How often to replace fuel filters?

chris142

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How long do you guys leave them on? I've got 2. The first is a 30 micron filter thats also a water trap. The 2nd is the stock 6.9L fuel filter.

I've got 9k on them so far and it seems to be running the same. Was thinking 10K? Maybe 15K?, 20K?
 

Hydro-idi

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It depends on the quality of fuel in my opinion. The PO bypassed the water separator so I don't have that on my truck. They are problematic for air leaks from what I hear. I change mine every 5k just for the heck of it. I would think they could go for 20k if your fuel source is clean and waterless. I always keep a spare fuel filter in my truck box just in case ;Sweet.
 

chris142

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Ya my heater/water trap was missing when I got the truck. I understand that water is real bad for injection pumps and injectors so I went to Napa and bought a filter head and a filter. I think our fuel is pretty good. The state comes in about every other month and tests fuel as well as pump accuracy.
 

FORDF250HDXLT

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the fuel filter should be replaced every 60,000 miles or 48 months.whichever comes first.according to haynes diesel tech book #10300.

according to my 1993 diesel fuel supplement book (thank you ebay!) the chart for change intervals on the fuel filter is also 60k miles.
all other places in the chart have "3" which states:
more frequent intervals may be required dependent on fuel quality and vehicle usage.an instrument panel warning light will glow when servicing is required,or when the ignition key is in the START position.

FYI;
for the interval of draining the water fuel bowl (1993 diesel fuel supplement) has an X checked in all of the mile intervals.which means every 5k miles.it also shares the "3".


..........

so in summary;
change the fuel filter at a MAX 60k miles.sooner if you get the light for that.that one simply reads "fuel filter"
drain the bowl every 5k MAX.sooner if you see the light for that.that one reads "water in fuel"
 

chris142

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What turns on the "fuel filter" light since my OE water filter/heater is gone.
 

Hydro-idi

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What turns on the "fuel filter" light since my OE water filter/heater is gone.

Probably nothing if it is not hooked up.
And about the 60k mile interval with a fuel filter....I wouldn't push them that long. However, this is just one mans opinion. I have changed out many diesel fuel filters and have not seen too many that made it to 60k. Well actually my dad's old 02 duramax made it to 63k with stock fuel filter until engine slowly lost power. I remember him taking me to school back in the day with the pedal to the floor and maxing 35 mph hahaha. He wasn't sure what the heck the problem was until we came to the conclusion it may be a fuel issue hahaha. He went to one auto shop for advice on what it was and one guy said it probably wasn't the fuel filter because they last longer than 60k.
I mean come on lol, it's a cheap darn fuel filter. They don't last forever ;Really.
But again, I really think it has to do with the quality of fuel. All it takes is one contaminated tank of fuel to clog up that filter.
 

dgr

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dagger,
It is behind the brake booster. There is a little cable you can pull and it should piddle water and diesel out a hose behind the tire. If you pull that cable, you may start an air intrusion problem.
 

6 Nebraska IDIs

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I have honestly never been able to get more than about 25k miles on a fuel filter on any of my trucks. Always seems like by then we get a bad batch of fuel that plugs them up at that point. I don't know what filter you're using but if you're talking about changing the 7.3l sensor port filter every 5k miles, WOW you're spending a boatload of money on fuel filters. I know for a fact the Baldwin 1222-SP filters I use are over $40 each.
 

icanfixall

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When the fuel filter gets dirty they will slow down on the fuel delievery to the injection pump. That causes a vacuum between the filter and the injection pump. Then the filter lite on the dash comes on... This is a bad thing for the injection pump to run on a vacuum because the fuel lubes and cools the injection pump. So how long you run it will determine how long the pump lasts. I feel we need a fuel pressure gauge on the dash so we can actually see the pressure drop over time... It will save us a road side break down thats for sure...
 

Hydro-idi

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I have honestly never been able to get more than about 25k miles on a fuel filter on any of my trucks. Always seems like by then we get a bad batch of fuel that plugs them up at that point. I don't know what filter you're using but if you're talking about changing the 7.3l sensor port filter every 5k miles, WOW you're spending a boatload of money on fuel filters. I know for a fact the Baldwin 1222-SP filters I use are over $40 each.

I am talking about the wix 33811 fuel filter. Those are around $15 at local auto parts store.
 

PwrSmoke

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Manual says 15K intervals on the secondary fuel filter element (above the VC) and draining the water separator (if you still have one that works properly) every 5K. I've always stretched that filter to 30K without issue... with a mechanical fuel pressure gauge hooked for one interval as Icanfixall suggests. Imitate at your own risk, I suppose, because he's right about it being variable. Maybe I've been lucky over 25 years. I now have a 30 micron "water absorbing" Racor filter in place of the original water separator and Racor recommends 30K on that, so I'll likely sync those schedules and do 'em both at 30K.

Did get a bad load of fuel on a trip one time, decades ago, that set the "Water in Fuel" lite off. I had to stop about every 100 miles to drain water off when the lite kicked on. Finally went to a truck shop where they used a pump to suck the tank out (it was the front). They had a portable tank with a sight glass on it and of the 6-8 gallons of fuel in there, about a gallon of water separated at the bottom. We let it sit a half hour and then they pumped about 5 gallons of the fuel back in and I went on my merry way. The lite came on once or twice more on that trip but about 6 years later, that tank developed several rust pinholes in that little well at the bottom and I had to replace the tank. Always thought it was the little bit of leftover water from the previous "incident" that did it, whether that's accurate or not. Wanted to blame somebody!
 

icanfixall

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The tanks leaks was from the leftover water in the tanks that didn't suck out. Had you added some water absorber to the fuel it would have combined with the diesel and gone thru the filter and injection pump. It may have damaged the pump too but it would have gotten it all out of the tank saving it. It may have dropped out in the fuel filter too...
 

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