Hey,

I recently bought a great-running '84 scottsdale 6.2l from my neighbor, who's a wrench. Ever since his fuel filter started (before I bought the truck) leaking he's bought another filter, and it leaked. He bypassed the fuel filter with an inline connection, and put on 40k miles with it bypassed (no filter). The truck still runs great...but what do you guys think? Should I check the injectors for buildup?

Thanks,

EP

Hey,

I recently bought a great-running '84 scottsdale 6.2l from my neighbor, who's a wrench. Ever since his fuel filter started (before I bought the truck) leaking he's bought another filter, and it leaked. He bypassed the fuel filter with an inline connection, and put on 40k miles with it bypassed (no filter). The truck still runs great...but what do you guys think? Should I check the injectors for buildup?

Thanks,

EP


I can't believe he go 40k out of it with no filter. You might as well run it now until you have a problem. JMO

in my (limited) understanding, the filter is more for water than for other physical contaminants. Diesel fuel is terribly susceptible to moisture and it can/will do bad things to your motor. Personally, I'd get a filter back in there.

But that's just me....

Well what explains it going 40k miles with, I guess...clean fuel?

Well what explains it going 40k miles with, I guess...clean fuel?
Luck...

It depends on the area you live in. If there are dramatic changes in temperature, you'll have a lot of condensation (aka water). I'm guessing you live somewhere with a relatively stable temperature.

Yes. I live in the East Bay of California. Very stable weather.

Well I got a fram p3940A box-type on there. well i figure better late then never. i'll just run some injector cleaner through the system and hope all is well.

And I HOPE the fuel pressure is stable tomorrow morning when I go to start it. The old filter on there was a napa-crapa box-type. hopefully this'll do it but if the pressure is down tomorrow it will have leaked just a little bit and that is just an O-ring replacement on the drain valve.

The fuel filter stops sediment and water from getting into the injection pump and the injectors. I hope your neighbor installed an in-line filter in the bypass!!! I took my last filter apart after removing it and the junk in the filter made me resolve to replace it earlier than the last one!!!!

My 1984 fuel filter housing has a heater in it to prevent wax buildup in cold weather. I have a manual switch on the heater and I turn it on at 40 degrees outside temperature. Without the heater then wax can block your filter and your engine will shut down due to fuel starvation.