How often should we change our fuel filters on v10s?
I just figured that at 10mpg I have gone through 1500 gallons of fuel in the last 8 months.
Did Ford design this filter big enough for that type of consumption?
It doesn't look much bigger than my 4.9 6 cyl PU filter.

So what is the rule? Just follow the factory service schedule?

 

Manual calls for every 15K. I don;t really see a need to do it any more frequently unless you live in the boondocks.

 

I left mine on for 20K miles and it was HORRIBLY clogged.

Matter of fact, that's one thing I have to do before I go Upstate for Labor Day.

Thanks for reminding me

 

I change mine every 10k miles, last change was at 30k miles so my trucks due again at 40k. Only costs $11 for a Napa Gold filter and 5min or so to change. The V10 uses more fuel than your average gas vehicle. Ford uses the same filter on MANY other models. For instance both our 4.0l Explorers use the same fuel filter as the SD.

 

Dang! Are you guys getting your gas off the ground or something?? The gas is my area is very clean.

 

I chaged back a while ago and kept the old filter with the intentions of cutting it open and I've just forgotten about it - I'll have to do that this weekend. I 'assume' that the fuel filter was changed at some point before I bought my X (got it with 114k on it) - I know for a fact the old filter had at least 30k on it, so I'd like to see what it looks like on the inside. When I changed it, the gas that did come out appeared to be clean and not murky or dark.

I plan on changing it once per year from now on - it maybe 10k to 18k per year... it's easier for me to just change it per calendar year instead of keeping up with the odo and as mentioned, it's not expensive (esp now that i have the tools to do it with).

 

Monsta touched on the most significant variable - the cleanliness of the fuel you buy!

I buy the vast majority of my gas at a local 76 station that had it's tanks installed only 6 years ago - and they are double wall.

My filter will last much longer than if I was purchasing from no-name discounter pumping out of 30 year old rusted out storage tank.

 

I heard that within a year or so ALL stations are required to install fiberglass tanks if they don't have them.

I bought a new Yamaha 25hp outboard and ran about 8 gallons through it before I installed an inline fuel filter on the tank line. The motor has a cleanable filter on it which I cleaned when I installed the inline filter. I was surprised at the amount of crap in the filter with only a small amount of fuel ran through it.

 

My truck had 17.5k miles on it when I changed mine and the fuel that came out looked very clean, but I didn't cut open the filter to see what was in it. I also changed the air filter at the same time and my mileage has gone up about 10% - 15% (from 8-something to 9-10-something.

 

My 2001 superduty (5.4) is at 73000 miles and has never had the fuel filter changed and has never shown any symptoms of the filter starting to clog. I have an 89 F150 with 252000 miles on it and it has had maybe three fuel filters on it since new and none of the ones that came off of it really didn't need to be changed.

 

That's the funny thing - the inside of my gas tank, you can eat off of ...

The first filter at 20K, well, that was another story.

I figure it's a few things - varnish from the gas, and metal from the fuel pump - they are metal impellers, after all...

 

Thanks for all the responses !
I guess it is time to change mine, which brings me to:
How do you change it ?
Is there fuel pressure? Will a lot of fuel drain out? How do you take off those clamps?
I am a very good wrench but I have not done a Ford fuel filter and I would just like to know any tricks and what to excpect.
Thanks

 

Just did the one on my '01... Out came some black gas, took it apart, nothing ominous but certainly wasn't flowing as well as a new one anymore. Checked my fuel pressures too

Anyway, get the plastic fuel-line release tools - mine used a 3/8"

I release the fuel pressure (or at least, most of it) by letting the engine run, and pulling the fuel pump fuse (#19 under the hood on my '01). When the engine dies, you have no more pressure

There is a retaining clip on the forward side of the filter, push it towards the body of the filter, and pull the rearward side away from the filter barb.

Put the fuel line release tool on the barb on the filter, push the fuel line towards the filter, while pushing the release tool into the end of the fuel line. Then, pull both the line and the release tool firmly away from the fuel filter, and it should just pop right off.

Of course, there will be gas running down your arm - never figured out a way to stop that, except for a rag.

When that's drained out and it stops dripping, go to the rear fuel line and do the same thing with the release tool - put the tool on the barb, push the fuel line towards the filter, push the release tool into the end of the fuel line, and pull both the line and the tool away from the filter.

The filter is held onto the frame rail with a big "C" clip - just pull the filter out of the clip, and replace with the new one, making sure you orient it the right way - the filter should have an arrow that shows the direction of flow - towards the engine.

Push the fuel lines back onto the filter, until they click. Then push that retaining clip back onto the filter barb and pull towards the front of the truck to lock it in the end of the fuel line.

 

That is probably the hardest part... I had to pry that puppy out. Putting the new one in was as difficult.

 

Pouring the fuel out of the old filter will not show you much. If you give it a good smack on the ground while holding your fingers over the ends, then drain the fuel out, you'll be amazed what comes out. Old timer mechanic showed me that.