jdcaples
Not Suitable w/220v Gen
The weekend of the July 4th, 2009 I replaced my fuel filter, oil & oil filter and main engine air intake filter.
The Highlights
Prior to work I had all the tools and supplies/parts required for the job in one, handy place.
Details
A few days before my planned project day, I did all of the following:
and
http://www.ourexcellentadventures.com/2008/09/05/changing-the-fuel-filter-part-2/
Specifically, I looked at the back of the filter bracket and found my 5 mm hex driver and verified that it was reachable with the tool. I did this for all the fasteners I’d need to touch for the project.
Then I put the engine cover and air cleaner back on, connected the wiring to the sensors and verified that I was, in fact, competent enough to take all this stuff apart and put it back together w/o making my Sprinter cough up a DTC.
Basically, I just scoped the project and made all the foreseeable tools and supplies available to myself after verifying – for instance - my 5mm allen driver actually fit the retention screw for the fuel filter bracket.
I collected enough rags to cover the arena, sop up spills, etc. I thought this would be messy. It wasn’t.
The currently employed fuel filter laughed at me and explained that if I tried this, I’d have to have the Sprinter towed to the dealership. I ignored its threats as the fuel filter knows its time is near and will say anything to keep its job.
The Day Arrived
I started with 2 mile drive and a StarMOBILE scan to verify that I didn’t have any driving issues or active or stored DTCs (not all DTCs will cause the check engine light to illuminate). I didn’t.
This is where my clock started ticking.
I cracked the oil filter housing cap, started to drain the oil. Then I exposed the fuel filter, removing the engine intake air cleaner and center engine cover.
Before picking up any tools, I draped towels around the area of operation, covering all the holes big enough to swallow a clamp, but too small for my hand. This is a habit I learned from my father. I don’t even think about it anymore but it proved, perhaps for the first time in my life, to be helpful.
The towel serves as a net (Always try to work with Annette… Annette Funicello, Annette Benning, Annette Moreno; the only exception is, well, don’t work with Annette Yeomans).
I found that my fuel filter bracket was tightly clamped around on the filter. I loosened the screw.
The bracket didn’t release.
What?
I'll say this way: Turn screw counter-clockwise. Bracket remains, unmoved. Filter stuck.
(Sprinter Source says, "The text you have entred it too long (11047 characters). Please shorten to 10000 characters long). I can do that. See next posting.
-Jon
The Highlights
Prior to work I had all the tools and supplies/parts required for the job in one, handy place.
- I didn’t spill diesel in the engine compartment.
- I cracked the oil filter housing cap and removed the drain screw before playing with the fuel filter
- After the fuel filter work, I finished the oil service.
- Then I replaced the engine air filter.
Details
A few days before my planned project day, I did all of the following:
- I reviewed Keith Messinger’s (kmessinger) write up
and
http://www.ourexcellentadventures.com/2008/09/05/changing-the-fuel-filter-part-2/
- I hauled out the new in box fuel filter, air filter, oil filter and 14 quarts of oil placing them in the back of the van.
- I pulled off the air cleaner and center engine cover.
- I fished around that disaster of a tool collection for all the drivers and bits I’d need, looking for major headaches that would put up a fight, as well as for chaffed wires, and other signs if insidious entropy.
Specifically, I looked at the back of the filter bracket and found my 5 mm hex driver and verified that it was reachable with the tool. I did this for all the fasteners I’d need to touch for the project.
Then I put the engine cover and air cleaner back on, connected the wiring to the sensors and verified that I was, in fact, competent enough to take all this stuff apart and put it back together w/o making my Sprinter cough up a DTC.
Basically, I just scoped the project and made all the foreseeable tools and supplies available to myself after verifying – for instance - my 5mm allen driver actually fit the retention screw for the fuel filter bracket.
I collected enough rags to cover the arena, sop up spills, etc. I thought this would be messy. It wasn’t.
The currently employed fuel filter laughed at me and explained that if I tried this, I’d have to have the Sprinter towed to the dealership. I ignored its threats as the fuel filter knows its time is near and will say anything to keep its job.
The Day Arrived
I started with 2 mile drive and a StarMOBILE scan to verify that I didn’t have any driving issues or active or stored DTCs (not all DTCs will cause the check engine light to illuminate). I didn’t.
This is where my clock started ticking.
I cracked the oil filter housing cap, started to drain the oil. Then I exposed the fuel filter, removing the engine intake air cleaner and center engine cover.
Before picking up any tools, I draped towels around the area of operation, covering all the holes big enough to swallow a clamp, but too small for my hand. This is a habit I learned from my father. I don’t even think about it anymore but it proved, perhaps for the first time in my life, to be helpful.
The towel serves as a net (Always try to work with Annette… Annette Funicello, Annette Benning, Annette Moreno; the only exception is, well, don’t work with Annette Yeomans).
I found that my fuel filter bracket was tightly clamped around on the filter. I loosened the screw.
The bracket didn’t release.
What?
I'll say this way: Turn screw counter-clockwise. Bracket remains, unmoved. Filter stuck.
(Sprinter Source says, "The text you have entred it too long (11047 characters). Please shorten to 10000 characters long). I can do that. See next posting.
-Jon