January 16, 2006

This bulletin is to inform you of an application error in both the 2005 & 2006 NAPA Application Catalogs.

YEAR APPLICATIONS SERVICE FUEL

Catalog Reads:
2005/2006 Ford F Series w/V8 6.0 L Diesel Engine 3599

Correction: 2005/2006 Ford F Series w/V8 6.0L Diesel Engine N/A
NO Replacement


We DO NOT currently have a replacement part number for these applications. DO NOT FORCE the 3599 into the fuel filter housing, it could damage the fuel release valve.

A new replacement part number is scheduled for release as soon as possible.

A host of changes have been made to the 6.0 litre diesel engine since its release in 2003. A new housing cap was one of the changes made in 2005. The new caps have support ridges which will not allow our 3599 to fit. Pictures of the old and new caps are below.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you or your customers.

Sincerely,


Barry L. Faile
Product Planning Manager

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If you go to Wix's site or Filter 1's you can see that the filter #3599 is not for '05 or '06 trucks...they do show a new filter which is # 33899, but as stated on the site..."is not available".

Fuel Filter 33599 2003-04
Fuel Filter 338991 2005-06

And from FleetFilter:
IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM WIX:

January 24: Wix announced that the 33599 Fuel Filter for the Ford 6.0 diesel may not fit properly in the fuel canister in the 2005 and 2006 models. Ford made a minor change in their filter housing cap that makes the fit of the 33599 difficult.

DO NOT FORCE A 33599 INTO THE CANISTER; damage of the fuel release valve could result.

At this time, Wix has listed on their website that the replacement filter is a 33899.

This information came from FleetFilter.com
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Could explain why some have had problems with their motors and/or bucking & jerking and/or injector issues????? For those that love to flame me on this site (for promoting OEM or RACOR products)... guess there is some satisfaction in posting this info as some here may have or are using the wrong filter!!!

Does anyone know the Motorcraft part number for the '05 & '06 motors and does Ford show it as the same or different than the '03 & '04's?

Thanks,

 

your about a week late a few dollars short another member and I both made posts about this over a week ago......

 

Hey, missed your post... don't get so riled up... thanks for posting it, but I obviously overlooked seeing your post/thread.

No need to be "smart" about being a day late and dollar short... just say it nicely... since you did post it before me... just trying to help.

 

You posted it better beachbum.

But hey guys, speaking of a few dollars. What does one do with the filters that they bought from Fleetfilter?
Brian, are you out there? I would sure like to trade them in.
And what about the one that is already installed? Am I gonna have a problem with it in there?

I seem to recall that last time I saw the other thread on this, that if it is working, I shouldn't worry about it until the next change date. However, I still do have two more replacements.

 

Thanks for the kind words... I did not mean to upset some... but for some it gets them all riled up for some reason??

Personally, I would send all filters back and buy new ones that you know fit 100%. Why guess and wonder?? Hey, until this notice from WIX and the Napa site, we all assumed all was well... didn't we? How does one really know if their mid-year '05 or '06 is affected??

 

all 06's and only Job #2 build 05's from what I have found........

 

PSD, I think mine must be a Job#1 05. My filter fit in with no problems. As I recall, the job # was listed on the window sticker when purchased. At least that is what I think I saw on the other thread. Hate to sound redundant but is there anywhere else that I can find the job #?.... Just to make sure.

 

I know it is stated on the Window Sticker on my 06........

 

I have an interesting question...

I called my Ford dealer this afternoon and they show (with no updates) that all 2003 - 2006 6.0L motors/trucks use the same Motorcraft fuel filter (FD4604).

Why does WIX then say that the #33599 fits '03 - '04 and the #33899 fits '05-'06 (2 different filters)... yet Ford Motorcraft filter (FD4604) fits all model years?

Could it be that the Racor/Motorcraft filter is made in a way that fits the two different housings (all model years) and the WIX filter is not an exact match and the aftermarket manufacture of them has designed or reverse engineered it in a way that is not compatible with all model years? If one owns a 2005 model year truck then one has to worry about if it is a job #1 or job #2 build... but with Motorcraft it's all the same.

This is a straight forward question that NAPA/WIX needs to figure out. Why would NAPA/WIX want to carry two filters when Ford does not need to? There is obviously a difference between WIX's specs and Ford's.

I, for one, am glad I have always used Racor/Motorcraft (bought from Oilguard) or from my dealer on my truck. Until resolved, I would swap your filter and send back to WIX or your dealer and use a Motorcraft until resolved... "cheap piece of mind" in my opinion.

Dear PSD6litre40... instead of flaming me, please just offer a suggestion or answer to my question... if there is one?

 

I will post the pictures of the differences when I go on lunch today. The difference is in the filter caps and on my truck it was a tight fit for it to slide on the cap. But, so was the Motorcraft only not as hard. NAPA will be discontinuing the 3599's as soon as supplies diminish and the new replacement, 3899, will be for all models. You will see that its not that much of a difference when I post the pics and it is not in the housing it is the cap. On 05 and 06's the cap works similar to the HCFM cap and holds the filter in it. If you were to put the wix in the housing first and not on the cap and then insert it that is where your problem would show. More than likely cracking your filter cap or damaging the housing.

 

Just curious, but where on the window sticker do you see the 'job number'? I have all the window stickers from every new car/truck I have ever purchased and I just don't see it.

Unless it is part of the VIN.

Mostly I ask because I have an 05 and will soon be needing a new filter.....

Thanks
dlp

 

It should be on the window sticker on your 05 I will look at my 05 and see where it is.

 

Filter Cap Differences

2003-2005 Job #1 Builds

2005 Job #2 Builds - 2006


Notices the tiny ridges in the 2005 Job #2 and up cap that are not in the 2003-2005 Job #1 build trucks. That is what the problem is the 3599 is just to tight tolerance for the new cap to work. If you have noticed if you have owned a vehicle with the old and new style caps like I have on the old models your secondary filter doesnt come out with the cap. But, the new style cap brings the filter out with it similar to the Water Separator. Hope this helps......

 

I would say you're quick to judge and reach conclusions. At this time, no one really knows what's going on. It's possible that Wix built the filter a little too wide for the canister and therein lies the problem. When the canister was changed - voila! - the filter won't fit properly anymore.

So far, the only company to admit there is a problem is Wix - we may hear from the others in a short period of time. My guess would be that if Wix is now out-of-spec, the others should be too.

Regardless, we are trying to get the 33899 (the substitute for the 33599) in stock, but this may take a few weeks. At that time, we'll begin exchanges for the correct filter. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, you can call or e-mail us.

 

Thanks Brian! Great to hear from you on this. I have two wix sets in my garage and one in the truck. I am not due for a change anytime soon so I suppose there is no real hurry, is there? I'm guessing that the one in the truck is okay until the 30k mark (change #2)?
Please PM or e-mail me with anything pertaining to this.
Tim