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  #16  
Old 07-04-2006, 02:51 AM
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The Don,

And what does changing fuel filters that are not plugged prevent?

I got a 300SD 8 years amd 72,000 miles ago and haven't replaced the primary fuel filter. The only reason I replaced the secondary filter was that it got a leak in the side of the can.

I recently had to junk it bacause of rust but the engine might be going into another 300SD. Am I going to replace the fuel fliters? Fat chance.

P E H

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  #17  
Old 07-04-2006, 03:13 AM
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Craig,

When I notice a loss of power, I always give the primary fuel filter a quick test before I replace it: I blow into it and if fuel squirts out its good and ready the be reinstalled. OK, Diesel fuel doesn't taste good, but its better than gasoline, no burning sensation. LOL

Now its time to R&R the secondary filter. And if that doesn't fix the problem, its time to check the fuel tank screen.

The above has worked every time for me. Reason it happened at all was somewhere because I got fuel contaminated with fungus. Biobor fixed that but some of the dead fungus is still in the fuel system and once in a while it plugs one of the filters, but never more than one at a time.

P E H
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  #18  
Old 07-04-2006, 11:31 AM
Craig
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P.E.Haiges
Craig,

When I notice a loss of power, I always give the primary fuel filter a quick test before I replace it: I blow into it and if fuel squirts out its good and ready the be reinstalled. OK, Diesel fuel doesn't taste good, but its better than gasoline, no burning sensation. LOL

Now its time to R&R the secondary filter. And if that doesn't fix the problem, its time to check the fuel tank screen.

The above has worked every time for me. Reason it happened at all was somewhere because I got fuel contaminated with fungus. Biobor fixed that but some of the dead fungus is still in the fuel system and once in a while it plugs one of the filters, but never more than one at a time.

P E H
I agree, I do the same thing, but on a new car I would initially change all the filters as PM. It's more difficult to detect a loss of power on a car you don't know. As I said, when I first got my car, I had a lose of power that I didn't even know about until I changed the filters. I have had to change my filters several times on the road over the last 175K miles, I assume I've gotten some some contaminated fuel someplace.

Now, I do the same as you on my cars. I don't change the filters unless I detect a power loss. I always carry spares, and I usually change them both, just because it's easier to do them both at once. However, if I bought a new car, I would change the filters just to get a good baseline for that car.
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  #19  
Old 07-04-2006, 12:00 PM
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Craig,

Even with new fuel filters, if U get contaminated fuel on the road, the filters will plug and stop the engine from running. I plugged 3 filters in a few hundred miles after getting bad fuel in CO one time. It might have been fungus in the fuel because sometime after that I found I had fungus in my fuel system.

But changing both filters because one plugged is like replacing 4 tires because one went flat. There is no relationship between one filter plugging and the other plugging. If U get clean, fungus free fuel, the fuel filters will never need replacing.

P E H
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  #20  
Old 07-04-2006, 12:08 PM
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winmutt,

You would have to prove it to me that an oil change could improve the performance of an engine unless the engine had 90 weight or heavier gear oil in it.

P E H
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  #21  
Old 07-04-2006, 12:16 PM
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I had my 606 head off and ****off valves and all the hoses and it did take me a while to get it going. It was in winter so I opened the door and let it chill out, cranked it manually and then shut it off after 30 seconds. Trick is to make sure the battery is good and ahve another one standing by. So, got it running that way.
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  #22  
Old 07-04-2006, 12:36 PM
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Hmmm

Quote:
Originally Posted by P.E.Haiges
winmutt,

You would have to prove it to me that an oil change could improve the performance of an engine unless the engine had 90 weight or heavier gear oil in it.

P E H
Come up to Detroit, we will arrange for you to visit an OEM engine dynamometer laboratory.
Hundreds of millions of hours in testing has proved conclusively that old, filthy, worn out oil does directly impact engine emissions and performance.

Please relax, they are not hurting you.
None of us will sneak into your garage and change your oil.
Not everyone chooses to pay for oil analysis to see when it wears out.
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  #23  
Old 07-04-2006, 12:55 PM
Craig
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P.E.Haiges
Even with new fuel filters, if U get contaminated fuel on the road, the filters will plug and stop the engine from running. I plugged 3 filters in a few hundred miles after getting bad fuel in CO one time. It might have been fungus in the fuel because sometime after that I found I had fungus in my fuel system.
That sure sounds like fungus. I have had a couple instances where I've lost power, change the filters, then was good for the next 50K miles. I don't know what happened, maybe there was just plain old dirt in the fuel? All you can do is change the filters and keep going, anyway. I carry one set of spares and replace them right away if I use them. Maybe I should carry more, but I've never had a problem. I normally buy fuel at busy places along the interstates and fuel never sits in my tank very long, so I've probably avoided fungus problems and I've never had to touch my tank stainer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by P.E.Haiges
But changing both filters because one plugged is like replacing 4 tires because one went flat. There is no relationship between one filter plugging and the other plugging. If U get clean, fungus free fuel, the fuel filters will never need replacing.
Partially true, but you have to remember that the first filter is about 10 microns and the second is 5 microns. If you have enough >10 micron stuff to clog the first filter, you probably have collected lots of <10/>5 micron stuff in the second filter. I suppose you can change the first filter and wait for the second filter to become clogged, then change it later (but why bother). Out on the side of the road I'm not interested in troubleshooting filters to save $10. If I'm going to get my hands dirty, I'm going to replace them both.

I'm sure that "If U get clean, fungus free fuel, the fuel filters will never need replacing," but here in the real world filters do get clogged and need to be replaced. Even "clean" fuel is going to have some contaminates larger than 5-10 microns that will end up in your filters. It may take a while, but that stuff will collect in your filters eventually. I've probably replaced mine about 3 times in 175K miles, and the new ones have always lasted a long time. If I can get away with one set of filters every 50-60K miles, I'm a happy guy.

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