JohnInAz
Arizona
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Joined: 03/20/2007
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The book says 15k miles. I had to have my unit towed (again) due to a check engine light code P0087 (low fuel pressure). The dealer called to tell me that the fuel filter is plugged which caused the problem. When I asked about the service interval for the filter, he stated that the maintenance manual is written for European/Asian diesel which is a cleaner fuel then what is in the US and that the service interval here should be 10k miles. What a load! Anyway, I only had 10,700 on mine so I am wondering if I should change it even earlier. The salt in the wound is that I had a spare fuel filter with me, but a check engine light doesn't tell you much (oh, and the rig lost power shortly thereafter) so I had no idea that was the issue. I have a scan gauge so I was able to pull the code, but without any reference material or the Internet it wasn't very useful. It's too bad that coach-net, nor GM roadside assistance can provide any information on what caused the failure or be able to offer roadside repair.
2007 Jayco Seneca 34SS
2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee toad
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dcowley
Texas Panhandle
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Joined: 09/11/2007
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John,
Basically it depand on the fuel vendoir you are buying from. Some guys have lots of water and trash in their fuel. Running close to empty before fueling will allow your filter to collect more trash also. The fuel filters on the Duramax should have a water indicator built in so if the water indicator light doesn't come on then one has to assume it's just trash and not water.
A good rule of thumb would be to change the filter at the first notice of any power loss. You may go 15K miles and never need to change and you may go 5K miles and need to change but you do know now you have some trash floating around in your tank that your filters (onan included) will be cleaning out. It only takes one bad tank of fuel to deal this type of misery for several thouand miles.
The euro deal is crap. It's about the fuel vendor and who hauled it to the vendor. Our pipe lines in this country are fairly clean.
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Kenneth
Washington, the state
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Joined: 03/20/2001
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The fuel filter needs to be changed one day before it clogs. dcowley covers the matter well. You might consider adding an larger capacity aftermarket fuel filter before the OEM filter assembly, or an aftermarket filter of less tight filtration. If the OEM filter filters down to 2 or 3 microns, a 10 micron pre-filter will catch the bigger stuff. If you have room, a bigger filter holds more before clogging. Here's one example from Racor:
http://www.maesco.com/products/racor/r_spn_intro/r_spn_intro.html
European diesel fuel burns cleaner. The fuel itself isn't necessarily cleaner with less dirt or water.
I'm free of prostate cancer for 5 years now.
All men over age 50 should get an annual PSA blood test. Mine had a low reading, but the yearly jump was significant. The biopsy showed cancer just entering the aggressive stage. Dr. Hackenslash removed it.
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stb130
South Jersey
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Joined: 07/14/2005
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I haven't had to change filters at the scheduled intervals:
At just under 5,000 miles the check engine light came on before the limp mode set in. I also went to the Dealer and found that it was bad fuel. I now always carry a spare fuel filter.
Since carrying the spare I have had two other occassions that I got a check engine light and pulled over to change filter which resolved the problem.
I use major brand diesel and still had three bad fillups within 24,000 miles.
I believe that you should change filter often, there is a lot of bad fuel out there , and carry a spare filter as a low cost alterative to a dealer visit!!!
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billystoys
Alberta
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Joined: 11/12/2007
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I wonder if the problem is bad fuel and not a GM issue. The reason I wonder this is I`ve driven trucks for 25 years, the only time I`ve notice fuel issues is in the fall. Mainly because they have not upped the additive that reduces freeze up and winter sometimes comes a little early. I`ve only had 2 gelled up filters in all that time. The kenworth gets a new fuel filter every 400 hours which could be every 20,000 miles. Now my neighbor, who fuels up his 2007 duramax 3/4 ton at the same fueling station as I fuel up the Kenworth is always having problems.You do not see that many big rigs on the side of the road changing fuel filters. I wonder if the G.M. system is maybe trying to filter too much. The fuel filter may not have to go to 2 microns, 5 microns may do the job. GM injectors used to be good for 100,000 miles then you may as well replace all of them as the majority of them will soon fail. I wonder if GM is not being overly protective of the fuel systems in these new engines now and trying to overfilter the fuel, causing all these fuel issues? Just a thought for what its worth.
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Stim
NE Florida
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Joined: 05/23/2007
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A spare filter is the cheapest insurance you can get. I would also carry a container (a 2-ltr bottle with top cut off) and always dump the filter into it and "read" the contents. That way you will know if you have dirt/water.
And worst case scenario if I didn't have a new filter I would dump and read the old and re-install to get somewhere. Knowing what the problem is is half the solution.
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JohnInAz
Arizona
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I also wonder if it was an abnormally dirty fuel issue. My Ford Ex with a 7.3 has never had this issue and I fuel from the same location. If more frequent filter changes extends the life of the injectors I guess it's ok, but the owners manual should indicate that the frequency is much less than indicated.
Good point about the generator. I guess I should change that filter just in case.
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az99
N.Y.
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Joined: 12/26/2006
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Chevy has been having this problem with clogged filters on the Duramax since day 1. They also had a lot of issues in the winter with the filters clogging. Whether it was correct or not, it was explained to me that the filter is ulta fine compared to others and it was made that fine to protect the injectors.
I was told by other Duramax owners to always carry a spare filter. They said most problems are filter related.
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Irish34SS
Colorado
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Joined: 02/21/2008
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Nice Read, now! Thursday night heading to Moab, going great for 25-30 miles Fuel filter light comes on with check engine light, my Seneca, with 1450 miles on it, goes into "LIMP MODE" (I'm assuming this is barely moving mode). I pull over and sit 1/2 an hour unplug my Trailer brake controller, thinking I F'ed something up, It runs. Get it back home, check my connections that I made using Desert Deisels thread on electric brake wiring, re-routte the ground (just to be sure). Check engine light goes off, I alredy figured out how to reset the Fuel filter light due to me thinking there is no possible way the FF could be the prob this early in the milage. Friday morning- try again. I get 1/4 mile further than I did the first try, same problem. I off-load the Jeep run to the closest Chevy dealer, grab 3 new FF go back up the mountain do a roadside change, all is good.........so I thought. I get another 2 miles, Same problem. I threw the towel in and had the Road side pick it up and handle from there. This is my first deisel and I want my Ford V-10 back. Are these things really this finicky or am I having the worst luck possible for its very first over the Rockies trip??
Rather be in Moab
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Seneca
So. Ca
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Joined: 04/26/2008
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Interesting... Was it the fuel filter light for the service interval or the water in fuel light? I had a similar situation at 6000 mi. on my Seneca. Check engine light and loss of power,(no fuel filter light). The dealer said the code was for loss of fuel pressure in the fuel rail and found it was the fuel filter. Said he sees this all the time and felt it was a load of dirty fuel. (At $5.00 a gal you would think they could filter it at the refinery!) Anyway, changed the filter and bought a spare. Has not happened since (about 11,000 mi now). Be sure to post what the dealer finds.
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