fuel leak at bottom of filter

[jfp3205]

Hi everyone

I just found a leak from the bottom of my fuel filter. My filter has the metal bottom base and it has a plastic fitting that goes to a line that I think is to drain off water but that fitting keeps coming off and i have a wire that goes to the bottom that I guess goes to the water in fuel light but it too keeps coming off.

I feel a valve like object on the bottom of the filter but i cannot turn it. When the filter was replaced, new gaskets were used on this base. I cannot tell where the fuel is coming from, just that it is dripping from the bottom of the filter onto the valve cover.
Has anyone else had this problem and how can I find the new fittings for the bottom of the filter or does anyone make a new one piece unit?
Thanks
Fletcher

 

[asmith]

i have this problem as well. like you it is hard to tell if it is coming from the valve or where the bottom screws on to the fuel filter. so far have not been able to find a solution. hopefully someone will come along shortly to help out.

 

[diezelcrazee]

Check out this thread:

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?50971-WIX-one-piece-filter-part-number

The NAPA 3417 or a WIX 33417 are 1 piece, eliminates the bottom base

 

[kb1jid]

My water in fuel sensor is leaking on the bottom. Does anybody have the ford part # for this part? Thanks very much

 

[Mulochico]

The NAPA 3417 or a WIX 33417 are 1 piece, eliminates the bottom base

X2 Works great!!!

 

[John Deere]

Be cautious using NAPA/Wix filters. I have not checked the filters that are used on our idi's, but their filters have never had the ability to separate water in the 6.0, and just recently Wix removed the media that separates water from their filter for the 7.3 ps. Something tells me they would have no problem cheapening up the filter for our idi's as well.

 

[riotwarrior]

I've been using the one piece NAPA filter though not sure if it's been hacked and cheapened by removing water filtering media...

ME THINKS for a few bucks more I will be getting the FG 500S RACOR setup mounted up soon!

 

[Alan Slingsby]

Riotworrior,is there a Thead or any site to look at the racor set up it sounds interesting

 

[John Deere]

I just cut apart a NAPA 3217, that I just changed from my '88, it only has the paper filter in it. That said I haven't done this to a motorcraft or any other brand to see if there should be the media type water barrier also. Anybody know?

 

[riotwarrior]

Riotworrior,is there a Thead or any site to look at the racor set up it sounds interesting

Google is your friend....you read what you need to and draw your own opinion

https://www.google.ca/search?q=raco...ozilla:en-US:unofficial&client=firefox-aurora



I only need rebuild mine with new seals and a new filter and mount it. IF you ebay RACOR there are some nice setups there too...expect to pay considerable amount for an FG500 setup....125 for sure!

I got mine free...it just needs a rebuild...$45.00 for all new seals, filters are about 10 bucks 2 micrron 10, 20, 30 are the different ratings IIRC...

 

[Mulochico]

I just cut apart a NAPA 3217, that I just changed from my '88, it only has the paper filter in it. That said I haven't done this to a motorcraft or any other brand to see if there should be the media type water barrier also. Anybody know?

If you check out the WIX website for 33417 (same as Napa 3417) it is a fuel filter/water separator. Not sure about the Napa 3217. If it is listed as a water separator the material should be treated to not let water through.

 

[Alan Slingsby]

Thanks riotworrior..im going to save up my pennies and get that bad boy!

 

[John Deere]

If you check out the WIX website for 33417 (same as Napa 3417) it is a fuel filter/water separator. Not sure about the Napa 3217. If it is listed as a water separator the material should be treated to not let water through.

Napa also states that their fuel filters for the 6.0 and 7.3 are also water separators also, but I can tell you from experience they aren't. Napa Gold line of filters is actually their cheap line these days, they have a another line that I believe is called Select that is a better filter line. My opinion is I will buy my filters from O'reilly's, I can buy motorcraft filters from them for less money than I can buy Napa Gold filters.

 

[riotwarrior]

Thanks riotworrior..im going to save up my pennies and get that bad boy!

This is one I'm thinking bout

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&vxp=mtr&item=300815967222

 

[SparkandFire]

I've used the Wix one-piece filter with separator for a while now.

I do know this, after my truck sat with the failed engine for a while, and I got it running again, the first fill up I drained the filter/separator into a cut-up dried out water bottle.

There was definitely water int here, it slimed along the bottom of the bottle like a nasty vanilla milkshake.

On the big gens we have here, the water separator is more of a mechanical device, it uses filters of course, but the water separation comes from forcing the fuel along a metal baffle all the way to the bottom of the housing, then it does a 180 and flows straight back up the inside of the baffle before flowing back down again to the filter media. My guess is that the rapid change of direction at the low point of the baffle causes the water to come out of suspension and sink to the bottom of the housing.