I just performed my first OEM fuel filter replacement as well as the Racor R60S pre-OEM fuel filter change. I decided to treat the replacements as separate events, meaning that I replaced the OEM filter first, primed, then started the engine until the OEM filter was flowing... then I proceeded to change the pre-OEM filter, priming, and re-starting again.

After replacing the OEM filter, it took about a dozen start attempts before the engine took... Here's what I did: Remove filter; did not pre-fill replacement filter (not sure how to do this without a major mess); started the truck until it died, then primed until I got some fuel to come out of the bleed screw; and began start attempts. However, I didn't think it would take a dozen attempts before the engine would retake. My averaged around 5-7 seconds for each start attempt (duration). Is this about what one should expect? Is there a better technique to reduce the number of start attempts?

The real issue though was the number of start attempts it took once I replaced the Racor (pre-OEM) filter. I again did not pre-fill the replacement filter; after replacing, I started the engine and waited for it to die. Once that happened, I primed (using the OEM filter primer) until I got fuel to come bubbling out, then began my start attempts. To my frustration, it took somewhere in the neighborhood of 20+ start attempts before the engine started. Once it did, it purred just fine, but I really got concerned that I either did something wrong or I was ruining the engine...

Should it have taken this many restarts for the pre-oem filter; is there a different technique I need to use? One of my thoughts had to do with my priming technique - I essentially stopped priming once fuel started bubbling through the bleed screw; however, now I wondering if I should have continued to push it more until a steady flow of fuel came through... this is my first experience with priming so I'd appreciate any feedback...

The truck manual is notoriously vague in terms of informational details like this - which sucks because I'm trying to do maintenance to keep the engine trouble free, but I can't help but think that 30+ starts can't be good for the truck...

Rod

When I changed my OEM I pumped until fuel came out of the valve. (Got one of the valves from lubespecialist.com), closed the valve, pumped again a couple strokes until the pump got hard. Oh man, that sound dirty. Engine started normal and no hicups. Good thing you did not prime the OEM, you would have been pouring unfiltered fuel into your injectors. My pre-OEM is home brew, mounted at the 2nd alternator position. I clamp off the hosed, and do fill this one. Never had to prime on the change.

YMMV,

Jim

Remove filter; did not pre-fill replacement filter (not sure how to do this without a major mess); started the truck until it died, then primed until I got some fuel to come out of the bleed screw



By changing the filter and not priming it, starting the truck letting all fuel from the filter to the motor run out and then prime is the problem.


Change the filter, prime then start! Skip starting without prime and then priming, thats why it took so long to start.

What snowsdog said. It isn't advisable to prefill the OEM filter since you will essentially be bypassing the filter and a good amount of unfiltered fuel will get to the injectors. I do mine in the reverse. I replace the CAT (Nicktane kit preOEM) but I do prefill it with the old filter fuel before install. I then go to the OEM filter and replace it. Then I prime the system and it starts right up.

Thanks guys - I see what I did wrong... I won't do that again - hope I didn't cause any long term damage with all of the restart attempts; only time will tell.

Rod