My truck recently picked up a couple new symptoms..so I decided to change the fuel filter ahead of its 15,000 mile scheduled replacement... Sure enough...with 12,000 miles on it..it was black as tar....terribly dirty...
All symptoms are fixed now..no longer sluggish..better mileage..starts easier..etc..i'm really amazed that the dealer doesn't reccomend you change the filter earlier...oh well..
Just a heads up for everyone..and a learning experience for me..

 

Thanks. I'll be doing mine earlier now.

Do you pretty much always buy your diesel from the same place?

 

I was considering changing my fuel filter before 15,000 and after what you said, I will change it now, at about 10,000 miles. I'll also get to see if I'm getting fuel at the right place!

 

Got two friends that at 15k filters almost look new.Depends on where fuel bought I assume.

 

First change done at 10k, filter black as night with tiny little asphalt ***** lodged in the filter.

2nd change done at 20k, filter a dark gray, but nowhere neer the condition of the 1st.

3rd change done at 30k, filter a light gray.

Just did the 4th change, and it was just like the 3rd.

Fuel purchased at the same places since day 1.

Must be something getting cleaned out of the system during the 1st 10k to make the filter that black?


phox

 

Phox,

It's those taco crumbs that got in there during assembly.

Comprende?

 

Oh si senor, comprende mucho grande.





phox

 

Must be the fuel in our area...had to change mine at 12K for similar reasons. It was BLACK! A new filter solved the minor problems. I change it every 10K now.

 

I change mine at 5,000 miles with oil change, Its a cheap fix for $11.00 takes 10 minutes and since fuel delivery is critical for these truck its a price I am willing to pay to not have any problems, and at 5,000 miles its black and ugly looking too.

 

Interesting, my 2002, 3500, purchased last month, is just comming up on 10K miles. Taking wifes 2005 chryselr t&c in for its service at dealer today.
Truck did not have owners manual, picking that up today.

Gonna schedule truck in for LOF and change fuel filter.

Any other suggestions for service? Sticker on windshiled sez next service due at 12K.

It's only 6:30 here is WA state. Coffee and Desiel talk,

Davey

 

I changed the first filter @ 15,000. It was pretty dark. 2,500 miles later the truck started running terribly (spit & sputtered, jerking w/a lot of smoke. I changed the filter (it looked new, no signs of water or particulate, & still white), and all problems and symptoms went away. I had been buying fuel from the same place for several months. Who knows? Maybe they received a dirty load of fuel.

 

I was told by a couple of DC techs that some of the trucks they had received had fuel system problems that were caused by suspected contaminated fuel back at the plant. I would tend to believe this as being part of the problem.

Changing fuel filters often for the first couple would be benefical, sure would not hurt.

 

All right let me just toss this one out there. Diesel is a dirty fuel period. Less refined than blah...blah. New ploycarbonate plastic whatever and warm mexican diesel! Let it sit a few weeks/months and give to a newbie diesel owner. Point I'm trying to make is work that cummins. This is an industrial engine .Get that six banger hot and climb mountains (dreaming)with a load if you got it. Then and only then can you really see injector problems. HELLO these are not commuter trucks. Stop and go cold driving plus low volume stale diesel equals .........I can't say it. I think I said enough or drank enough?

 

From what I've been told, diesel doesn't go stale. Algae does grow somehow though.

 

Changed mine yesterday for first time.15k.It was black but nothing jumped out at me as being terrible.Truck dosen't run any differant before or after change.