7.3idi frozen filter

ISPKI

Welding/metallurgical engineer/Metalsmith
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Posts
1,068
Reaction score
645
Location
Granby CT
Hey guys,

So I just got back from Portland and went to fire up my 94 7.3idi to line it up with my plow (first snow fall is just starting) and the damned thing wont start.

I had the "Fuel Filter" light come on right before shutting it down last week so I pulled the filter aaand it has layers of ice in it. I have a replacement filter but I have an issue. The bottom piece of the filter wont unscrew. I think thats the water separator? It turns and turns but doesnt unthread.

Can I replace the filter with the style that does not have the piece on the bottom?
 

gandalf

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2005
Posts
3,877
Reaction score
1,070
Location
CA &/or Maine
Yes, that fuel filter can be replaced with one which does not have the unscrewable bottom unit. I did that on my '92. I can't remember the WIX number, and I'm not home to run out and check. I'm sure some one will have the number handy.
 

Clb

Another old truck
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Posts
5,702
Reaction score
2,163
Location
nannyfornia
Sounds like the h2o drain feature should be used.
 

chillman88

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Posts
6,022
Reaction score
6,152
Location
Central NY
If anyone stocks them the Baldwin number is bf-1222 for the one without the bowl
 

franklin2

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2009
Posts
5,161
Reaction score
1,385
Location
Va
Napa FIL-3417 has the solid bottom but has a built in drain valve also.
 

ISPKI

Welding/metallurgical engineer/Metalsmith
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Posts
1,068
Reaction score
645
Location
Granby CT
Well I cleaned up the filter and brought it inside. The bottom half of it is solid ice. I removed the drain plug and sensor and set the housing over a glass jar in the same room as our wood stove. Hopefully it will have melted out by the time I get home from work and maybe I can unthread the bottom off of it then.

That bottom piece does in fact thread off right? I only changed this filter once a few years ago and dont recall if it threads on or snaps on or what.

The water dripping out of the bottom is a lovely brown rust color, wondering if ive caused any damage to my IP or injectors. I suppose the filter was doing it's job though!
 

Philip1

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Posts
448
Reaction score
366
Location
Northeastern Nevada
If it has the removable bowl on the filter then yes it is threaded and unscrews

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

ISPKI

Welding/metallurgical engineer/Metalsmith
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Posts
1,068
Reaction score
645
Location
Granby CT
Well I was able to cut the filter apart with an angle grinder and chisel the plastic threaded section out of it. Installed a new filter filled with a mix of fuel and fuel treatment. Still wont fire.

I pulled the line from lift pump to filter and cranked it and couldnt get any fuel out of it.

Pulled the line from tank to lift pump and there was zero fuel in the line.

So I pulled the sender from the tank, and the pickup head screen has a layer of ice blocking it completely. I cleaned it out, went and got some Diesel tank cleaner and put a good half a quart in the tank. Letting that soak in for a few hours and then I will go about trying to bleed all that air out of the system.
 

ISPKI

Welding/metallurgical engineer/Metalsmith
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Posts
1,068
Reaction score
645
Location
Granby CT
You must be registered for see images attach


We'll
 

Philip1

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Posts
448
Reaction score
366
Location
Northeastern Nevada
If you have that much water in the system you might want to flush the system and clean the tank really well

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

chillman88

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Posts
6,022
Reaction score
6,152
Location
Central NY
The only thing more fun than dropping the tank is doing it in the snow.... Glad you found your problem though. That sucks.

I agree with Phillip though, that tank would get the diesel drained off the top and then warm up in the garage before getting cleaned out very well.
 

ISPKI

Welding/metallurgical engineer/Metalsmith
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Posts
1,068
Reaction score
645
Location
Granby CT
Yeah, definitely not happening anytime soon unfortunately. My main shop is booked up with a frame off restoration project and I need the other shop doors for vehicle storage.

I dumped a good bit of power service diesel kleen and diesel 911 in the tank. new filters, blew out my fuel lines, a solid 2 hours of bleeding and cranking and bleeding and the old slug finally fired up. Ran pretty good too.

What I would like to do is get a new rear tank installed but my tank selector rotted away years ago and im not sure if I want to plum in a new one. Anyways, case closed on the frozen fuel system. I will post some more pictures when I get around to dropping the tank and cleaning it out properly.
 

ISPKI

Welding/metallurgical engineer/Metalsmith
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Posts
1,068
Reaction score
645
Location
Granby CT
So I went to start the truck and continued to have fueling issues! Took forever cranking it over to get it to fire up, had to hook up a battery charger station to it to get it to start.

I went about bleeding the fuel system and ended up pulling the hardline from lift pump to fuel filter to make sure I had fuel. I suspended a glass jar on the open end of the line and cranked over the engine for a good 5 seconds. Got plenty of fuel out of it, half filled a peanut butter jar, but I noticed that the fuel is extremely cloudy, looks like chamomile tea with milk splashed into it.

Took a solid 5-6 minutes of intermittent cranking but it finally fired up. I am guessing that the cloudy fuel is due to water in the fuel tank but, can that cause the truck to not want to fire up?

It also seems to me that I have some air intrusion maybe, but I have rebuilt all the lines and seals from tank to injectors and cannot find where it is leaking.
 

franklin2

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2009
Posts
5,161
Reaction score
1,385
Location
Va
I would not think water in the fuel would be good for combustion, especially starting. Have you figured out where all that water came from? I think I would pull the tank. Get all that out of there and also inspect the tank, they like to rust out where they sit against the frame crossmembers.
 
Top