Paccar fuel filter doesn't stay full

[aaronb]

I have a 2013 Peterbilt 389 with an ISX15 cm2250. It has the PACCAR fuel water separator on the frame. The fuel level in the housing fluctuates. Awhile back I removed the fuel line on the inlet side of the filter to check for a blockage there. No fuel at all ran out of the line. I haven't had any issues with hard starting or cutting out. Sometimes the engine doesn't feel as smooth as others. Any advice what the problem might be? Thanks.

I added a couple pictures showing how low it is at times.

[jimeneztrans84]

Same thing happens to mine. I have a 2011 kw with cm2250. It takes a while/miles for my to start seeing the fuel level above the plastic threaded ring. Its been 25k and im barely satrting to see the fuel level rise. This was concerning me because i would see the filter getting dirty but wouldn't rise above level, sometimes fuel level will be up then when I stop to put fuel I wouldn't see the fuel. Last oil change I drained the fuel from bottom and checked to see if there was any debris on the bottom of filter and nope it was clean. So I just put filter back on. Davco claims they last up to 100,000 miles.

[smorgan87]

If its anything like the davco the fuel level only rises as the filter gets dirty. So clean filter low level in the dome. Fluctuation is caused by the little ball check valve in the bottom

[smorgan87]

I sure wish my fuel was that clean.

[aaronb]

I drove a kenworth before this that it was always full. Our local dealership said it's supposed to run full. The fuel lines run into the top of the housing so I would think it's supposed to run full.

I actually can't figure out how it runs like that. The fuel runs into the filter on the outside of the cartridge. Flows through the cartridge and then goes out the top of the cartridge to the engine. There's no hole in the bottom of the cartridge to suck up the fuel. I just looked at the extra filter I have. Looking down through the hole in the top it's hollow. There's no tube that runs to the bottom of the cartridge to suck up the fuel down there. That makes me think the housing is bad and the fuel is somehow bypassing the filter cartridge in the filter head. I don't know how else it could run if the fuel level is so far from the outlet hole. The thing that makes me unsure about that is that if the fuel gells up it'll wax up that filter and my filter gauge tops out.

[Pete379]

I have that same filter setup. The paccar filter assembly mounted vertically on the frame should be full of fuel to the top. Pull the filter and take a look where the pickup is at. It looks like it would be right at the level that your fuel is so that would explain why no hard starts it’s getting fuel but there’s something wrong. Possibly a check valve or something. I never experienced this problem but you have to address it. Does it look like that while the engine in running or only when it is off?

[aaronb]

(02-24-2018 )Pete379 Wrote:  I have that same filter setup. The paccar filter assembly mounted vertically on the frame should be full of fuel to the top. Pull the filter and take a look where the pickup is at. It looks like it would be right at the level that your fuel is so that would explain why no hard starts it’s getting fuel but there’s something wrong. Possibly a check valve or something. I never experienced this problem but you have to address it. Does it look like that while the engine in running or only when it is off?

The engine was running when I took that picture. I've had the filter off and looked up at the housing. There's a hole in the top of the cartridge with a plastic pin that pushes open the valve in the top of the housing to let fuel through. The fuel pickup in the housing is at the top. That's why I was thinking the housing base is bad and is somehow bypassing the filter. I don't know how else the truck could run if the fuel level is like 6 inches below the pickup where it's supposed to flow out of the filter.

[Pete379]

There should be a draw tube that goes down and almost touches the bottom of the filter on your paccar assembly. It is very flimsy I am curious if when the last filter was changed it was broken off. The tube is what you press the filter onto and then you screw the plastic see through bowl into the assembly. Can you get any pictures with the filter off?

[tree98]

I have that same filter on my 2017 pete that I bought brand new, it's been full to the top since the day i got it.I just thought it was different than the davco and it was supposed to be full all the time. lol