6.6L Duramax-Lift Pump Suggestions

The truck is in body shop awaiting replacement parts but while it is waiting I bought a new OEM filter. I tried to do it Usual Suspect's way but had a heavy diesel tech monitor me and he didn't have the patience for the baggie which I brought (excellent idea though). I removed the intake elbow and reached down and unscrewed the filter with my bare hands and he installed the new one because I couldn't engage the threads with my big hands. When I unscrewed the bleeder screw there was fuel already coming out so he wouldn't wait for me to go through the motions of using the primer. We tried 3 quick short starts and on the 3rd time it started. Once body panels are on I will do some test drives with scanner attached to check the rail pressure.

rowekmr wrote:
Thanks everyone what I thought was obvious and already done I shouldn't assume. I will start with the fuel filter and go on from there. On Youtube they show removing the inner fenderwell to access the filter is there any other way?

Here is how I change mine.
I grab a 1 gallon zip lock freezer bag from the pantry. Proceed out to truck.
Unplug the water in fuel harness.
Place zip lock bag around the filter and remove.
The bag is strong enough to hold the filter and the fuel and it won't leak every where.
Seal up the zip lock, this keeps everything in the bag and you can maneuver it out and around all the crap.
Once you have it out of the engine compartment remove the water in fuel sensor, clean it up, and install on new filter.
Twist new filter on, hand tighten only, if you over tighten it you will end up cracking the housing it screws onto, and you will suck air in through the crack, and most likely will not see the crack. I have replaced a few on friends trucks.

Metal Bleed screw and a fuel filer access door are what I have on both trucks. on my LBZ I can get the filter out through the top, but it's a royal PITA to get in loosened, and reinstalled, so the access door is my best friend. In fact, I just changed the fuel filter tonight.

Water in Filter sensor wrench too.

01-07 Classic fuel filter door

Bleed Screw

From the top is easiest. One of the AC lines needs to be moved 1/8" to get the filter out, but you can do that by hand pretty easily.

Aftermarket metal bleed screws are available.

You can get it from above but easier through the fender well.
Also the bleeder screws on the filter housing are plastic (at least in the LB7 trucks) and are also known to strip out or leak a little. By 140kmi if it's been maintained properly that bleeder has been opened a bunch of time after filter changes to prime back up. Note you'll have to prime the filter full since no lift pump.
The primers have leaked on these too causing it to suck air but not as prevalent as the bleeder screws.

The newer trucks are nearly impossible to access from the top due to EGR and larger air filter. Easiest way to do it is get an fuel filter access door from Madjack performance. Basically a small cutout in the fender that you don't have to remove the entire fender which can be a PITA.

They also sell a standoff/spacer for the filter housing that moves it out about 1/4" making it 10x easier to get a band wrench in there. Highly recommend both items along with their aluminum bleeder screw replacement.

rowekmr wrote:
Thanks everyone what I thought was obvious and already done I shouldn't assume. I will start with the fuel filter and go on from there. On Youtube they show removing the inner fenderwell to access the filter is there any other way?

Hell yes.
#1 Take the air filter elbow off.
#2 Unplug the water sensor.
#3 Unscrew the filter.

#4 Reverse the order.

Caution: Finger tighten the air bleed screw ONLY. It's made out of PlaySkool plastic and will break with the slightest pressure.

Nope, never did it myself. I just leaned from the people that take the wheel well out when you don't need to and then they break the bleed screw off with a wrench. :B

45Ricochet wrote:

rowekmr wrote:
Thanks everyone what I thought was obvious and already done I shouldn't assume. I will start with the fuel filter and go on from there. On Youtube they show removing the inner fenderwell to access the filter is there any other way?

I believe that is the easiest way to do it from what I've read. Kind of like a cab off for major work :W

Are we talking the basic fuel filter? You can do it from the top. That's how I do mine.
Yes the fender access maybe easier in the end, however it can be accessed from above. I have personally done it several times.
I guess fender access is foolproof coming from the top is OK as long as your hands are small enough and arms are long enough. It's tricky but I imagine some people simply can't reach it all,

rowekmr wrote:
Thanks everyone what I thought was obvious and already done I shouldn't assume. I will start with the fuel filter and go on from there. On Youtube they show removing the inner fenderwell to access the filter is there any other way?

I believe that is the easiest way to do it from what I've read. Kind of like a cab off for major work :W

I did a Fass titanium 90 on my 2012 Chevy and its been working good