how often should the fuel filter be changed and what is that little yellow lever next to it do?

 

I plan on changing every 10k mi. Use a 7 micron or better, fleetguard # FS19800 E. The yellow lever is the drain for the water seperator. It catches water and keeps it from getting to the injectors. Drain a few ounces of fuel out of there every couple of weeks. Catch it in a bottle and you can see the water in there.

 

i havent done it since i got the truck a couple months ago. i saw nohting in the manual about doing it. what happens if you never do it?

i will be taking my truck to the dealer for oil and fuel filter changes most likely.

 

I change my FF every 5000 miles. I also change my oil every 5000 miles. I have never gotten any water out, but I live in a dry climate.

 

Don't fall for this propaganda! you change the fuel filter once a week and the yellow lever is the light switch so you can see what you're doing. Water! HAHAHA

 

It's in the manual under maintinence. If you don't ever drain it eventually a light will come on in the dash telling you to drain it. Which means the seperator's caught all the water it can hold and the rest is probably getting through to your injectors. Water is an abrasive that ruins injectors and it's best not to let it go that far. And while the fuel you're buying might be free of any water when it gets into your fuel tank it won't be because water condensation naturally occurs there. Hot summer day then the cool summer night that follows = water condensation in your fuel tank. The temperature extremes of the hot fuel that flows back into your fuel tank while you're just normally driving around and then you cut the truck off everything cooling back down creates condensation. It's a never ending cycle. I always try to keep my tanks as full as possible and if my truck's going to be parked for a few days the tanks are filled to the brim. This helps to minimize the surface area inside there where condensation can form.

 

Appologies for the previous post, I couldn't resist

If you never change it, you'll be walking, somewhere between 5 and 25k from now.

My prediction is that wreed will tire of paying the dealer 100 smackers to do this 5 minute job.

Drain the housing into a 1 liter bottle (yellow lever), set aside, pull old filter, replace o ring on cap(lube o ring with diesel from bottle) install new filter, replace cap, firmly, don't overtighten, bump key but do not start wait til lift pump stops, repeat (key bump wait for pump to stop), start engine, let run for 3 minutes check for leaks, inspect the fuel in bottle for water, pour perfectly good fuel back into tank. drive around the block.

It took longer to write these steps than it will take to actually do the job.

PS.. if you are finding water in your fuel start buying your fuel somewhere different!!

Cheers

 

wreedCTD, unless you have free oil and fuel filter changes at the dealer, dont take it to them, they will want to charge you many times more than the cost of the fuel filter itself(havent checked on a price myself, heard it is expensive). You can get them for around $15, and in 5 minutes, have it changed.

Baldwin makes a 5micron fuel filter, part #7977 http://www.adiesel.com/prodinfo.php?stocknumber=PF7977

There is a write up in the tech section on how to change it, I was a little apprehensive at first doing my own, but it took no time at all.

 

Don't panic if your lift pump doesn't stop running. Mine doesn't.

 

I did mine today in about 20 min, but it took me almost 15 minutes to find the 1 1/8 inch socket to get the lid off.

 

Did i ever say i wasnt going to change it? I said i ahvent messed with it in the month i owned my CTD. and luckly i own 5 other vehicles to get me where i need to go so i will never walk anywhere.

oh and if i have the time i will change it myself, i guess i am just lucky i can afford the $100 bucks to have the dealer do it, no sweat.

there is no need for posts like yours.

 

Lighten up Wreed,
If you had taken time to read your owner's manual you wouldn't have had to ask the question

 

i did read the owners manual i just had a question about the yellow lever and threw in the question about when to change the fuel filter.

still no need for rude comments like dales...

 

The owners manual covered both the yellow lever, how often to drain and how often to change filter. You also could have used the search feature. I agree on the lighten up comment.

 

i can do nothing but laugh at how serious some of you guys take this stuff.

you are the ones that need to lighten up lol..
i am going to say nothing further because i do not wish to become enemies with any of you. i just wish if you dont have anything postive to say then ignore my thread and move on.