3.0 Fuel Filter Replacement

15963 Views 22 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Dunrollin, 9 mo ago

Jdbronco

Discussion Starter · Aug 31, 2019

I just got finished replacing the fuel filters on my new to me 2018. 27K miles. Fairly straightforward. The filter under the truck is the same as the fuel water separator. I hooked a hose to it to drain it. I drained more than 3 quarts of fuel and thought it was never going to end so just started loosening the filter. Even more poured out before it was finished, probably close to 5 quarts total so be prepared.
After that, you have to remove an "L" shaped skid plate with 4 bolts covering the filter. It is either a 14 or 15mm socket with blue loctite so use impact if you're lazy like me. The filter removes with a 1-1/4" socket. Lube the o-ring and install the new one.
Under the hood, the smaller filter is fairly easy, although you have to climb on the engine to reach it in the back. It's right on top behind the plastic top engine cover. There's a clamp with an allen head bolt (5mm allen) to loosen the filter. The fuel line clips don't require tools, the right side has a safety clip that slides to the left and then two black buttons to release. The left side just has to black buttons to release. A little fuel will spill out so make sure to have rags underneath the lines.
Make sure you pay attention to the orientation of the filter, it points the opposite of what I expected and had to double check with the old one. It flows from left to right (passenger to driver).
Put everything back together and do a "key on" cycle several times and check for leaks. I was able to hear in the garage the pump pushing air out of the filter each time I turned the "key" back on (button on my Lariat). After several (maybe 6?) times I started the truck, it turned over maybe one more time than normal before firing up.
I hope this helps someone, there's not much maintenance info yet for these motors but I'm not good at trying to make a youtube video so text it what you get.

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mascrappo

· #2 · Aug 31, 2019

Thanks for the heads up! Sounds straight forward, too bad Ford made it so complicated when other manufacture's use simple and just as effective filtration.

Knifeman

· #3 · Sep 4, 2019

Just change both fuel filters. Took a total of 15 minutes. Very easy to do. Dealer wanted $229 got both filters from rock auto for $75 As JD said it’s easy.

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Avetisov22

· #4 · Sep 7, 2019

Thank you this post!!! Been wondering about replacing the filters here shortly! Any chance you have photos of the filter locations and part numbers? would be GREATLY appreciated.

wreedsvt

· #5 · Sep 8, 2019

Avetisov22 said:
Thank you this post!!! Been wondering about replacing the filters here shortly! Any chance you have photos of the filter locations and part numbers? would be GREATLY appreciated.

One filter is in a screw on canister in front of the fuel tank and another in the middle top of the engine bay under the PowerStroke cover.

Here is a pic of the engine mounted location.

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Jdbronco

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 9, 2019

That sounds somewhat reasonable for a dealer price. I paid ~68 before shipping for the filters on dieselfilters.com. Part number is FD-4627 so add dealer markup and an hour labor and "shop fees" and that sounds about right.

I'll have to get some better lighting to take photos but that one photo shows where the one is on top of the engine. If you pull off the plastic engine cover it is right on top near the firewall.

The one under the truck is maybe a foot or so forward of the fuel tank behind a "L" shaped skid plate. There is a hole to drain from the filter since this is also the fuel water separator but to get the filter out you have to remove the whole plate.

Avetisov22

· #7 · Sep 16, 2019

Thank you for this information!!!

Do either of you have a part number for the filter next to the tank?

Have anyone looked into the new motorcraft performance fuel filters?

wreedsvt

· #8 · Sep 16, 2019

FD4627 comes with both filters.

wreedsvt

· #9 · Sep 16, 2019

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=10069356&cc=3442174&jsn=10978

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Avetisov22

· #10 · Sep 17, 2019

wreedsvt said:
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=10069356&cc=3442174&jsn=10978

thank you!!!

wreedsvt

· #11 · Sep 17, 2019

No problem, I am about to do mine soon myself. I just had the oil changed yesterday.

jmperlik

· #12 · Sep 22, 2019

Upon the advice of my Service Manager, I am going with replacing both fuel filters on a 15K interval (instead of standard 30K interval)

I will be dropping my truck off at my dealer the 1st week of October for them to install my new Titan XXL 40-gallon replacement tank, so while the diesel tech has that all apart, I guess getting to the one filter by the fuel tank should be pretty easy...

Going to add the following on every fill-up for fuel treatment:

i.) One (1) 8 oz. bottle of Stanadyne Performance Formula (treats 30 gallons)
ii.) One (1) 8 oz. bottle of Stanadyne Lubricity Formula (treats 15 gallons)

Crazy? Maybe, but as my first diesel vehicle, I am concerned about getting a bad batch of diesel fuel contaminated with water (also the reason for 15K fuel filter interval)

jamanrr

· #13 · Sep 23, 2019

jmperlik said:
Upon the advice of my Service Manager, I am going with replacing both fuel filters on a 15K interval (instead of standard 30K interval)

I will be dropping my truck off at my dealer the 1st week of October for them to install my new Titan XXL 40-gallon replacement tank, so while the diesel tech has that all apart, I guess getting to the one filter by the fuel tank should be pretty easy...

Going to add the following on every fill-up for fuel treatment:

i.) One (1) 8 oz. bottle of Stanadyne Performance Formula (treats 30 gallons)
ii.) One (1) 8 oz. bottle of Stanadyne Lubricity Formula (treats 15 gallons)
Crazy? Maybe, but as my first diesel vehicle, I am concerned about getting a bad batch of diesel fuel contaminated with water (also the reason for 15K fuel filter interval)

if you buy your diesel from good spots that sell a lot like truck stops Loves/ Pilots etc you will tend to get better diesel. I too look for where other big diesel trucks get theirs from before I buy that way I know I have the good stuff. Looking at doing my fuel filters in a few weeks I am not sure if I will do it or have the dealer do it yet? I usually do all my own maintance but this is a new truck to me and I want to keep all the warranty stuff.

kdjasper

· #14 · Sep 23, 2019

@jmperlik good plan! I also had my dealer do my first fuel filters change when I had my 48-gallon Titan installed. I am having my fuel filters replaced every 300 engine hours instead of by mileage, as recommended in the manual for biodiesel use which is what we have in MN. My Titan tank install happened somewhere between 290-300 engine hours. Right now I am over 515 engine hours the last I recall looking at it.

kdjasper

· #15 · Sep 24, 2019

Updating my prior post, as seen in the attached photo, my truck is now at 525 Engine Hours with 62 Engine Idle Hours (11.8% idling) at 20,645.7 miles driven. Next fuel filter replacement in my truck will be done at 600 Engine Hours.

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jmperlik

· #16 · Sep 24, 2019

@kdjasper - you seem to be reading my mind this week and provided an answer to a question I was going to ask you:

Based on the recommendation to change fuel filters every 300 hours if you are using bio-diesel, what does that translate into mileage interval for you?

From your screen capture, it looks like you'll be changing fuel filters every ~11,500 miles?

I was wondering if my 15K fuel filter change interval was crazier than the 300 hour bio-diesel recommendation and happy to see that it isn't...

kdjasper

· #17 · Sep 24, 2019 (Edited)

jmperlik said:
@kdjasperFrom your screen capture, it looks like you'll be changing fuel filters every ~11,500 miles?

I looked back to figure out the mileage when I had my 48-gallon Titan installed because your question got me curious on that. Of course the paperwork doesn't have the correct mileage on it, but I was able to look back in my photo library of pics I took of the fuel gauge before and after the install and it seems I had the tank installed at ~10,775 miles, so that is when I had my fuel filters changed for the first time. I also found a photo of the Engine Hours that showed me at 288 Engine Hours.

Your question also finally is bringing value to the Average Speed that I added to my instrument panel cluster display via FORScan. As seen in the attached photo, I am now averaging 40mph. I always was suspicious of this, and thought no way my Average Speed is this slow...

10,775 miles / 288 Engine Hours = 37.41mph Average Speed

Currently at 525 Engine Hours at 40mph Average Speed = 75 Engine Hours remaining to next fuel filter change * 40mph = 3,000 miles to reach 600 Engine Hours, which would have me at ~23,645 miles, which means I will be doing fuel filter replacements about every 12,000 miles. I have been putting on 2,000 miles/month on my truck, so that means I will be doing the next fuel filter replacement sometime in November, which will be good thing to do prior to heading into the MN deep freeze.

jmperlik said:
@kdjasperI was wondering if my 15K fuel filter change interval was crazier than the 300 hour bio-diesel recommendation and happy to see that it isn't...

Correct, not crazier, and in fact, I seem to recall that 15K intervals are what the diesel mechanics at my Ford dealership are doing with their own personal trucks. There is also the old saying: "an ounce of prevention is with a pound of cure", so I think your plan to change at 15K intervals is a good one; however, others may disagree--everyone is entitled to their own opinion and to maintain their truck to their own schedule preference.

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08Tiger

· #18 · May 30, 2020

just changed my fuel filters, thanks for the parts supplier recommendations! That bottom filter was a PITA to wrench on trying not to strip the plastic, I have a 1-2mm gap still to the tab and I took a break so I wouldn't round the edges.

Milehghcty

· #19 · Jul 21, 2020

Going back to the first post on this thread of changing the fuel filters, is losing 5 quarts of fuel to change the bottom filter the norm? Will change mine in the near future.

Dunrollin

· #20 · Aug 27, 2020

My turn to change the filters. The same socket that removes the oil filter canister also removes the large fuel filter under the truck. I didn't get the 5 quarts of diesel Jdbronco got, probably about 1 quart. Interestingly, this was the first oil change with the Fumoto valve and maybe the first in my life that I didn't spill a single drop of oil. Rotella T6 5w40.

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