My F250 fuel filter/prime system

[fuzzydog]

From my honeymoon thread, some of you had asked for pics of the fuel filter and priming system on my f250 so here they are.

so if anyone can tell me what I should do when I change the fuel filter.....thanks!

hmm, after previewing this thread it looks like I should have included an overall view.....the plunger thing is on the passenger firewall, right behind the battery. it has a 'cup' underneath that I was told is for any water that gets into the system.

 

[69dieselfreak]

looks good but that is not what i was thinking it would be like but ok that works
changing the fuel filter
1 spin it off
2 fill full of clean fuel
3 spin back on
4 fire it up
fuel system primer this is what i think it would be for
out in the middle of no where you clog a filter and dont have clean diesel to get to and dont want to use a siphone or have one but you have an extra fuel filter behind your back seat so you spin that new filter on and you use the primer to fill your filter
or if you are havein problems with your fuel system and you want to prime it
or if you run out of fuel
anyway looks good

 

[icanfixall]

Just so you all know this about filling a fuel filter with fuel or additive..... Pour it into the OUTER ROW OF HOLES ONLY.. If any spills over into the center holes that can contaminate the injection pump and injecters with dirt you can't see. The same goes for the oil filter although that oil really can't hurt much because the filter will only remove dirt down to aomething like 10 or 20 microns. The fuel filters take filtering down to a much lower filtering size.. Anybody know what it is?? I'm at a loss tonite....

 

[69dieselfreak]

Just so you all know this about filling a fuel filter with fuel or additive..... Pour it into the OUTER ROW OF HOLES ONLY.. If any spills over into the center holes that can contaminate the injection pump and injecters with dirt you can't see. The same goes for the oil filter although that oil really can't hurt much because the filter will only remove dirt down to aomething like 10 or 20 microns. The fuel filters take filtering down to a much lower filtering size.. Anybody know what it is?? I'm at a loss tonite....

good point thats why i said clean diesel

 

[FordGuy100]

Yeah I've broken that rule without thinking then

I still dont get how this system works (his setup that is).

 

[cleithau]

Looks like you have some sort of after market fuel primer, my sisters diesel Landcruiser had that from the factory. In the first picture the thing that looks like a bottle cap (kind of) should be able to unscrew a little, then it will work as a hand pump to pump fuel through the filter. And crack the lines somewhere so fuel can flow through the filter. I'm just guessing but that pump looks identical in function to the pump on the Landcruiser.

 

[waytoomanytoys]

that filter is off of a 4600 series catepillar motor thats in semis and etc. the smaller of the two filters is the water separator then the filter with the primer is the main filter and the primer is for when your out of fuel or you have an air leak it the system so you get re-prime the fuel system. the nice part with this setup is if you use the long main filter you have extended filter change intervals.

on another note does anyone know if are fuel pumps are capable of pushing enough fuel through 2 filters because i have the same setup but i dont want to starve the ip of fuel.

 

[RLDSL]

He eliminated the factory filter head all together
With that cat setup, when you change a filter or drain the water, you just twist that knob counter clockwise a bit till it come loose and pump it in and out about 30 times and it will force all the air through the system and bleed it out for you and you will be primed up and good to go. when done, push it in and give it a turn clockwise to lock the thing

 

[69dieselfreak]

on another note does anyone know if are fuel pumps are capable of pushing enough fuel through 2 filters because i have the same setup but i dont want to starve the ip of fuel.

my 86 came with 2 filters from the factory with the stock lift pump so ya should be fine

 

[fuzzydog]

He eliminated the factory filter head all together
With that cat setup, when you change a filter or drain the water, you just twist that knob counter clockwise a bit till it come loose and pump it in and out about 30 times and it will force all the air through the system and bleed it out for you and you will be primed up and good to go. when done, push it in and give it a turn clockwise to lock the thing

That sounds very close to the description the PO gave me when I bought it. Makes a lot of sense too, when I look at the setup.

Do I have to release the pressure in the fuel system somehow before unscrewing the filter?

I figure I should release the pressure, unscrew the CAT filter and replace with a new one (filled with clean diesel), unbolt the water separator filter (looks like it's held to the primer with a through bolt on the top), empty it and then replace (no filter element in that one?). then unscrew the 'knob' pump about 30 times to get fuel from the tank up to fill the water separator and pressurize the system. Since there will likely be some compressed air between the primer and injectors some rough running is to be expected upon initial startup, til the air works its way out?

 

[waytoomanytoys]

you do not need to release the pressure in the system before taking off the main filter. as for the smaller filter the one you described is a water separator it has metal screen filter in it. the system works great for big trucks. for replacement filters just call a local peterbilt shop they will stock the filters.

we have a 1991 pete 379 with a 425hp mechanical cat with that setup just give them that info there and they should be able to get the right filters just be sure to tell the you need the metal screen filter because there is another style with a regular filter on it but it wont fit your setup.

hope this helps just let me know and i can get you the part numbers for them if the local shop is being a pain to deal with.

 

[RLDSL]

that little hand pump has quite a bit of force to it. the thing will shove most of the air clean through the pump and injectors and you will be pretty much good to go.