I just changed my fuel filter last night. I did not prime it (like my manual says) and I got it about as tight as I could get it with my hands (I greased the seals with diesel from the old filter). When I start it it starts right away (like it always has) but dies after 2 or 3 seconds. After that I have to crank it for like 15 sec to get it to start again, but when it does it runs and drives just fine. Any suggestions?

 

sounds like air intrusion. Why didnt you fill the filter? just forgot or chose not to? After it has been running for awhile good, park it and let it sit overnight, then pull the filter, check and see if it is full. If it is we will go from there but i am betting that it wont be full and that is classic air intrusion. Check all the lines on the return system and plastic caps on the injectors to see if they are wet, might be time for a return line kit. commonly called an injector install kit. replaces all the return lines and caps and orings on injectors.

 

Probably air in the system. Did you fill the filter before screwing it on? and if so did you bleed the system at the shrader valve on the filter housing? Best way to do this is get someone to turn it over with the FSS disconnected until you get a stream of fuel from the valve then reconnect the FSS and it should start.

 

I chose not to fill it because that is what my manual says to do. I did the change last night and I have driven about 40 miles with it so far and its still doing it. I pulled the filter and checked all the seals and lubed them with a little oil. I filled it about half full with diesel kleen. It started after a few seconds so I will give it 10 min and try again to see if it fires right up. You were correct that the filter was not full of fuel. Why would the return lines have developed a problem right as I changed the filter because I never had this trouble before.

 

I used the schrader valve on it to bleed it while the truck was running I got a mixture of air and fuel for a few seconds and then I got just fuel. So I shut it of and tried to start it about 1 min later and it did the same thing. If I shut it off and immediately try and restart it works fine. I didn't see any obvious leaks on the fuel lines. Is it possible I got a bad fuel filter or maybe a bad o-ring. The ring on the bottom didn't fit tightly into the housing that you screw on. It just sort of sat in it (if I flipped the housing upside down it would have fallen out)

 

Did you get two o rings with the filter? A smaller one for the threaded part and the bigger one for the circumference of the filter? If so you don't need the smaller one. Putting that on will cause the larger not to seat properly.

Because the air from the filter went to the return lines when you cranked it on an empty filter.Thats why you should crank the engine with the FSS disconnected to stop the air from reaching the IP and Injectors

 

what year is your truck Nurumkin?
im all the sudden having the same problem you are(with the fuel drain back only issue,as iv got an e-pump i keep running just fine,)and i didn't even touch my filter.
im thinking the more drastic cold to warm temps now,are doing in the older sections of the fuel system,where they may not have been replaced before.
there are many common places,that i haven't touched yet,and probably should have before now.
now i have to find 'em in in the cold lol.
good news is,so far i haven't had to replace the same section twice,and there can't be much left lol.
(i could just "cheat" with my e-pump by giving it a good 30 seconds before i crank,but i don't want to do that.sure is nice to have right now though lol.don't want to glow twice either.)

 

what does FSS stand for? also I think it may have something to do with the fact that the Oring I got for the bottom section of the filter seemed smaller then the old one. I think I may have just got a bad ring. I have it at the shop anyway to have the wiring for my plow hooked up so he said he would swap it out for me.

 

Fuel Shutoff Solenoid. Its one of two electrical connections on the Injection pump. The FSS is at the front and the cold start advance is at the rear. When you bleed the system pull the FSS and depress the shrader while someone cranks the engine. That way any air trapped in the system wont go as far as the IP. It will be expelled from the shrader

 

ALWAYS fill the filter with filtered clean diesel or better yet fuel additive .....power service, hayes diesel treat etc no sense burning up a starter.

Any air should be expelled via the filter header check valve and the line from it to #1 injector return line. As you say the Schrader valve will also do it faster with fuel squirting....

Is there per chance a wet spot at the black electrical connector on the filter.

Very good info here........re air and checking.

Ford diesel 6.9 7.3 IDI

 

I needa use a filter wrench on My FF's or they will leak. Give it a try.