Going to do my first bit on maintance at the weekend, including replacing the fuel filter. Found a good thread here:
viewtopic.php?f=98&t=35702&start=20

But it didn't really answer the question about 'topping off' the filter prior to installing.... should I use diesel from the gas (sorry FUEL ) can? If not what else do people suggest?

CRD is stock, so no lift pump. Cheers,
Simon.

First on the board!

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Joined the CRD family in July '10. Found a near mint '06 limited, Inferno Red. All stock except lift pump and GDE ECO-Full Torque. Lovin it!

Pre filling fuel filters is typically not good practice as you have a decent amount of fuel that will not be filtered and go straight into the injection pump. It is best to just screw on the new filter, then prime and bleed. The primer works very well and will fill the filter up quickly.

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Providers of wholly developed aftermarket solutions for the KJ CRD.
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I usually just pump away and have found that it usually doesn't take long. I have used one other approach in a pinch to fill the filter. I used my air compressor to send some 20 lb air back into the tank with the cap on (10-20 secs worth of air) and then hooked the line back onto the filter quickly. Open the bleeder and after about 15 secs of air I got fuel.

I was doing this to clear some gelled biodiesel out of the lines when I needed to get the Jeep back running during an extended cold spell. I'm sure it's not the best for the fuel tank, but it did work.

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2006 CRD Limited
SEGR Mod
Saikou Michi Condenser -- Deleted
Samco Hose Kit
Fumoto 102
Etecno1 GX3123 Steel 7V Glow Plugs
GDE FT Eco and Hot Tunes
JBA 4.5 UCAs
OME Lift

I choose "something else"
That would be to cycle the key a couple of times and let my intank fuel pump fill the filter

Prefilling with anything opens the possibility of dirt getting in

Use the manual pump on the fuel head and open the bleeded screw and put a clear plastic line over the bleeded and pump till you get fuel out.

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Atlantic Blue 06 CRD Limited (his)
Joined by a 2000 XJ Classic (hers)

Do yourself a HUGE favor, and while you are doing maintenance, install a Mr. Gasket diesel fuel pump on the outside of the fuel tank to push the fuel to the filter and engine.

The advantages are two-fold: Prime your filter (and remove any possibility of the air-in-fuel problem which WILL get your CRD at some point) simply by turning the key on and waiting a few seconds.

Second: The injection pump will no longer have to struggle to suction the fuel through the filter, robbing you of horsepower. Longer pump life is the benefit here, as well as potentially longer filter life too.

The Mr. Gasket pumps can be sourced from your local parts hut, and are about $60. They are also known by the brand name "Facet" and are a flow-through design, so should the pump fail someday (mine has lasted in excess of 50k miles so far) the vehicle will simply be in "stock" mode again and you aren't stuck somewhere.
Wiring it in is easy, depending on your preferences. The harder (but prettier) is to use the wires that are under the carpet under the back seat. I do not know where beyond that. I did it the quick-and-dirty way by running a single power wire directly to the already-existing relay in the engine power center by the battery. I just tied the wire to the fuel lines to keep it safe. Yea, redneck, but it works.

Or you could wear out your hand pumping that thing every time you get a new filter or an air-in-fuel.

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Over 125 CRDs currently driving with my timing belt, rockers, or ARP Studs.
Bad noises = REALLY bad things.

I tap the key and let the intank pump fill it.....
(Okay before the lift pump - I manually pumped it - didn't take long)

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2005 CRD
stuff
Skeptic quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur

X2 only my pump is external.
I got the dealer to replace the head and filter under warranty never had to hand pump it, I did it enough in my life already.

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2006 Pearl Green CRD
Magnaflow 2 1/2" Cat Back
KJ Extra Leg Room Brackets, Carter Lift Pump, V6 Airbox, ORM
Fuel cooler, Oil Separator, Progard 7
Gauges EGT Boost Trans Temp Oil Pres, Michelin LXT AT2 245 70 R16
7,000# Draw Tight hitch, PML EX Deep Trans Pan
Centrifuge, SunCoast, Transgo, RAM TCM, InMotion Stage 2
Wife's 99 TDI VW Beetle

I would prime the filter before install. Just be careful and pour the diesel into the side holes on the filter or plug the center hole with anything clean. Unless you are using bio-d or 10 year old diesel I find the "danger of unfiltered fuel wrecking your fuel system via filter change" way overblown. I put it in the "Pre-filling your oil filter when changing it" catagory.

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2005 sport crd-SOLD No regrets

X2 of what GreenDieselEngineering says: A 10 micron piece of dirt can destroy an injector. How many had problems we seen here after someone replaced the fuel filter. Sure they did it right as well as they did the timing belt that we see so many failures afterwards.

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2006 Black Jeep Liberty CRD Limited
K&N, Samco Hoses, Michelin 245/70-16 LTX A/T2, Fumoto F-102, V-Force Muffler, Mopar, Hitch, Trailer Wiring, Skid Plates, Slush Mats, Rear Shelf, Predator Stage 1, Transgo, ORM & CodeReader, Facet 40109 Pump
"IT'S A DIESEL THING, YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND"
Certified Services Auto & Truck Repair

Last time I changed the fuel filter I had to do it in the Napa parking lot.

I just drained the fuel out the bottom of the old filter and into the new one.
I would assume that the majority of the fuel coming out of the old filter was in fact filtered.

Either way, the new filter fixed my stalling problem and I got home safe.

BTW, I too have an in-line Facet/Mr Gasket lift pump.
I also use a cheap Fram in-line pre filter in front of the pump.
(which also got changed when I changed the main filter)

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U.S. Army Retired

That's not so good. All the water and sediment collects at the bottom of the filter. There is a screen about 2 inches off the bottom of the filter to trap this stuff. Kind of why they put a drain on it.

As for changing a fuel filter in a parts store parking lot... anything goes in that situation as long as you drive away.

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2005 sport crd-SOLD No regrets

The one Time I did the filter change was not long after buying my CRD and I was a Newbee to diesel power. I poured fuel in to fill the filter. Nothing bad happened to me but in hind sight it was a bad idea and I WILL NOT DO THAT AGIAN WITH FUEL FROM A CAN there is a risk of dirt in the fuel container you use. If you pour it in the center hole of the filter I believe that is the clean side of the filter as in the fuel will not go through the filter media first before going to your expensive ingector pump.

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2006 Liberty CRD Limited Deep Beryl Green Metallic Clear coat, Fumoto valve, MH ProVent (removed), GDE Eco tune,
OME 790/948 springs, OME struts, OME N132L shocks, Jeepin by Al A-arms, Hercules Terra Trac AT2 245/75R16
Weeks Stage 1 EGR delete, 5 volt steel glow plugs

Even if you don't have a lift pump, it's honestly not that hard to prime the filter.... It takes five minutes, tops. It is FAR easier to prime the fuel filter on our CRDs than it was on my old Cummins...

I wouldn't risk filling the filter before you install it. The risk might be small, but it could be very costly and the solution is just too easy.

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2006 Jeep Liberty CRD, Limited
GDE Eco Tune, GDE TCM Tune, Bauer 203* Tstat, Amsoil EaA 201 Filter, Clean MAP, Samco CAC Hoses, Magnaflow Muffler #12226.
New Mopar Fuel Filter, K&N Filterminder, Fumoto Oil Drain Valve
225/75R16 Hankook Dynapros

Performed the oil/air/fuel filter changes this morning and all went well... so far. Jeep started easy and appears to be running well. There was enough clearance underneath to slide in without having to jack or put on ramps.

One thing that did 'get me' was that the old fuel filter was rotated so that the latch for the 'Water in Fuel' sensor was right up against a big cable loom, and though my hand could reach from underneath I couldn't depress the latch.

The solution was to unbolt the filter head from the chassis (leaving the hoses attached), this gave me enough wobble/flex to unlatch and position a filter wrench from above before re-attaching the head. I then loosened the filter from above and remove from underneath (complete with fuel down the arm ).

Ran out of time, so I guess MAP sensor clean and EHM will be next weekend's adventure.
Simon

PS. Went with Rotella 0w40 for outside winter parking reasons.