Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Safari360 on March 14, 2025, 10:09:37 pm

Title: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: Safari360 on March 14, 2025, 10:09:37 pm
My 2002 u295 with cummins ISL is acting like it wants to die every 5 seconds while parked (after the winter) and not moving.  It seems logical it's fuel filters.  I had had it since last June and have not changed them, and don't know when the previous owner did.  Does this sound right?

Also, where are they (i read there are two), and is there a post that explains how to go about it ( i searched and could not find one). 

Thanks folks!
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: fourdayoff on March 15, 2025, 10:30:09 am
Primary is in the battery bay behind the right rear duals, secondary is on the side of the engine block, passenger side. I personally recommend the FASS fuel pump system, avoid the Capps fuel pump failure. Jim.
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: JohnFitz on March 15, 2025, 11:36:12 am
Could also be an engine protection shut down (for low coolant, oil pressure, etc.) but you should see a check engine light.
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: Safari360 on March 15, 2025, 06:05:09 pm
Primary is in the battery bay behind the right rear duals, secondary is on the side of the engine block, passenger side. I personally recommend the FASS fuel pump system, avoid the Capps fuel pump failure. Jim.

I took photos of the two that were in the areas you noted, and one definitely looks like a fuel separator with the transparent bottom.  I am still looking for a primary fuel filter by the batteries behind the passenger rear tires.

Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: Safari360 on March 15, 2025, 07:01:17 pm
Could also be an engine protection shut down (for low coolant, oil pressure, etc.) but you should see a check engine light.

It's definitely more of a intermittent but consistent stuttering like running out of fuel about every 5-10 seconds.  No alerts on the dash.
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: kgrover on March 15, 2025, 08:10:54 pm
Post a video of it idling.  If you can get numbers off the filters, you can look up what they are. The one with the bowl is the primary fuel. The secondary one can be a pain to get to.
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: red tractor on March 15, 2025, 08:46:46 pm
Looks like they haven't been changed in a long time.
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: Safari360 on April 04, 2025, 07:56:01 pm
I have the fuel filters that I need and I need to ask what feels like a dumb question.  How do I turn the fuel supply off so I can change the filters? The primary filter is below the fuel tank level, so when I bled the filter from the bottom, it drained out over a gallon of diesel, so I knew it was coming from the tank.  I'm sure this seems like a pretty dumb question but I have to ask because I don't know the answer.
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: wolfe10 on April 04, 2025, 09:00:24 pm
No, there is no valve between tank and filter.

Yes, I agree there should be and many have installed a diesel compatible ball valve on the inlet to the primary fuel filter.

Without a valve, as you have discovered, if fuel level in the tank is higher than the filter housing, fuel will run out until their levels match.

Worse, if the filter housing is higher than the level of fuel in the tank, fuel will drain back to the tank.  This leave you with 30+ feet of AIR in the fuel line, making bleeding the fuel system much more difficult.

Barring a valve, have the new filter ready to do for a quick change.  Be sure the old gasket(s) are removed before installing the new filter.  Have an old bucket under the filter to prevent spills.
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: Safari360 on April 04, 2025, 09:48:29 pm
I guess it would've been good for me to do this before I filled my tank.  The batteries sit directly under the filter, so I guess I need to remove them.  Something about dumping fuel onto batteries doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

Thanks for the information. I was hoping for better news.
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: turbojack on April 04, 2025, 10:21:13 pm
Get some hose pinching pliers. They will not stop the flow but will slow down to a dribble.

Amazon.com: Orion Motor Tech Long Reach Hose Pliers Set - 6 Piece with... (https://www.amazon.com/Orion-Motor-Tech-Flexible-Maintenance/dp/B0BZNXBLCF/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1XL0GM2HU0O2K&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Ck_oLRYUSrSp2wXzymVIFmYk1faYnCimroyLLSmUOYFXpNN8CVAX3KPncY6mmPFLCDQ6FGCeaxV6J5NoV_j7v0c2QdLnp99S9gmrrKi8c5TVmWa8X6So3R7Kym0ZRjhHSir03bv4VpFv4kce8jhEwka8_juiJOqKblqJ4KbeQS-TvtDTTNQALH6oEWIAcyn1mh9CnzzPPv38Gg50KQZDHnkU-Ls02Tt1OB8ha33QA0T02_ucRmqBf6kTf4MUIMTlBpGFIaH8kRHzXB1OSmkcL5BchMjaJh4fac4bJOebrGM.HxdCpBxZkUgW55rX0drGufZe72WPJVuJxvImEjQxKhg&dib_tag=se&keywords=hose%2Bpinch%2Boff%2Bpliers&qid=1743819794&sprefix=hose%2Bpi%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-8&th=1)
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: wolfe10 on April 05, 2025, 08:45:08 am
I am not a fan of pinching fuel hoses, particularly old fuel hoses that tend to be more brittle and prone to cracking.

Do the filter change quickly and long-term, add a diesel compatible ball valve to the inlet of the primary fuel filter.
Title: Re: Fuel Filter? Finding and replacing
Post by: Rich Bowman on April 05, 2025, 01:21:52 pm
I raise the back of the coach and then change the filters.  Very little leakage.  It does take some pumping on the button above the filter to get the air out of the lines but certainly easier and quicker than removing batteries.  You can also turn on the ignition without cranking the engine and the lift pump will prime the system.

Rich