Why does my truck...

HASTINGSRJ

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May 6, 2008
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Franklin MA
Why does my truck go through fuel filters so quick? Last week it died on me again, this is the 2nd time it happened, in less than 2 months. I did notice it started to run a bit rough a couple days before it died. I replaced the fuel filter again, and it runs fine, what gives? Oh and any tips for keeping the system primed while changing the filters? We had to actually remove the fuel line and suck the fuel to the filter, seems my primer sucks. I sit there for an hour pushing the primer and nothng happens. I do put some ATF in the new filter when I replace them. Do I need a lift pump? new CP3?
 

Kat

Wicked Witch of the West
Aug 2, 2006
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Are you filling up at the same station all the time? or did you change since the filters started going bad?
 

HASTINGSRJ

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May 6, 2008
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I was getting fuel on base, but just $25.00 at a time, I did that for a couple weeks. I didnt make it to my usual gas staion....no more fuel from base for me!
 

HASTINGSRJ

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May 6, 2008
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lol, when the fuel filter goes out, its hard as hell to get the system primed again. We got it primed, started it, I went about 3 miles and it cut off again. After another hour and a half, we finally had to pull the fuel line and suck the fuel to the filter. What a pain!
 

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
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Feb 14, 2007
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Are you sure it's clogging? I'm wondering if you are having another issue. I've never had a problem priming after changing a filter. No special tricks necessary.
 

HASTINGSRJ

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May 6, 2008
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I was thinking maybe my fuel guage is off, both times my truck did this, it had 1/8th of a tank, I was on my way to the gas station..lol. and I have only seen the gas light come one 1 time.
 
Jun 28, 2007
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Are you sure it's clogging? I'm wondering if you are having another issue. I've never had a problem priming after changing a filter. No special tricks necessary.

I never had a prob, just started up, but one time it just cracked forever, and I primed again and craked, and primed, and again and again and again for about an hour and then it fired up with no studder. Never had the prob again:confused: I just try to forget about it because I can't come up with a reason:confused:
 

HASTINGSRJ

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May 6, 2008
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I never had a prob, just started up, but one time it just cracked forever, and I primed again and craked, and primed, and again and again and again for about an hour and then it fired up with no studder. Never had the prob again:confused: I just try to forget about it because I can't come up with a reason:confused:

exactly what mine does, try and prime it, and it doesnt work, just seems to pull air...

Will a lift pump solve this problem? they are electrical right?
 

WolfLMM

Making Chips
Nov 21, 2006
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Are you sure it's clogging? I'm wondering if you are having another issue. I've never had a problem priming after changing a filter. No special tricks necessary.

X2, I'm wondering if somehow trash get in the pick up.?
 

Gasuout

Johnny
Mar 20, 2008
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Might be a good idea to drop tank and look in there for debri . Yes a lift pump is good idea and would solve the prime issue like dustin described .

Why are you putting atf in fuel filter on changes ?

Not needed in my opinion .

I would take up Dustin on that housing if he would part with it . Maybe you have a bad primer . Does it ever not want to start out of the blue after sitting ?

I would log your fuel pressure also and ck that you dont have a weak CP3 pump . Was never really designed to be a suction pump . But it shouldnt cause what is happening if weak and more lose rail pressure at WOT first .

How many miles are on this truck ? This is kind of wierd . Might not be bad fuel . Might be something else like losing prime on tank from bad primer letting it suck air or weak CP3 . My guess is pump primer . Do you have the bleed valve tight on housing ?

Maybe you have been getting a bit of gasoline in with your #2 . I have seen this cause engines to die at idle and be a real pain to get started . And keep doing it until all the gasoline mixed with #2 is gone . A real pain when you get this in system .

Gasoline in your #2 is my next guess on what your decribing , sounds familiar to a truck I worked on that the lady put gas in on accident . Kept doing it even after draining tank for a while . Real pain in the ass when you get gas mixed in your #2 . That might be what you were getting off the base was #2 with partial gas in it .
 
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Huntinducks82

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Apr 21, 2008
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Like Gasuout said i would drop and drain the tank before i did anything else. It sounds like you got something in there cause you say it only does it when the fuel gets to 1/8 an tank on lower.
 

RENODMAX

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Mar 4, 2008
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Ok few things I would try. I would make sure your filterhead isnt warped because that could be possible like others have said. Also on more than one occasion I have gotten an AC Delco fuel filter that had a bad o-ring seat. The system would prime just fine but slowly lose prime. Really stupid and annoying until I figured it out. A lift pump definately helps BUT it makes the fuel really foamy (in my experience) if you have to prime it with the pump.
Last, and I dont know where the ghost in the machine is but I have ran out of diesel TWICE without a light or anything. Have no idea what the hell thats from. Hope some of this jibberish helps.
 

HASTINGSRJ

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May 6, 2008
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Franklin MA
thank you all for the input, I will try the spare CP3 see how that goes. As for filling the filter with dexronIII, a friend of mine is an ASE Certified diesel mechanic, he came to rescue me both times, he says that the ATF will help lube the injectors. Ithink that I did get AC delco filters. The bleeder screw is tight, it does look a bit chewed up on top though.
 

whitetrash21

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Apr 29, 2008
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thank you all for the input, I will try the spare CP3 see how that goes. As for filling the filter with dexronIII, a friend of mine is an ASE Certified diesel mechanic, he came to rescue me both times, he says that the ATF will help lube the injectors. Ithink that I did get AC delco filters. The bleeder screw is tight, it does look a bit chewed up on top though.

You can get replacement bleeder screws that are SS instead of plastic so it doesn't get chewed.

Trash in the tank would be my first guess. Like everyone else said, doesn't take much to clog up a filter. Done that afew times with some bad #2.