Appetite for fuel filters

[technician]

I have a 2002 D-Max/Ally 3500 4x4 with aux tank (50 gal. total) I now have 22800 miles on it and just finished changing my fuel filter for the 5th time Average of 4500 mi. I buy fuel from the same supplyer as the other 4 trucks I run 6.2, 6.5, 300hp Cat, and 400hp Mack. All these are running filters until 7500-10,000 mi. with no decline in power. My D-Max's power falls off very quickly with little miles 2900 on last filter.
Are other owners having same life span out of filters ?
Do they have a finer micron filter?

[dmaxstu]

Mine is a 2002 but I did'nt notice that much difference in power when I changed the fuel filter at 15000 miles I'm fixin' to change it again before going on a trip at 27000 miles and now hope I will get an increase of power like you suggest. Also with so many filter changes you must be a veritable expert in the procedure perhaps you would'nt mind sharing some of that expertise with the rest of us. Stu

[technician]

Hi Stu,
Changing the filter that many times has not been fun.
I had a very dramatic drop in power/engine revs before changing. I hope you notice a benefit.

Best tip I can pass on is lube o-rings lightly w/oil, loosen the filter from the top of engine with a nylon strap type wrench then lower to frame rail and acess from fenderwell skirt for removal. Install in reverse being VERY careful not to knock dirt into filter when installing. Then just tighten by hand. Prime and hand tighten bleeder screw. Chris,

[dmaxstu]

Thank you Chris I'll be doing that chore in the next couple of days. Stu

[mark45678]

I did the first filter at 15K and tought I could get away with more but at 19K on the filter last weekend I lost about 30hp on a 200 mile tow with 8k in tow I coded on a long hill with the juice set on level 2........ the then next time 15K max! :eek:

[technician]

Mark45678,

You are in the same general area as I am. Are you running an additive? I run Power Service w/ cetane 8+
I am wondering if the additive is clogging my filter.

[FirstDiesel]

I might suspect something like contamination in your Aux tank before I worried about the additive. It it was the additive hundreds of people would be posting here about the same thing.

Can you change the filter and only run fuel from the stock tank for awhile to see if there is a difference??

[technician]

Thanks for the direction FirstDiesel,

I am unable to run just off the main tank. The factory Aux. system auto feeds tank to tank. After reading the thread about fuel filtering I suspect perhaps water in the tank/tanks, The additive is just doing it's job of emulsifiying the water. Then the filter is picking it up and cloging.

Anybody else have any thoughts?****script: x()
Confused

[Kennedy]

Properly emulsified water will pass through the filter and the entire fuel system without a problem. If you are not emulsifying the water, you could have algae. Not sure what your climate is???

I'd suggest drawing a sample and sending to George Morrison at AV lube. This way you will know what is happening. Could also cut open a filter and see what things look like inside...

[FirstDiesel]

Here we go with the big question. Is the Power Service an emulsifer or a deemulsifer??

[mackin]

New Hampshire is Classic New England....As the saying goes if you don't like the weather, wait a minute it will change....

We get frigid as today and tomorrow it could be 45 degrees (but not this week)......We can have sunny southern California weather in July or Humid sticky Southern Florida weather were you can leave a layer of skin on a leather sofa.....

So condensation is a major factor especially in weather like this and if you were to put your vehicle in a heated garage....Power Source disperses the water does it emulsify???

MAC

OOPS sorry bought the second request not ganging up on ya.... ;)

[ 01-19-2003: Message edited by: mackin ]</p>

[SteveO]

technician,

I absolutely agree with Kennedy have the fuel tested.. I have seen algae grow in brand new trucks with 60 Series Detroits..

If your test shows no signs of algae, I would STOP using the additive and see what happens.. If that doesn't take care of it buy fuel from another place (maybe just for that truck) for the 5k or more and see what happens...

Have you cut an old filter open and looked at the fuel that came out?

I go 20k on filter changes.. I buy fuel from at least 6 different places around the house and work...

Please update on your findings...

[ 01-19-2003: Message edited by: SteveO ]</p>

[FirstDiesel]

Mackin

My question about all these fuel adatives out thre that no one seems to answer.

Which ones do what to the water??

And when it says it disperses the water which is it doing???

I've been using the Shell adative since it's available here locally at a good price. Not many of the others are available here for some reason and if you find them the markup is steep.

[ 01-19-2003: Message edited by: FirstDiesel ]</p>

[mackin]

FirstDiesel

There are many additives avail today and I couldn't begin to list....I have relied on the people hear JK,George for there Opinion,as I respect it....I believe dispersing can be defined in a couple ways ..... I believe mixing as oppose to seperating, to get emulsifying and burning off the water as it may be accumulated is the best way and not relying on the filter to separate...To keep it from large amounts of indigestion so to speak...But I can't see that happening with this paticular additive......

Therefore I run what JK is running Total Power.....

Here is some interesting reading....=&gt;http://www.itow.org/fueladd.htm

I would research the additive your running and base it on what your seeing here, as to what results others are getting.....

Total Power is working for me...Quieted down idle, smooth idle, fast cold starts, I've seen less tail pipe smoke, that sucks....

Not much help but I wouldn't want to miss lead you.....One opinion there will be others.....


MAC

[ 01-19-2003: Message edited by: mackin ]</p>

[FirstDiesel]

So is dispersing the same as emulsifying???

[dmaxstu]

One of the members here Geo. Burton bought a Aux tank from American Tank in Frisco TX and had manufacturing debris left in the tank which caused him considerable grief. I also bought my aux tank from them and had no such problems. Just another thing to check out. Stu

[ 01-19-2003: Message edited by: dmaxstu ]</p>

[technician]

Thanks for all the input !!

I'll cut open my filter at the next filter change.

For now though, I'll get a fuel sample kit and pull a specimen for testing.

I park outside and am sad to say that I tend to run tanks down to 3/4 or so before filling up. I also plow & sand/salt so I have been veeery busy of late truck had been running constant for 29hrs last big storm. Maybe a combo condensation & alge???

Hoping for 6000 mi. filter changes !

Regards,
Chris

[MountainMax]

41k ands on 2nd filter. Got to be something w/your system.

[technician]

Found last filter (2900mi) cut it open & found 100% black with black tar mud on pleats.

2900mi. on this filter :eek!:

I guess i am a member of the alege in the fuel club.

Now :confused: What to treat it with ?

[FirstDiesel]

http://www.dieselpage.com/racbio.htm

[technician]

FirstDiesel,

Thanks for the post.

I think I might get through this after all....


Chris

[mdrag]

technician,

I had a very similar experience just before the holidays. My fuel filter (3K miles on it) was completely clogged and black. Treated with Killem from Kennedy. I changed filters again at 350 (0.35K) miles, and the entire filter media was discolored with minimal debris, but more of a brown color. Changed again at 1.3K, and the media look back to normal with about 1/3 of the filter media having what I consider to be a 'normal' used look. I'm going to change this one at 2K and cut it open for inspection.

My advice would be to treat with a biocide, then perform another quick fuel filter change after running a tank or two of fuel through the system.

After this experience and the info from the fuel filter posts, I'm planning on 3-4K fuel filter changes until we have a more efficient system available.

[ 01-20-2003: Message edited by: mdrag ]</p>

[technician]

Mdrag,

I too am planning on 3K changes..

Will go with Killem, try that and follow your lead with checking filters Etc...

Thanks, will update