What does the inside of a DURAMAX fuel filter look like?

[THEFERMANATOR]

Nick was up today and changed out his fuel filter, so I decided to cut it open and post up what I found. It actually wasn't too terribly bad inside.

 

[CtChevy427]

How many miles on that fuel filter?

 

[83GMCK2500]

I should've taken pictures but I cut mine open last week with 16k on it. I still had two areas roughly 1.25"x2" that were still white.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

I think he said he had about 10K on it. It really wasn't that bad inside, nothing but some normal build-up.

 

[RI Chevy Silveradoman]

Any pre-filters????

 

[Unit453]

Ferman, thanks for posting that. I totally forgot and I was gonna ask you about that.

That filter had around 10k miles on it. No pre filters, just plain stock fuel system. No additives since I moved down here either, except the occasional Amsoil or ATF.

Is that rust at the bottom?

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

It looked like rust to me, but not as bad as many I have seen. I know the DMAX filters have a repuation of rusting out in the botom on the old style. The guy I bought mine from said he had a couple rust out and let air into the fuel system.

 

[btfarm]

Must be the high humidity you guys have. I never see any more than a drop or 2 of water when I drain my filter into a pan when I change it. And then, that's pretty rare. Nick's 10k filter looks real clean though.

 

[Unit453]

Were both sides evenly colored like that? Or were there any dark spots?

I'm wondering how the hell rust can get in there at all. It is a pressurized system after all.

 

[CtChevy427]

I'm wondering how the hell rust can get in there at all. It is a pressurized system after all.

Found this at the Wix site.

Diesel fuel filters made of metal are susceptible to rust and corrosion, particularly with today’s ULSD fuels. Because ULSD and biofuels are prone to water absorption, that water must be stripped and contained by the filter, which can cause eventual corrosion in a metal filter can.

 

[Wrecker]

Found this at the Wix site.

Diesel fuel filters made of metal are susceptible to rust and corrosion, particularly with today’s ULSD fuels. Because ULSD and biofuels are prone to water absorption, that water must be stripped and contained by the filter, which can cause eventual corrosion in a metal filter can.

I think this is why Wix went to a plastic can for the new version of the Duramax filter.

 

[saratoga]

My aux filter always has rust in the bottom of the can... the OEM filter doesn't.
Unless you have a lift pump, the filter(s) on the Dmax have the fuel drawn through them, not forced through as in oil filter.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

It was pretty uniform in color on the filter all the way around it. The top portion of the filter was still clean, but the bottom to mid portion is what showed the darkening. Once I get a few miles on mine I'll cut one of the new style RACORS apart and see how it looks since I have a lift pump on mine.

 

[RI Chevy Silveradoman]

The filter looks good for 10K on it. All the filters that I have seen have a little rust in the bottom of them. Better to have it contained there than in the injectors. After all, the filter does have a WIF sensor that traps the water. All in all, it looks much better than my filters when I change them. No worries.

 

[Turbine Doc]

This is why I have the Racor 10 mic prefilter on mine, always a coating of this sediment on the bottom of my filter bowl.

 

[Sparky8370]

Nick was up today and changed out his fuel filter, so I decided to cut it open and post up what I found. It actually wasn't too terribly bad inside.

I always cut the media in half and check it out too. And then I use the halves to start a fire in my fire pit.