Common Diesel Fuel Filter Mistakes

Do you know how to change your fuel filters? Two of them? On your power stroke? If you don't, I'm here to show you how to do it and what not to do.

First thing you want to do is raise your vehicle and support it, definitely support it. A lot of vehicle here. So, the filter one, the one that has the paper filter in it, the cartridge is right here, next to the fuel tank. We have an electrical wire, we have five bolts holding this cartridge in, and it is an 8-millimeter socket. So, here's the drain, and what you want to do is you make sure you drain this fully before you take this cartridge out. So, we're going to turn it, we got a catch pan. Let's drain. This is where the water is going to be sitting, right in there. Look at that water. That's not diesel fuel, that is pure water.

And what you don't want to do is you don't want to wait on this, these fuel filters should be done with every two to three oil changes. So that's like every 25, 30,000 miles, you want to change these fuel filters. It's just the best maintenance for your vehicle because these pumps will work extra high with diesel fuel and so will the injectors, and you'll burn them out with water.

So now we're in the engine compartment. This is where this filter is located. Driver's seat, straight-ahead, can't miss it. Three hoses, we have a blue connector, orange, and a red connector. Now, definitely want to put a rag of some sort, I put an absorbent pad underneath here because this is loaded with diesel fuel. So when we disconnect these lines, you don't want to get that soaking all over the engine.

So just put a rag or a towel, something you have, and put it right underneath there. And these clips, you don't need a tool for, you use these things, these tools. Now, what people do wrong is they use a tool and these clips are delicate. You break them, it's not going to lock in, then you're going to have a mess on your hands. Not just that, it's not going to run right. There should be no pressure. Take that out, move your way down. Same with the blue, two tabs, and you just push it out. Bring that tab out. Just wave it off.

Now, to get this filter out, it's really easy. Just turn it counterclockwise. Don't use a pry bar, don't go in here with a hammer, not that big of a deal, making more out of what it is. There you go. Now, be careful because diesel fuel will drip out. So here is the new one. We're going to put it in. And what I smell is diesel fuel, which makes me think of my home furnace because that's exactly what it smells like because it kind of this same oil. Same fuel, shall I say? So, get this beautiful little baby, there's the notch down below, make sure you don't break that off because that's what's going to lock it into the housing down there.

So, if you're wondering or a little bit worried about whether you can mess up these hoses and connect them to the wrong one, it's impossible. They're all different sizes. And you know what? Do like I do. I use a camera. That way I know what the shot is, which color goes where, and I won't mess it up.

So now, we have the vehicle raised back up again. And we're going to change the filter down here. Drained quite a bit. So, you want to make sure that's draining and all drained out because if not, you're going to be taking a shower. So, what a lot of people do wrong when they get to this point is they don't disconnect this little harness and they just undo the bolts and let it hang down, and they try to struggle and work underneath here and do the filter and all that. Disconnect the connector. It's not that big of a deal. You don't want to damage these wires by bending them at a 90-degree angle.

So now, we have our filter with the cartridge out on the floor. I got a little catch pan here because boy, is this tray filled with gunk? Look at this. Look at the filter. Look how dark it is below here. Granted fuel will do that but I don't think this person has done a filter yet this has got 60,000 miles on it. This should have been done at least twice by now.

So, we're just going to [inaudible 00:04:11] them by little clips. Just going to give it a good tug, lift it up, get it out of the way. Now we can really look at that catch pan. Look at that. Look at all that junk. Watch it pour oil. Oil and water mix, severe. Look at all the dirt. We got to get this clean before we install it.

So, here is the housing for that filter. And what a lot of people don't do is it comes with this new gasket. I strongly recommend changing. Just take a small screwdriver, pull that out because that is worn down at all, boy, you're going to have a diesel mess. There's no top or bottom to it, just pulls right out. And now with it out, you can really clean this all out. Get that all taken care of.

So, don't clean this with anything other than clean diesel fuel. If you have some clean diesel fuel lying around, put it in a bucket, and you can brush it out if you want, and then wipe it dry. I don't have diesel fuel hanging around, so I'm just going to use a nice clean cloth, and I'm just going to wipe this out. If I use any chemical like brake clean or even water to separate it. Why would I want water with my diesel fuel? I'm trying to get rid of it. Secondly, gasoline and diesel do not mix. Any residue left behind, it's not going to be pretty for you.

So now, the filter's installed in the housing, ready to install it. I'm going to use a ratchet, an extension when I tighten these up. I'm not going to use my electric gun because this is really fragile. It's made of plastic. So, just bring it right under there, line it up. I'll start a couple of them by hand, then I can get my ratchet, an extension.

Last thing we want to do while we're down here, by the fuel tank, let's pay attention to the water drain. Make sure that is snug and locked in. So that's counterclockwise and locked in. A lot of mistakes people make is they think they shut it, it could be opened as an eighth of a turn. When you turn this key on, to bleed the system and get the air out, boy does it make a mess.

So here we come to the last step on this job, which is just as important as the beginning. We have to bleed the system. We have to get the air out because if there's air trapped in the system, it damages the pump, and it damages the injectors. Not a cool thing. So, do not, and I repeat, do not start this right away. You want to cycle that pump.

So if you have a push-button, just click it twice without your foot on the brake pedal to have the ignition come on. And you'll hear the air bubbles actually gurgle through that filter down there. And you can hear the pump and you're going to do that three to four or five times. Whatever makes you feel comfortable. Minimal of three until you don't hear it gurgling anymore down there. You have a key, we're just going to turn in the opposition, let it run for like five minutes, shut it off and do the same thing. [inaudible 00:07:08]

And we're just going to try to keep in the opposition and let that pump circulate. Hear that? That's the pump working air out. And you want to do that minimal of three, up to four, five, or six times. Now let's check for leaks up the top engine filter and we'll check down on the floor also.

All looks good here, no leaks. I'm going to grab my hoses anyways, just double-check, which I already did before I started it, but now it's under pressure.

Now, this is going to be number seven times. Seven times turning that key on. You can hear there's still some air in that pump, but it's not as loud and you'll actually hear the pump shut off. So I know, just like lit again. There's the pump. Just shut off. So now I can cycle the key one more time or several more times.

So, that is it. Concludes our diesel fuel filter change. Hope you liked this video because I enjoyed making it for you. If you're not a subscriber, please subscribe, and don't forget to ring that bell because then it turns on all your notifications. You won't miss any future videos.