Fuel Filter Change Interval

[bluwtr49]

What is the recommended change interval for the fuel filters on a Cat?

[bluwtr49]

Ivylog wrote:
I get about 25K miles out of mine and only change both when I start to loose power going up a long climb. Not sure I'd do this with a CAT that can be hard to restart if you do not have a hand pump to get all the air out. With a Cummins you put the filters on dry and cycle the key (30 seconds on) several time and the electric pump gets all the air out before you try and start.

With the Cat (at least my setup) there is a hand pump on the engine and the Racor primary filter has electric air and water purge buttons.

I like the vacuum gauge idea also and may have one installed when I change the filters. Sort of like the filter minder on the air filter.

[Ivylog]

I get about 25K miles out of mine and only change both when I start to loose power going up a long climb. Not sure I'd do this with a CAT that can be hard to restart if you do not have a hand pump to get all the air out. With a Cummins you put the filters on dry and cycle the key (30 seconds on) several time and the electric pump gets all the air out before you try and start.

[Airstreamer67]

A fuel filter will clog in proportion to how many miles it's been used (ie, number of gallons which have flowed through it) and the quality of fuel.

I have a fuel restriction (vacuum-reading) gauge which shows me when the primary fuel filter / water separator needs changing. In my case, it's about at six inches of mercury. Most of the time, I get tired of waiting for it to reach that limit, so change it every two or three years, which is maybe at 15000 miles or so. When I change the primary, I also change the secondary filter.

If I were to get a bad load of fuel (haven't yet), my fuel restriction gauge might reach its limit in 100 miles. I would change it then.

So, like some underwear, Depends.

[bluwtr49]

koda55 wrote:
When I was an OTR driver I changed my fuel filter every 15,000 miles. Company poicy

That seems more reasonable than an arbitrary yearly change regardless of mileage. However, I'm sure there is some technical reason behind a yearly change, just would like to know what it is. Oil, I can kind of see but not even sure about that.

[koda55]

When I was an OTR driver I changed my fuel filter every 15,000 miles. Company poicy

[Pogoil]

Fuel filters are cheap and easy to change. Change them often and avoid other repairs.

Pogoil.

[bluwtr49]

I'm curious as to why the MH fuel filters need to be changed so much more often that that of a diesel car. I changed the one on my Liberty at 5 years and 50,000 miles just cause it seemed like time.

On the MH, I run about 4-6,000 miles per year and I can't see OTR trucks with the same engine as my MH changing fuel filters ever 6,000 miles.

I guess that's why I never considered a yearly change. Right now I'm at 16,000 miles and 4 years with them scheduled to be changed when I hit Bend.

[hipower]

Change mine every oil change and carry a complete set of spares (oil, fuel and water) in case of issues on the road. I can buy them a lot less expensively at home than I ever could when traveling and I know they are the correct ones. Just gives me peace of mind to know that I can spend ten minutes changing a fuel filter when needed vs a service call somewhere.

[UsualSuspect]

I change mine every year when I change the oil and filter. I would rather change mine once a year when it is convenient for me, instead of at the side of the road.

[Acampingwewillg]

I do all the filters (air, oil, 2 fuel) everytime I change the oil which is about once a year. The same goes for the Generator too. Im doing the differential next week and Im actually changing out the hydraulic fluid and filter.....the guy at the parts store said he never sells any of the reservoir filters cause hardly anyone does this change although I know Brett has (Wolfe10)...Ive seem it on different WEB sites. I know, Im rambling on...sorry :B

[Blaster_Man]

I change oil/filter every year, fuel filters every other year.

[wolfe10]

Basic recommendation is every oil change interval OR if you see issues in the primary filter (water, dirt, algae, etc) before that.

This is for the two filter systems. For those with only a single 2 micron filter, it WILL clog up a lot quicker than those with a 10/30 micron primary and 2 micron secondary filter.