I guess that the TDI jetta spoiled me with the easy to get to fuel filter. Even though I have to use the mity vac to prime it, I can have it done in 5 min.

Yesterday I changed the Dmax filter for the first time. What dimented twisted mind designed that filter and it's location? I mean come on, there is just no reasonable way to reach the damn thing. There was a lot of grunting & cursing going on as I ended up reaching up under the wheel well skirt while twisted into a pretzel over & around the front tire.
And the price....$40ish from my local parts store, sheeesh??? I will definatly be ordering in bulk from Fleet.

Rant over, thanks for listening:cool:
RD

I guess that the TDI jetta spoiled me with the easy to get to fuel filter. Even though I have to use the mity vac to prime it, I can have it done in 5 min.

Yesterday I changed the Dmax filter for the first time. What dimented twisted mind designed that filter and it's location? I mean come on, there is just no reasonable way to reach the damn thing. There was a lot of grunting & cursing going on as I ended up reaching up under the wheel well skirt while twisted into a pretzel over & around the front tire.
And the price....$40ish from my local parts store, sheeesh??? I will definatly be ordering in bulk from Fleet.

Rant over, thanks for listening:cool:
RD


No worries...I think most of us empathize with you...I have a really bad back, so I get an involuntary twitch in my back when I hear or read anything related to changing the OE fuel filter on the Duramaxes. Ugh! I'm one of those poor bastards who has to remove the inner fender lining. I put one of my moving blankets on the tire and rest my chest on it while sittig on my creeper seat. I use a rubber strap wrench to get that canister moving off the head. And, yes, I also buy my filters by the case.

my truck is lifted and i just stand over the top on a bucket, took me about 10 mins to pull it off and all, no AC line bending or anything. Maybe it helped because I used to do it for a living on heavy equipment.

I service lots of diesels in my shop. be happy with what you got cause there are worse ones out there. Never had to do it from the bottom always did it from the top. Personally i dont think its that bad, done it on the road a few times and only takes a minute or 2.

I cut a slit in my inner fender well and can reach right thru and up. Makes it alot easier.

It seems hard, but its so easy. I just pull the liner and your pratically done.

I change mine from the top. It takes about 10mins. Just make sure its nice and clean so dirt dont stick to it!! Always buy filters from gm or Napa. Dont buy cheap filters.

It seems hard, but its so easy. I just pull the liner and your pratically done.

X2 easier to pull the liner.

the first time for anything is always the bitch....it gets much easier

I am about to have to do it myself for the first time. I guess I will see how bad it really is..

Its really easy to do it you remove the wheel well but ive always done it from the top. I really dont think its that bad at all. Your hands get fuel on them thats it. I hate the fuel filters on some of the gassers which require the same fuel spring disconnects as our feed lines and require your whole body to be right below them covering you, or the filters that require a line wrench and have nowhere to put another wrench. I thoguht spin on type filter on the duramax was a pretty good design and most resonably location.

I cut a slit in my inner fender well and can reach right thru and up. Makes it alot easier.

X2. Cut the innter fender well about 4" apart. They are held back in place with a couple tabs i made up and screwed together. I can take some pics if you'd like. What I do is loosen from the top, then reach up through the inner fender well and remove the filter. To re-install, I get the filter in place from above, then go down again and tighten. Whole job can be done start to finish in about 10 minutes.

Cut or remove the fender liner?? Why do all that work. Check out the DIY section on changing the filter. Eric posted a few years back about a very slight bend (one time) on the AC line, and the filter slips right out the top. Takes me about 10 minutes and I don't have to remove anything.

Moved to Maintenance & Fluids... and welcome to the club.

Sorry about the post placement.
Anyway, slitting the fender liner sounds like a good idea. I don't think my mitts are that big, but I have avery hard time from above. Thanks for the ideas.......

RD

the first time for anything is always the bitch....it gets much easier
No, it's a virgin, if it was a bitch it'd be easy.:p:

I used to change my filter from the top all the time on my LB7. Just don't tighten it so much that you need a wrench. It would take me about 10-15 mins to change it out.

Now with my LMM, the dumbarses at GM decided to route the A/C line to the point that the filter won't come out from the top. :mad: Sooo, now I have to use a creeper and lay under the truck and reach up for the filter. I tried removing the liner once and it took too long. You also need extra clips in case you break 'em.

I pull off the intake hose and it makes life very easy. 2 hose clamps are not hard to deal with.
ac

I do it from the Top. I pull the Battery and got plenty of room to Work.

i always just pull the inner fender down, not only does that make it so much easier but then you can also check on your boost pipes and everything in that area to keep an eye out for future problems. and as for filter price, i don't know if it is just cuz of where i live or what but i only spend right at $30 for an ac delco fuel filter.

No, it's a virgin, if it was a bitch it'd be easy.:p:

I used to change my filter from the top all the time on my LB7. Just don't tighten it so much that you need a wrench. It would take me about 10-15 mins to change it out.

Now with my LMM, the dumbarses at GM decided to route the A/C line to the point that the filter won't come out from the top. :mad: Sooo, now I have to use a creeper and lay under the truck and reach up for the filter. I tried removing the liner once and it took too long. You also need extra clips in case you break 'em.

Is it very hard to change it from a creeper on an LMM?

They are a pain, could be worse though... I installed a 2 micron aux. pre-oem filter on the frame in front of the tank on mine. I did it mostly for better filtration but the silver lining is that it keeps the under-hood OEM filter clean which greatly extends its life (I only change it every 50,000 miles now). Less hassle under the hood and the aux is a snap to change since it’s under the truck on the frame rail.

Is it very hard to change it from a creeper on an LMM?

It's not too bad but you have to figure out how to contort yourself in order to reach up with one arm and hold the fender liner with the other arm to get some room. I can get the job done in about 15 minutes. I don't have to lift the truck either.

It's not too bad but you have to figure out how to contort yourself in order to reach up with one arm and hold the fender liner with the other arm to get some room. I can get the job done in about 15 minutes. I don't have to lift the truck either.


Are you removing any part of the fender liner at all? I'm gonna be needing to change mine in a few thousand miles so I'm trying to take notes all I can...:D

Are you removing any part of the fender liner at all? I'm gonna be needing to change mine in a few thousand miles so I'm trying to take notes all I can...:D

No, I do not have to remove anything. It might take you a couple tries to get a grip on the filter to loosen it. I was able to loosen mine by hand. Make sure you disconnect the wire that's under the filter first. Good luck.

I do mine from the top as well, although this time I had to reach up from underneath to get the filter started on the threads. Takes about fifteen minutes and its a lot easier to change it out of the top on the side of the road, then to go though a grimey and wet fenderwell and get gooped up in the process.

For filters, I run Baldwin filters. The last batch I bought I was buying them for $23 a filter...CDN. A box of ten cost me $230ish dollars or so.

I pull off the intake hose and it makes life very easy. 2 hose clamps are not hard to deal with.
ac
I do this as well and it's not hard to do at all.