Replacing Fuel Filter

[PWM3rd]

Hello OTT friends. Had a "1st" happen today. Clearing an heavily wooded area of my property today. Working along w FEL and started smelling diesel fuel. Immediately noticed diesel squirting out the diesel fuel filter so I'd obviously hit something in the heavy brush and timber I was clearing. Tank was full so made it back to barn without being stuck away from my shop. I was able to pull off the fuel hose clamp and stuck a drill bit in hose to stop from losing anymore fuel. I've never had to replace fuel filter so will have to wait til Tuesday to get by dealer. ( why did this have to happen on long holiday weekend). I've read that this is rather simple process and just try to avoid airlock? Any easy suggestions so that when replacing part I'm back up and running? Thanks and to all my Veteran OTT friends this Memorial Day...God Bless you for serving this great nation. USAF veteran 1984-87. MAFB, Ca.

 

[Jim L.]

Looks that you have lost the clear cup which spins into the black head. The filter element is a separate part. Also there is a large o-ring and a tiny o-ring which fit on the top of the filter element.

If you can find the clear cup that's one less part to replace. Otherwise you will need the four parts: cup, filter element, large o-ring, and tiny o-ring.

Hope that the threads on the black head are not stripped.

When you get it together, turn the air vent cock knob to the left a bit. Start the engine and let it run about 30 seconds. Then shut down and turn the air vent knob to the right and closed. If it won't start after that, crack the air vent knob and try again. You will need to throttle more than idle to clear the lines. You should not need to open anything else other than the air vent cock.

Not a big deal except for being down for the weekend.

 

[Bulldog]

If it has a bleeder screw on top of the filter base open it and allow all the air to come out when you put the fuel to it. Not sure about your model but it may have a small knob where the fuel line goes in the injector pump. If so fully turn it to the left and it will help it start without having to bleed the injectors. After it cranks turn the knob back to the right and close it. If done right Kubotas are normally very easy to start after a filter change. I'm sure some of the others will jump in with more info.

If yours doesn't have one this would be the perfect time to install a inline fuel shut off valve. I put one on my L3000 and filter changes are so much easier and cleaner.

 

[Benhameen]

I did the same thing but the housing that holds the the filter broke as well. So I had to replace all of it. I would double check to make sure yours isn't damaged. I didn't notice mine until it ran out of fuel. So I had to loosen up each fuel line to get the air out. It wasn't a fun job but I got it done. Good luck with it.

 

[PWM3rd]

Filter was cracked, allowing fuel to squirt out continually ...here's picture of it removed once I got line plugged. Thanks all for input.

 

[PWM3rd]

Looks that you have lost the clear cup which spins into the black head. The filter element is a separate part. Also there is a large o-ring and a tiny o-ring which fit on the top of the filter element.

If you can find the clear cup that's one less part to replace. Otherwise you will need the four parts: cup, filter element, large o-ring, and tiny o-ring.

Hope that the threads on the black head are not stripped.

When you get it together, turn the air vent cock knob to the left a bit. Start the engine and let it run about 30 seconds. Then shut down and turn the air vent knob to the right and closed. If it won't start after that, crack the air vent knob and try again. You will need to throttle more than idle to clear the lines. You should not need to open anything else other than the air vent cock.

Not a big deal except for being down for the weekend.[/QUOTE


Jim..Thanks and here is a better pic of cracked fuel filter. I've got an L3800

 

[Diydave]

I had my MF 205 stop, in the shop, today. Seems I forgot I had turned off the diesel, last christmas, to prep to change the ff. Good thing I went up to put air in the tires... Anyway, the whole change took about the same time as a commercial, on TV. Just follow the bleed directions, in your manual, and you should be fine...

 

[Jim L.]

Yep, just changed an L3800 fuel filter yesterday.

I would see if the filter will come out of the cup easily. Remove the outer o-ring and save it in a baggie. If the filter gets torn up trying to remove it you know to buy a filter with the new cup. If the o-rings are undamaged, then re-use them.

When installing the filter into the cup, lube it with diesel fuel and not dry fit. Easier to remove if you need to. The filter must come straight out - you can't twist it out because of stops.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

PWM,

I have never had to bleed my fuel system after changing the filter on my L3800. Here's my technique:

Put cardboard down under fuel filter if working inside..

Clamp the fuel line coming down from the tank. (Then you can hook your line back up!) HF has killer black clamps for cheapo. You can use ViseGrips but be CAREFUL!

Swap your filter into the new bowl and lube up the O-ring. Double check to make sure you have the O-ring!

Spin the bowl on about 1-turn. Un-clamp the fuel line.

Let the bowl fill up to where it is starting to weep out of the threads. Then spin it all the way on.

Crank it up and raise the idle a little, to like 1500 rpm. It may cough once or twice but it should keep running just fine afterwards. Then, when it warms up a little, run it up to PTO speed for about 60 seconds to make sure its all clear of any air bubbles.

Ray (Mather Sept '82 to August '85, 454th FTS)

 

[PWM3rd]

Got new assembly today as it was actually cracked too. Removed aand Reinstalled the 3 hoses and mounting screw easily. Less than $30 for entire assembly at dealer. Allowed filter to fill with diesel. Had some airlock occur after 30 seconds or so initially. Was able to keep rpm's up to allow fuel system to get back to running normal on its own. Seems to be back to its old self now and ready to go to work. Thanks to all on OTT.