when i was in college i did all my own work on my '74 k5 blazer. but... i had finals that i had to study for, and i was supposed to head out on a road trip the following morning (what a life), so i figured that i would splurge and have a shop do some work on my truck while i study. i studied in a waiting room while they changed my diff fluid and gave it an oil change. i paid the bill and when i got in the truck, i looked underneath and saw the same oil filter that i had put on the last time. i asked the mechanic, and he said 'oops... i forgot to change the oil'. made me wonder how often that happens to people that don't know any better.

well.... 6k miles ago, my dad brought my truck into a shop to have a couple maintenance items done for me. including the fuel filter, which i would have wanted to have done myself. i still have the bill, it is very clear that he was charged for a new filter and install on my truck.

but check this out..... the filter went bad already. truck was down to *very* little power. check out the pics... filter is black, and had crap in the tin. is it possible that a filter goes this bad that fast, or is this another case of paying for work that was not done??

http://img175.echo.cx/img175/339/black18gb.jpg

http://img175.echo.cx/img175/6324/rust1hd.jpg

Hrmm, makes you wish you would have put a distinct mark on it does't it?

I would say that was the old filter

you got screwed

I would say that is the old filter and I would not be happy about that. I would go back to that shop, take that with you along with your bill and have a talk with them about that. They should make that right if nothing else, refund that portion of the bill...

well... first thing is that i'm all pumped up about how my truck is running. i took 'er out on the highway and gave it the black cloud test. smokes like friggin frieght train and it gets up and barks! the fun is back in my truck.

the shop is 1000 miles away, so i think it's a case of live and learn. hard to believe that could happen to me 2x though.

of the 6k miles on the filter, 4k was towing a load all over interstates and going to more than 20 fuel stops that were new to me. i tried to stick with name brand big stations, but a couple might have been a bit 'small townish'. is it possible that bad fuel could have done this?

I would suggest putting the date you changed it or something along those lines. That way next time it is changed by a shop and you look to see if it is done and see the date still on there, you'll know they screwed ya.

William

Definately looks like the old filter or you used the crappiest diesel one could find in that time frame. Everyone has stated great advice. The easiest way to know if you have a new filter on, change it yourself.

Ben

Take it one step further.....put the date the filter was changed on the filter itself with a black permanent marker. After reading this I am gonna do that myself. I am gonna have to let the stealer change this one out for me due to time constraints myself.

well... first thing is that i'm all pumped up about how my truck is running. i took 'er out on the highway and gave it the black cloud test. smokes like friggin frieght train and it gets up and barks! the fun is back in my truck.

the shop is 1000 miles away, so i think it's a case of live and learn. hard to believe that could happen to me 2x though.

of the 6k miles on the filter, 4k was towing a load all over interstates and going to more than 20 fuel stops that were new to me. i tried to stick with name brand big stations, but a couple might have been a bit 'small townish'. is it possible that bad fuel could have done this?

Yep, sure could have been bad fuel, BTDT on 2 occasions. One time I got 300 miles on a filter & another time got 3K. Some of these small stations don't keep their tanks clean. :rant:

That sucks I can't count the times, I screwed myself taking my ride to a shop. $700 drive shaft $450 new from the stealer, got a tune up they broken distributor cap $300 found out 6 months later just for starters. I hope you have an easer time getting it worked out than I did.

Theres no way of telling from a message board if you got screwed on the fuel filter. I suggest finding a good place to take it and stay with it.

Theres no way of telling from a message board if you got screwed on the fuel filter.

of course not, but thought i could get a sense for whether it 'could' have gone bad in 6k. sounds like it's possible. but man.... the filter was shot.

I suggest finding a good place to take it and stay with it.

yes! for filters and fluid changes... my driveway :cool:

Buy a paint marker and Write the date hours and mileage on the filter.

yeah.. paint marker is the way to go, or just use a screwdriver and scratch it into the paint on the filter. Good idea, except I don't have to worry about service on the truck.. Wife did the last oil/tranny/fuel filter change, as well as the oil and lubed everything else.

No, she's not out for hire. No, her sisters are married and one's knocked up. No, you can't come visit alaska.

I always ask for my filter back.

Two things:

1) That way I KNOW that they changed it,
2) I can "disect" the old one when I get home.

Hard to do though, when the shop is a 1000 miles away.

CADman_ks

My fuel filter was changed when I had my injectors replaced - or at least that is what the bill says...

I am gonna have a little fun my next trip in. I am sure that the service writer will say "you must be mistaken", etc. The fuel filter that is on the truck now is clearly stamped "NAPA" - so when did NAPA start supplying filters to GM? Wow, what a coincidence, I put a NAPA filter on prior to my injector replacement... ;)

- jeff

My fuel filter was changed when I had my injectors replaced - or at least that is what the bill says...

I am gonna have a little fun my next trip in. I am sure that the service writer will say "you must be mistaken", etc. The fuel filter that is on the truck now is clearly stamped "NAPA" - so when did NAPA start supplying filters to GM? Wow, what a coincidence, I put a NAPA filter on prior to my injector replacement... ;)

- jeff

not sure i understand... are you saying that this happened to you too, and you have proof? be interesting to hear what the dealer says about it.

kind of upsetting, because a mistake like that could leave you stranded on a road trip, and all they will have to say is :Insane: sorry :Insane: .... make an appointment and we can put a 'real' new one on (yeah right... so you can forget an o-ring or something?)

yeah.. paint marker is the way to go, or just use a screwdriver and scratch it into the paint on the filter. Good idea, except I don't have to worry about service on the truck.. Wife did the last oil/tranny/fuel filter change, as well as the oil and lubed everything else.

No, she's not out for hire. No, her sisters are married and one's knocked up. No, you can't come visit alaska.


That's just funny....





...BTW you suck!!

I wish my wife would change my filters! :D Maybe I can send her upto you spoolinturbo and have your wife teach her the good things in life. If I didnt mind doing it myself I would even buy her the airline ticket myself! :ro)

You got a good one there buddy.

Ben

yeah.. paint marker is the way to go, or just use a screwdriver and scratch it into the paint on the filter. Good idea, except I don't have to worry about service on the truck.. Wife did the last oil/tranny/fuel filter change, as well as the oil and lubed everything else.

No, she's not out for hire. No, her sisters are married and one's knocked up. No, you can't come visit alaska.

how do you know she is actually changing the fuel filters and fluids? :eek:

Take it one step further.....put the date the filter was changed on the filter itself with a black permanent marker. After reading this I am gonna do that myself. I am gonna have to let the stealer change this one out for me due to time constraints myself.
It takes 30 min. I'm well paid but still consider $220/hr ($110 for 30 min work) way worth my time.