Oil & Fuel Fuel Filter Change - Opinions?

[buckle97]

After my recent incident with changing my fuel filter and needing advice from fellow TBN'ers on why my L3830 would not start, I got to thinking about the necessity/frequency of changing the fuel filter.
When I was reading over the steps for completing the 50 hour service, the fuel filter was not listed. I went to my dealer (Farmbelt Equipment in Brookhaven, MS) and the guy behind the service counter started gathering my parts. he threw a small filter in the box and I asked "What is that?" He said it was the fuel filter and when I responded "the manual doesn't say to change the fuel filter at 50 hours" he said "it's only $3.49, do it anyway." I felt sure he wouldn't give me bad advice, but by changing the fuel filter my tractor was out of commission for a few days extra just because I didn't know that I needed to bleed the fuel lines. Thanks to all of you I was up and running again without much headache. Plus, now I know a little more about my tractor.

What do you all think about fuel filter changes? How often? Under what conditions? Only when you know you have gotten bad fuel?

Lawrence

 

[BobinCols]

I had my 3010 for 210 hours and never changed the fuel filter even though I had one. Have 115 hours on the 3130 and never changed yet. As long as my site glass is clear, I am not going to change mine.

 

[DK35vince]

At 205 hours I haven't changed the fuel filter yet.
I may change it at my next oil change, due at 300 hours.

 

[alvanko]

I change mine once a year . Doesn't have site glass just spin on . Cheep insurance . Always fill the filter before installing .

 

[Larry_T]

I think you should change once a year.if you leave it in too long it may deteriorate. Larry

 

[DaGoatMan]

The maintenance schedule for Kubota products recommends changing the fuel filter at 300 hour intervals.

DaGoatMan

 

[_RaT_]

I'm with you Bob. The only way dirt gets in the filter is from dirty fuel so if you take care there, your eliminating a big part of the problem. The filter itself does not deteriorate from diesel fuel but may just from physical abuse like cleaning. I suppose that after 5 years or many hundreds of hours, I will change it. I now have about 200 hours and it could not be much dirtier or cleaner then the day I first drove it. If it got dirty enough to no longer allow the needed fuel flow into the pump, then it would mean I was pouring very dirty diesel as the engines requirements are incredibly small and I suspect even a filter that is 90% ocluded would still allow enough fuel flow to operate properly. I don't feel like I'm skimping, if anything, I'm using a little common sense and caution. Rat...

 

[JerryG]

From all the filters that I have changed over the years, it is not dirt that is the problem. The main problem is algae that builds up in the filter over time.

 

[5030]

Well:

Lets see....The fuel supplier that fills my bulk tank filters the fuel when it comes off the truck. It's filtered again when it is pumped from the tank to my tractor and the filter on the tractor filters it again. I'd think the last filter is not doing much so I'll leave it alone. I put biocide in my fuel storage tank so algae isn't a problem. I have a 5year old diesel fired pressure washer with a clear bowl fuel filter on it. It never has anything in the bowl or on the filter.

 

[JJT]

I change mine every 100 hours, cheap insurance. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've never had to bleed my fuel lines after a filter change and I've done it 4 times.