to eat it on the comeback. I really don't think the issue is the 7 micron. Even when I was running the 10 micron, I never made it to the recommended 15K before it started sluggishly and I changed it. That was usually around 10K. Daddy DC is always watching and will refuse warranty service whenever possible. Good luck and sorry for your issues.

Fuel by-passing the filter is a new one on me though. But I'm not a Cummins or DC tech.

 

The only way fuel can bypass that filter is by poking a hole in it.
I would recommend dropping down to a 5 micron drop in from Baldwin or installing a remote 2 micron filter kit from Glacier Diesel Performance.
And sticking to a 10k mile service.

MikeyB

 

Fuel by-passing the filter is a new one on me though. But I'm not a Cummins or DC tech.


That is what they said. I did not have a chance to " have my truck run sluggish and change the filter " It just happened at once...which is my point. If you put a brand new filter on and it gets contaminated fuel (which I think was caused by the recall) it could plug instantaneously and trash your fuel system...according to them...so it dont matter how often you change it.The smaller micron will make things worse.

I hear a lot of people on here say poor performance???....change/check the fuel filter. That is BS...

Apparently these trucks need several filters inline to protect the downstream components. I get (got) 18-19 mpg and drive all highway miles so I am know less gallons of fuel passed through my filter as compared to a 9-10 mpg towing rig.

15000 miles @ 18mpg = 833 gallons
15000 miles @ 9 mpg = 1666 gallons

So I hope you see my point........They are sticking it to me and i'm not sure I am going to take it.....

 

No

In fact, a smaller micron filter has many more "holes" and flows even more than a larger micron filter. It should last longer.

 

There is no way 2 filters of the exact same size, but one filter being able to filter to a smaller micron that the one that filters to a smaller micron will flow more fuel. In order for a smaller micron filter to flow as much it would have to have more square inches of surface area.

 

I change my fuel filter with every oil change. I don't EVEN want to go where you have gone with contamination, etc. I also installed the GDP 2-micron in-line with hopes of avoiding the whole contamination thing. In fact, I was one of the first to get the 2-micron filter. I have a factory 7-micron in the canister, since that is THEIR requirement for the warranty stuff, I am keeping it THEIR way. After that it is MY way. Above and beyond their call. Fuel filters are cheap, and as you are learning the repair is not. The cost of filters is just a mere pittance of insurance.

CD

 

The dealer is feeding you a line of BS. It getting to the point now where its becoming criminal. They are conning you out of $6,700. I'd fight it.

 

This is incorrect. A 7 micron will always flow less than a 10 micron and a 5 micron will always flow less than a 7 (assuming all are the same size). I have experience with laboratory filters down to 0.45 micron and it takes A LOT of pressure to get water through one that fine.

I bet a 5 or 7 micron would be fine in a stock or close to stock truck, but I could see problems trying to run a 5 micron with the stock fuel system and a high HP box/downloader. If I had a fuel pressure gauge I would definitely test the difference in pressure at WOT between a 5 and 10. IMO there has to be a noticeable difference in flow on the high end with the stock lift pump. Anyone care to experiment and report their findings?

 

Go back in and ask how it is possible that the filter would allow bypassing?
Phone up Fleetguard and ask them the same question..

I call BS on this.

That filter you have would have to be at over 40psi for it to allow a bypass situation as they described. A total failure of the system. For example a collapsed filter caused by to much pressure, or bad manufacture.

If this is the case then you would have noticed a huge lack of performance prior to this filter plugging that bad. You would have thrown a few codes due to fuel starvation of the CP3.

If the filter did bypass itself then you would have to have signs that it did this. And taking a mechanics word on it doesnt cut it.

Ask them to prove that the filter bypassed in this manner.

ask them which rubber seal did the fuel bypass. The bottom one, because that is the only one that is there to of had this happen.
Could this of been due to faulty installation on theri part??

This doesnt excuse the fact that you didnt change your filter at the recommended times. But it does lead me to believe that you are being strung out on this one.

How dirty is the fuel? Has it gone past the filter? has it damged the Injection pump?
Did you get a fuel sample pre and post filter?

I hope you get thsi sorted out.

Filter bypass, I am laughing.

Dodge has gone from, Bad fuel, to much idle time back to bad fuel, to dirty fuel, to filter bypassing.

Ask them for the cost of a fully complete fuel filtering system that works. And will not bypass at less then 14psi due to clogging of your filter?

**** they are good.

 

I'm not an expert on the system DC is using here, but here ais an example of how it can bypass the filter... (fun story from work)

We had a wind turbine throw a "oil filter colgged" alarm at us. The way the turbines are designed, they keep running. If the pressure differential gets high enough across the filter, the filter housing itself has a spring-loaded check valve built in to bypass the oil around the filter. Brilliant idea, and it wouldn't suprise me to find out DC did the same thing. This "feature" allows the turbine to continue to run to prevent a loss of available production time, instead of shutting the turbine down to protect downline components.''

Shutdown feature:
Cost of lost downtime for a few hours: $2000.
Cost of new filter: $42

By-pass feature:
Cost of downtime: $ A metric butt-ton. 6 weeks of lost production.
New gearbox: $500,000
New oil pump: $10,000
New filter: $42
New filter housing: $700
New temp control valve: $300
Crane costs: $700,000
Man hours: $350,000
New flex-shaft: $50,000
New brake calipers: $80,000
New Brake pads: $400

Contamination in our oil system caused the oil pump to start shredding itself. After the filter clogged, it bypassed metal shavings to the rest of the rest of the oil system causing the gearbox to seize at 1800 RPM. It was messy.

So what are the costs of lost production or sitting on the side of the road for a few hours against what bypassing a filter can allow? Again, not saying that DC's filter housing will do this. But if....

 

I do not think the fuel can bypass the filter, no spring it just has a seal. So does not make sense to me. I change fuel filter every oil change and try to buy diesel from new stations. Thinking the newer tanks do not have time to build up as much dirt.

 

I saw the filter...it was not collapsed. It was not even dirty unless you spread the folds back and look at the bottom. It did look like some kind of sand/fine gravel stuff was there though. Inside the tank was a film of what looked like sand or dirt. The insurance company took pictures and samples...but will not give them to me unless I go through a "certain process".