Oil & Fuel Fuel Filter Change - Fuel Spill

   / Fuel Filter Change - Fuel Spill #1  

bcarter

Silver Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2000
Messages
136
Location
Far Eastern Central MA
Tractor
Kubota B2710
I need a little sanity check here....

I spent most of Sunday AM doing the pre-winter maintenance on my B2710 (oil change, coolant drain/flush/fill, air filter, etc.) This year I also decided to replace the fuel filter since I'd never done it before...

No problems until I got to the fuel filter - seemed easy enough, just flip the shut-off valve, remove the bowl, replace the filter and re-install the bowl. I even got smart and removed the bowl while holding a can under/around it to catch any drips...yeah, drips. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Once I got the retaining ring for the bowl loose, the diesel started flowing and I couldn't figure out where or why... I had the new filter right next to me, ready to go, so rather than take any time to analyze the situation, I just put everything back together as fast as I could. As I was putting it back together I noticed the stream of diesel flowing from what appeared to be a third hose into the filter assembly.

After cleaning up the mess I took a look and there appears to be a small vertical hose that comes down from the fuel tank as well as the 2 main hoses (one from the tank and the other to the engine). After reading all of the back posts I could find on the subject (hindsite is a wonderfull thing /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif) I found a post from Sept 2, 2001 that discussed a similar experience.

The general consensus at the time was that this third tube was a vent tube for the tank, but no one could explain why it would have been leaking fuel... If this tube is indeed a vent tube I may have an explaination for this phenomenon. My fuel tank was full right to the top when I attempted this feat. The level of the fuel would have been at or over the level of any vent tube and I'm guessing that with less fuel in the tank I would not have had the problem of fuel coming out of this third tube...

Does anyone have an opinion about this? (I know...rather a silly question to ask on this board /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) I'm looking for some confirmation that I've got this figured out...

Thanks...
 
   / Fuel Filter Change - Fuel Spill #2  
For next time - just put a pair of vice grips on that small tube going to the tank to stop the flow of fuel.
 
   / Fuel Filter Change - Fuel Spill #3  
My B2410, 2710, 2910 sevice manual says;

"When the fuel filter bowl has been removed, fuel stops flowing from the fuel tank. If the tank is almost full, however, the fuel will flow back from the fuel return pipe to the fuel filter. Before the above checking, make sure the fuel tank is less that half full".

Having your tank full would cause this to happen.
 
   / Fuel Filter Change - Fuel Spill #4  
What do you mean service manual????? It seems that in reading these posts since finding this site, that is where most people have problems. Who whoulda thought.
 
   / Fuel Filter Change - Fuel Spill
  • Thread Starter
#5  
BubbaJr,

<font color="blue"> > My B2410, 2710, 2910 sevice manual says; </font>

I didn't see anything in my service manual that like this, but I will look again...

<font color="blue"> > Having your tank full would cause this to happen. </font>

Yup...it certainly would - and mine was certainly more than half full... I feel a lot better with a plausible explanation.

As others have mentioned I'll pinch off that line if my fuel tank is more than have full (and I'll make a note in my maintenance log so that I remember to do it!)

Thanks!
 
   / Fuel Filter Change - Fuel Spill #6  
Hi Bill,

I got this info from the WSM (Work shop Manual) on page G-21 in the General section. I also just found it in the Operator's manual on page 55 in the Maintenance section.

This is just one of many ways to make a big mess doing the service on these tractors. Mine occured when I drained the front axle, and didn't have the catch pan positioned just right, and I only turned my back for a second when "The Flood" occured. We've all done it before. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
 
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