How do I drain water out of filter?

buells1 · **Posted:** Sun Mar 12, 2006 3:43 pm

How do I drain water out of the fuel filter? Do I turn the 'thingy' on the bottom? Thanks for any help.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:03 pm

buells1 wrote:

How do I drain water out of the fuel filter? Do I turn the 'thingy' on the bottom? Thanks for any help.

In all the years I have been driving diesel cars, I have never drained any water from the fuel. You have a water detector, so I would not worry about the water. I would worry more about finding good quality fuel station that is not dumping waste oil into thier tanks. We have more of a problem from actual dirt and trash in the fuel more then water.

To answer your question, it tells you how to change the fuel filter in the OM if I remember correctly. Yes there is a little wheel like thing on the bottom of the fuel filter that you turn and it drains the fuel filter and any water settled in bottom, just be careful as the thing is plastic and breaks easy. Just don't do it in the garage or you will have diesel all over the floor.

red05crd · **Posted:** Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:22 am

My dealership recommended changing the water/fuel filter every 10,000 miles. That's cheap security. Water is very hard on a deisel.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:47 am

red05crd wrote:

My dealership recommended changing the water/fuel filter every 10,000 miles. That's cheap security. Water is very hard on a deisel.

Replacing the filter every 10,000 instead of the 25,000 miles under most conditions would be just a waste of time and money. I have run a lot of miles on diesels and never changed them that often, even when running 2 micron absulote filters on my VW's. It's rare to have water problems on diesel bought at a well run station or truck center. Why the Dodge dealership see's so many water clogged filters is the use of farm storage tanks and the ever present fuel tank in the truck bed. These tanks are not properly fitted with mostiure seperating vents and often sit for long periods drawing mosture from the air into the fuel. That is the reason so many of the diesel PU trucks have water problems, it is not from the local stations. Just look at the UPS & FedX trucks running fuel filters in both the Freightliners & MB Sprinter for 30,000 to 40,000 miles before ever changing them even though mfg says 20,000 miles.

Now if it just makes you feel better to change the filter in less then half it's normal life and you can afford the expence then go ahead. It would be like using the synthetic oil in the CRD and then changing it every 3,000 miles because that is what you have always done in the past and it makes you feel good to do it that often. It's a waste of time, money and resourses, but it is your truck and you can do what ever you want with it. I am not trying to give you a hard time or anyone doing those 3000 mile oil changes a hard time, I am just pointing out the lack of what I consider proper logic and use of resourses.

PS: I plan on doing my fuel filter replacement at 20,000 miles, just to have every thing in even numbers. That way when I see the odometer approching 20,000 I know it needs an oil & filter change, air filter, and fuel filter. The oil changes and & air filter will be due about the same time and at every 20k mile mark the fuel filter will also be due.

wenied · **Joined:** Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:01 pm **Posts:** 107

On my GMC I waited until it hit 100,000 miles before i changed the differential lube and tranny fluid and this was on regular dinosaur sauce. The truck was 11 years old at the time. The diff lube looked fine and the tranny fluid was brown. With this said, I've always changed the engine's oil at 2000 miles.

I guess my point is, that these things last longer than the suggested intervals, and often there is no logic in my methods.

With this said, I'm following the recommended service intervals on my 2005 Wrangler and my 2006 CRD.

Oddly enough my wrangler's manual says that the manual tranny lube never needs to be changed as it is good for the life of the vehicle!!!!

Back to the topic---I usually change fuel filters when the engine starts to starve for fuel.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:23 pm

Just talked to the regular FedX driver and ask him why he wasn't in his MB (Dodge Sprinter) that he usually drives, he said fuel filter stopped up. I ask him how often they change them? His comment was nothing gets fixed till it breaks, he had almost 70,000 miles and the fuel filter had never been replaced.

I was looking at one last month that had never had the fuel filter replaced and the van had 72,000 miles at engine faliure, due to local Wal-Mart using improper oil at oil changes. I'm waiting to see how this works out as it's a standard passanger van, not a commercial vehicle, and the owner has refused to pay for repairs. They have a new long block, with IP and turbo waiting to go into the van.

Bonehead · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:36 am

I changed mine at 20,000 but I am going to change it at 15,000 next time, just seemed 20K was too far by the way it ran after I changed it.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:15 am

Bonehead wrote:

I changed mine at 20,000 but I am going to change it at 15,000 next time, just seemed 20K was too far by the way it ran after I changed it.

Yep if you pay attention you should be able to tell if the filter needs changing. That's the way I used to change mine, unless I had a lot of miles on the filter and was about to go on an extended road trip.

Remember how often you change the filter is really determined by the quality of fuel you buy, the 25,000 miles is just a estimate by the mfg and should be adjusted accordingly. The fuel I buy may allow for 30,000 mile filter changes, while the fuel you buy is requiring a filter change at 15,000 or 20,000 miles or just the obsite could be true. I could be needing filter changes more often.

All that said however if you are buying fuel that requires a filter change at 15,000 miles then you might want to filnd a sourse of cleaner fuel if possible. I try to not buy fuel anyplace that does not have a final fuel filter on the pump hose when traveling. Hey there have been more then one ocassion where I have pulled into a station and left without filling because they didn't have filters at the pump or had under ground tanks. I don't buy fuel at places with underground tank unless it is a have to thing, even then I don't buy more then enough to be able to find another station on down the road.

How well your CRD runs is all about the quality of fuel you put in the tank.

LibertyCRD · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:47 am

Is a Jeep dealership the only place to purchase these filters??

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:03 am

LibertyCRD wrote:

Is a Jeep dealership the only place to purchase these filters??

Good question, most likely as new as the engine is to the US.

Just remember that if you do find an aftermarket filter, it may not filter to as small of particals as the OEM filter. I would only buy an aftermarket filter if it gave the filter spec's so as to compare it to OEM and if it was the same or better. You could easy jump from say the 3 micron filter of OEM (I have just read that here and have no proof of what micron level the filter is) to say a 20 or 30 micron filter from an aftermarket filter.

red05crd · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:13 am

I talked to my friend mechanic at the jeep dealership last night. Old navy is correct about changing the filter early you really shouldn't have to until the regular interval, but he said because of how cold it is here in montana during the winter I guess there is a lot of condensation in the service stations fuel tanks. The dodge, jeep dealership near here has had to replace fuel filters on a lot of poor running vehicles before their scheduled change due to our service stations fuel.

I'm looking forward to trying out biodeisel as soon as it warms up a little more. (we just got a station here where I live)

wenied · **Joined:** Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:01 pm **Posts:** 107

OldNAvy,

Never in my life have I seen an above ground fuel tank at a station. Every station where i live as well as every station i've ever seen when traveling has underground tanks.

Where do you find these above ground ones?

I know i've never seen an above ground one in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, alabama, arkansas, florida, georgia..etc.

LibertyCRD · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:38 am

i just saw a dealership employee filing up a truck from an above ground tank yesterday.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:52 am

The new fed EPA reg's are so tough on underground tanks, that most stations are using above ground tanks where they can. One thing that often stops above ground tank useage is local laws preventing the above ground tanks because they are like billboards and not allowed in some areas because of their looks, also the station may need the space that above ground tanks would take up for parking. I know I have seen truck centers do that just to be able to have room to park lots of big rigs for extended periods such as over night stays because they did not get a large enough piece of land for what ever reason, usually dollars. I know I have seen them in Arkansas, and every place I have bought diesel in Mississippi had an above ground tank. Now that said, I have on many ocassions bought diesel when no above ground tanks are around. I just try not to when traveling, sometime you can't and you really take a chance.

There were a couple of new stations built here local in last 5 years and all but one had above ground tanks. The one with below ground tank was built in area near new home subdivisions with restrictions against billlboards and these type of fuel storage tanks just for looks. The station almost didn't get put in on account of the extra trouble of underground tanks by EPA. Just last summer they had to dig up and replace a tank do to an inspection for leaks that are done on regular bassis by both state & fed inspectors. I never did ask what caused the leak so soon (about 3 years) after installing the tank, my guess is either rock puncture or crossion from outside water source like a spring.

wenied · **Joined:** Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:01 pm **Posts:** 107

About 3 years ago all of the stations in this area had their below ground tanks dug up and replaced with new below ground tanks...something to do with new regulations on types of tanks used.

I'm going to pay more attention next time i travel but I've still never seen an above ground tank.

:lol:

retmil46 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:30 am

I added an aftermarket filter ahead of the OEM filter on mine. Permacool Fuel Filter/Water Separator kit, $50 from JC Whitney. 2 micron rating, drain valve on cartridge, replacement filters $18. Had to mount it sideways, tystrapped to the battery, due to the lack of space.

OEM filter is $38 at the dealer and a PITA to change and drain. Permacool filter element is $18 and I can change/drain it in about 5 minutes. That's why I installed a 2 micron ahead of the OEM 3 micron - I want the one easiest to change and also cheapest to clog up first!

Okay, maybe I am a little paranoid after getting 2 clogged filters inside of 7500 miles. :roll:

But last week I noticed that the beast seemed to be sluggish and tried to do a gentle version of the stutter step routine, and actually heard it skip a couple times :shock:

. I agitated and drained down the Permacool filter, got visible chunkies out of it. When I drove it into work, it was back to it's old self.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:39 am

Now that you know about the above ground tanks and really look you will see them, you will start seeing and remembering them.

I would think back east with a denser population you would see very few of the above ground tanks, because who would want to see the ugly things in a nice area of the town. I have a station about 8 blocks from me with the above ground tanks and they sure are an eye sore, but so much cheaper to maintain for the station ower. They originally had underground tanks and had to close the station about 8 years ago and dig old leaking tanks up, that was when they put in above ground tanks. There wasn't any zoning restriction in that area against the tanks and it really created a lot discussion (cussing more like it) by people living near the store and those people tried to stop the new above ground tanks but didn't get the job done. Just last summer they had a leak in one of the underground pipes and had to dig up half their driveway, while shutting down all the pumps for about a week for repairs. They store now has a new owner and isn't a indy station anymore, now it is a Citgo station.

Mitch I think you need to find a cleaner source of fuel. You should not be having this much of a problem requiring the fuel filter to be changed so often.

I cut open a Cat 2 micron filter at 15,000 miles and it was less then a 1/3 used up, and that says a lot about the quality of the fuel I buy. I think I still have a picture, if so I'll post it here or on by website and let you know.

LibertyCRD · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:32 pm

Yeah after I just found out the OEM filter is $36.85 I will be draining mine and not replacing it for a while. Geez... :roll:

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:41 pm

LibertyCRD wrote:

Yeah after I just found out the OEM filter is $36.85 I will be draining mine and not replacing it for a while. Geez... :roll:

Drain it into a glass and see if there are any little pearls rolling around in the bottom. A couple of shinny BB looking things is nothing to worry about, it just from condensation, but if you have somethig the size of a small marble or larger you have the start of a water problem. It could be you are in an area and don't drive enough to prevent mosture build up in your fuel. If more then that it is from your fuel supplier or you have maybe left a fuel cap off or filled up while raining and some got in the tank that way.

LibertyCRD · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:08 pm

Does anybody still have the link for the instructions on how to drain the filter? I searched and can't find it now. Somebody posted step by step directions from the shop manual on here once...

How do I drain water out of filter?

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