Fuel Filter sediment bowl

[Riderguy]

Hey guys:

I have a 2009 3720 that is 14 months old from date of sale. I am trying to clean out the fuel sediment bowl, but am having a bear of a time getting the large knurled knob to turn. I am turning it counterclockwise as per the instructions, but the only thing I do is slowly bend the mounting bracket so that the unit slowly migrates towards the front of the tractor. I have tried using a flathead screwdriver and a rubber mallet to get the thing to turn, but that isn't working out real well either.

So, I figured I'd see if any of you have had a real issue with getting the bowl off the first time, and if you did, what you did to get it to come loose. Any suggestions short of taking it to the dealer would be appreciated.

Scott

 

[deputy11]

1. Turn fuel shutoff valve OFF (A). Open drain valve on
bottom of filter bowl. Turn air bleed screw (G) out a few
turns to drain fuel from bowl.
2. Remove retaining ring (B) and bowl (C). Inspect O ring
(D) and water indicator ring (E). Replace if damaged.
3. Remove strainer (F). Clean screen with clean fuel and
low pressure compressed air. Replace strainer if damaged.

Does this help?

 

[OzGrasshopper]

Hi RG, yes i know exactly what ur talking about - had same experience 2 weeks ago with 3120 & a batch of dirty fuel from a "national" supplier........
i nearly broke that bracket off that holds the bowl....but i think the manuals are written in china or somewhere - cos the undoing direction was totally wrong way. i got a oil filter strap & put on, worked it gently back & forth & off it came quite easily.
deputy 11 advice is prity much like my manual says - but u have to get the bowl loose to start........
now second trick to this situation, is in the 3120 instructions it says
7) remove & retain the plastic ring and SPRING from the sediment bowl.
i had all the bits on shed floor & couldn't find the spring - hunted high & low - rang local dealer & asked had they left it out when servicing cos not in there now!!!!!! No, he said, some filters have a long plastic stem instead of a spring - stem just sit on bottom of bowl - don't know if thats ur situation or not, but if it is dont spend hours looking for something u haven't lost.....
cheers OzGH

 

[RalphVa]

On my 4010, it's far easier to remove a 12 mm bolt that holds the fuel filter assembly onto the frame. Then it's easy to rotate the assembly up to where one can get at the knob that holds the bowl in place.

Sounds like you're getting good advice from others though.

Ralph

 

[Riderguy]

Hi RG, yes i know exactly what ur talking about - had same experience 2 weeks ago with 3120 & a batch of dirty fuel from a "national" supplier........
i nearly broke that bracket off that holds the bowl....but i think the manuals are written in china or somewhere - cos the undoing direction was totally wrong way. i got a oil filter strap & put on, worked it gently back & forth & off it came quite easily.
deputy 11 advice is prity much like my manual says - but u have to get the bowl loose to start........
now second trick to this situation, is in the 3120 instructions it says
7) remove & retain the plastic ring and SPRING from the sediment bowl.
i had all the bits on shed floor & couldn't find the spring - hunted high & low - rang local dealer & asked had they left it out when servicing cos not in there now!!!!!! No, he said, some filters have a long plastic stem instead of a spring - stem just sit on bottom of bowl - don't know if thats ur situation or not, but if it is dont spend hours looking for something u haven't lost.....
cheers OzGH

Thanks for all the advice guys. I did get the the unit apart with a pliers-like oil filter wrench. Also, I was initially going the wrong way (counterclockwise to the Tech Writer is looking from the bottom of the unit up!!) Lots of residual fuel in both the sediment bowl and the metal fuel filter but I got them cleaned/changed.

OZ, my plastic filter is just like yours, so thanks for the heads up.

Again thanks for the advice.

Scott

 

[JD755]

I had the same problem many years ago when I changed the fuel filter for the first time on my tractor. The ring was stuck and the whole assembly tried to rotate on the bracket. Like you, I was afraid to turn too hard because the CW/CCW instruction was unclear. I finally looked up the assembly drawing in my JD parts book to see to what screwed onto what so I could determine the correct direction to turn it. With that information I was then confident enough to turn it harder and it came loose. Since then I have had no problem getting it off. I just had to overcome the problems of factory tightening and poor instructions in the operator manual.