Fuel filter change?

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mick

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The manual for my Beta 13.5 says that the engine (fine) fuel filter should be changed every 750 hours. As I do 150 hours a year, shouild I really change it every 5 years? In the past, I have always changed this type of filter every year.
 
I have a glass sediment bowl before the fine filter, it gives a good indication of the need to change, but I don,t let it go more than 2yrs, oil filter every 2nd oil change. Bill.
 
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I have a glass sediment bowl before the fine filter, it gives a good indication of the need to change, but I don,t let it go more than 2yrs, oil filter every 2nd oil change. Bill.

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It has never occurred to me to change the oil without changing the filter. Since the filter is 90% of the hassle it's an excellent compromise. Thanks Bill.
BTW a good tip for changing fuel filters (from this forum I believe) is to fill the new filter cartridges to the brim with diesel before fitting. And pour more diesel into the bleed screw. Saves loads of fiddling with the hand pump.
 
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fill the new filter cartridges to the brim with diesel before fitting

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That works for me for the primary filter, but the secondary filter mounts horizontally on the engine - so not really possible (same as oil filter!)

The primary is a Racor and that actually says to fill it prior to installation - very easy to bleed this way

Jonny
 
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It has never occurred to me to

[/ QUOTE ] I would not dream of <u>not</u> changing an engine oil filter at the same time as the oil!

Filling the diesel filter first may save a bit of bleeding but depending on the fuel system design some bleeding is still likely to be necessary and preferable I would have thought to cleaning up what you spill trying to fit "brim full" filters or pouring more diesel into the bled screw.
"pouring diesel into the bleed screw" ....... ????? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif . /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif... /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif . /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
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fill the new filter cartridges to the brim with diesel before fitting

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Thats fine - but you must filter the diesel first otherwise foul diesel will fill up the filtered side of the filter.
 
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fill the new filter cartridges to the brim with diesel before fitting

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Thats fine - but you must filter the diesel first otherwise foul diesel will fill up the filtered side of the filter.

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Why not just turn the engine over a few times with the kill handle thingy pulled out - I tried it this year and cut a good ten or so minutes off the fiddly pumping with the primer, not to mention the grazes and blisters!

Mark
 
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Why not just turn the engine over a few times with the kill handle thingy pulled out - I tried it this year and cut a good ten or so minutes off the fiddly pumping with the primer, not to mention the grazes and blisters!
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If you do that turn off the cooling water inlet first but remember to back on again once the engine starts.
 
It really depends on what you have upstream of it. If you have an efficient 5 micron filter (say CAV type) then the only particles you should see at the final filter are between 2 and 5 microns. Frankly there are not too many of those usually in diesel and the final 2 micron filter you are talking about will have a fairly long life. If the upstream is say 10 micron (racor etc) then arguably it won't last as long. It also makes a difference if the 750 hours are over one season or several. Cold weather and stagnant fuel can cause other problems.
Frankly changing it every year regardless of if you need to or not is not necessary, but no one could argue that it's bad practice.
One thing I like to do, is run the engine to get any sludge in the lines clear at the beginning of the season and then change filters. A lot of the crap that clogs filters comes through in the first couple of hours running after winter, so don't be in a hurry!
 
do what i did, go to a scrappy, find a peugeot 404 or similar, they have squeezy bulb fuel primer, the hose size was the same size as the one on my VP2030, fit it in front of the fuel filter andd hey presto, squeeze and bleed. no fannying around getting the engine in the position to push the stupid vp pump lever. you can also buy an outboard bulb to do the same thing if you dont like crawling around scrappies
Stu
 
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fill the new filter cartridges to the brim with diesel before fitting

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Thats fine - but you must filter the diesel first otherwise foul diesel will fill up the filtered side of the filter.

[/ QUOTE ]Would suggest a vacuum oil extractor for bleeding if gravity won't do the job. Lidl are doing one 3rd March. I wouldn't consider filling the filter up first.
 
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It has never occurred to me to


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"I would not dream of not changing an engine oil filter at the same time as the oil!"

A surfeit of negatives and too much dreaming, but aren't you advocating the same thing?
 
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A surfeit of negatives and too much dreaming

[/ QUOTE ] I prefer to dream about things other than oil fiters.
If I change engine oil when I am awake I always change the filter.
 
Would suggest a vacuum oil extractor for bleeding if gravity won't do the job. Lidl are doing one 3rd March. I wouldn't consider filling the filter up first.
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Spot on. Thats exactly what I do. In fact I have made an adaptor for the filter bleed screw hole. Just plug it in and a few pumps will fill the filter and get the air out of the line. Then the same on the filter on the engine itself and it starts first time without too much cranking.
 
[/ QUOTE ]Would suggest a vacuum oil extractor for bleeding if gravity won't do the job. Lidl are doing one 3rd March. I wouldn't consider filling the filter up first.

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This is a great forum - there's always someone here with yet another great idea.
 
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