Fuel Filters on ford F250 Diesel - Montana Owners Club

sailer · 07-08-2007, 05:07 PM

The factory sugests changing the fuel filters at 15000 miles and at the same interval after that but my good buddy in the lumber bus has never changed a fuel filter on a ford yet and he runs 6 diesels on the rd with a averg 30000 miles per year each so what is your take .. i am thinking of 30000 miles or 45000 miles is soon enough unless you are doging it john

dieselguy · 07-08-2007, 05:17 PM

I would call your good buddy ... well I'd call him "Mr. Lucky". I change mine once a season no matter how few miles I drive ... cheap insurance. I split a case with three of my friends ... drives the price down per filter. It does make a difference where you buy your fuel, but you can't always choose the high volume stations ... and there's no guarantee with them. JMHO

sailer · 07-08-2007, 05:27 PM

But diesel guy how much do the 2 or 3 filters cost each time and how many miles per yr do you run ,, i run 20000 miles per yr and more in the past and about 2/3 is pulling a trailer of some kind or the monty john

clutch · 07-08-2007, 06:56 PM

I change the fuel filter on my Dodge every 10k to 15k miles.

Every time a new looking filter was removed and a new one put in. Then last winter in Az when I had the truck serviced and had the filter changed it was totally black.

It just depends on where you get your fuel. The way I see it is that it is cheaper than a pump going bad.

Delaine and Lindy · 07-09-2007, 01:34 AM

I don't think a person should go by what the factory recomends. Their recomendation is based on all fuel used is clean. You will at sometime get some bad fuel. I change filter's at the least once a year and always carry a new fuel filter. I also try to buy fuel at place's that move a lot of fuel, such as Flying J or large truck stops. When you do get bad fuel you will notice a decline in performance. GBY........

dieselguy · 07-09-2007, 05:32 AM

John: My 7.3 has but one fuel filter ... I get the Motorcraft filter for $15 - $18 each ... the 6.0 Motorcraft filter kit (2 filters) 4D4604 can be had about any day on EBay for $50 including shipping. It's only a 20 minute job and after spending $20 - $40K on the truck, changing it once a season is just a step for a stepper. Some years I only put 10K on my truck as I use it mainly for towing the fiver. As others have stated ... I also carry a spare filter in the tool box along with a filter wrench. Sitting along the roadside because you don't have a spare gets expensive. I realize you can carry preventive maintenance too far, but what's $50 a year ... one less trip to the Texas Roadhouse for a steak dinner?

Ozz · 07-09-2007, 09:37 AM

Hey guys, don't you have two on the Ford's, I think mine has a high pressure and a low pressure filter. I had my oil change guys order them, didn't have 'em in stock. (I may be wrong, don't know.)

noneck · 07-09-2007, 04:44 PM

Ozz, correct the 6.0 has 2 fuel filters one up top by Oil filter and one down under the driver side inside frame rail. I don't know about the 7.3....
Mine had a problem from one of those "bad" diesel fuel places...had to nurse it to a Hess Station to get it to run without stalling out at idle when it got near empty. Filled it up and I'm trying to be picky about where I fill up...as that incident had me changing both filters and dumping alittle extra to make sure nothing was in there...never did see any evidence of the problem but has purred like a noisy kitten ever since.

HamRad · 07-10-2007, 07:05 AM

I hope my 7.3 has only one fuel filter. That is all I've been changing. I do try to stick closely to the recommended mileage for changing.

I fuel up ONLY at high volume fueling stations. So far so good.

HamRad

sreigle · 07-10-2007, 08:55 AM

Whoa, I agree with those saying he's been extremely lucky. If that filter clogs and stops sending fuel to the fuel pump while at speed he's gonna be buying a new fuel pump.

Ozz · 07-10-2007, 11:37 AM

I just came from having $100.00 or so worth of fuel filters installed....it's worth $50.00 to not smell like diesel fuel.

dieselguy · 07-10-2007, 12:35 PM

Ozz ... Ozz ... Ozz ... it saddens me to have to take the plus off and believe you're just an A person. Some of us live for the smell of diesel ....... arggghhhh!!

HamRad ... 7.3's have only one filter, top front of engine.

Ozz · 07-10-2007, 12:50 PM

That is too funny!!
I am a bit prissy about stuff like that. I carry a big clean towel, I put it down to kneel and sit on, whenever I work on equipment, carry white rags, (wash them with a fabric softener chaser) don't like to get my hands dirty. Yea, might get me kicked out of the boys club...Hey, we can still talk shop......

HamRad · 07-10-2007, 01:45 PM

Dieselguy,
Thanks. I was pretty sure about the number of filters but good to know for sure.

HamRad

Frankenstien · 07-10-2007, 03:33 PM

Ham Rad.... If you have had the truck since new... then yes 1..... however..... if ya got it used .... check the Frame rail before the pump.... some of us have done a "Prepump Filter Mod"... This mod eliminated the Quick disconnect and placed an in line filter. This q/d has been known to allow air into the system and will cause your engine to run a bit louder than need to be. I have one of these filters.

ols1932 · 07-10-2007, 05:11 PM

I carry a spare filter with me at all times. When I change filters, I immediately stop at the next NAPA store and buy another one. The last one ran me $25. I usually change about every 20K. When I lived in Iowa before we went full time, I changed the filter every Fall, just before the temperature dropped to freezing.

Orv

Dave Nowlin · 07-10-2007, 07:34 PM

Some folks have a lot more money to waste than I do. I can really buy a lot of soap for $50 and the filter change isn't really that hard a job. I can completely change both fuel filters and my oil in 45 minutes or less. I use the Fumoto valve on my oil drain pan and the replacement knurled drain plug for the water seperator housing. I have the satisfaction of saving some money and knowing it is done right. In most shops the oil and fuel filter change folks are far from the best mechanics they have. They usually aren't too well compensated. Poorly paid people sometimes don't take much pride in their work. An improperly installed drain plug can be very costly and inconvenient.
Dave Nowlin

Ozz · 07-11-2007, 01:22 AM

Dave, how many miles do you have on your Ford? Any problems with it? And, what do you think of the new engine on the '08?
Those King Ranch trucks are sweet, if I didn't spend so much on oil changes, I could afford one.
Ozz

GregN · 07-11-2007, 05:07 AM

I change my fuel filter every other oil change. Change oil every 3000 miles. Maybe alittle costly, but I am going for longivity on the engine. Even with the frequent filter change, the fuel filter is dirty. Just turned 177,000 miles and still running strong.

noneck · 07-11-2007, 03:27 PM

Hold on a second there Ozz. Those pictures I saw of your oil burner skills suggests that you might be working with #2 Fuel??? I think that stuff feels like, smells like, and just isn't as pink lookin?

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