Oil & Fuel oil change, oil filter change, but what about fuel filter?

Hope Caper · May 3, 2016

Hello All,
Looking for advice on a maintenance question. I'm in the process of changing my oil and oil filter. I'm buying the oil and filter from a local garage, not a tractor dealer. Anyway as I'm purchasing the products the garage owner suggests that I change my fuel filter at the same time. He tells me that local long haul drivers usually change their fuel filter along with the oil filter when doing their oil. I have not seen that anywhere in any of the literature or helpful suggestions on here. Anyone know if this is recommended practice? By the way I am changing the oil and filter due to the passage of seasons not due to hours on the machine. I have about 40 hours on the oil, oil filter and fuel filter. But I have had the tractor a year and a half. All fluids, filters, etc. were changed when I bought it.

murphy1244 · May 3, 2016

Hope Caper said:
Hello All,
Looking for advice on a maintenance question. I'm in the process of changing my oil and oil filter. I'm buying the oil and filter from a local garage, not a tractor dealer. Anyway as I'm purchasing the products the garage owner suggests that I change my fuel filter at the same time. He tells me that local long haul drivers usually change their fuel filter along with the oil filter when doing their oil. I have not seen that anywhere in any of the literature or helpful suggestions on here. Anyone know if this is recommended practice? By the way I am changing the oil and filter due to the passage of seasons not due to hours on the machine. I have about 40 hours on the oil, oil filter and fuel filter. But I have had the tractor a year and a half. All fluids, filters, etc. were changed when I bought it.

I would not bother. Check the bowl is it dirty?

VictorW · May 3, 2016

The manual for my CK30hst advises fuel filter every 400 hours. That's how I've changed mine and even then the filter looks pretty clean. I give it a look, like advised by murphy, during my 100 hour oil changes just to make sure it looks good. Never had a problem.

RickB · May 3, 2016

Absent any fuel quality problems I change my tractor's fuel filter between Halloween and Thanksgiving every year. Going into winter with a fresh filter and clean fuel bowl, along with properly treated fuel, keeps winter fuel issues away.

murphy1244 · May 3, 2016

I do run all my fuel thru a Mr. Funnel also.

ritcheyvs · May 3, 2016

As long as the oil is Diesel rated (Cx API rating) and the correct viscosity for your climate, any source is fine. Many of us use Mobile 1 or Rotella from Walmart. On the other hand, I try to get real Kioti filters. Some folks here have had problems with other brand filters that should have been OK according to the cross-reference charts.

One load of dirty fuel will plug the fuel filter. On the other hand filters seem to go forever on clean fuel but I guess they can get tired. If you have clean sight glass just go by the book (400 hr).

Hope Caper · May 4, 2016

Good information everyone, thanks.
If I may further tap your brains on a related question:
Since I put such few hours, at least so far, on my tractor I was wondering what grade of oil would be best to use year round. The book calls for 10w 30 in the summer and 15w 40 in the summer. At this time I am likely going to change my oil once a year. I have noted that many of you use synthetic and wondered if that would be a better choice. Where I live it gets up into the high 20s and low 30s in the summer ( in Fahrenheit that would 80s and 90s) and minus 20s to minus 40s in the winter (in Fahrenheit that would be 10 below to 40 below). As we all know there is nothing consistent about temperature but these are average numbers.

Hope Caper · May 4, 2016

murphy1244 said:
I do run all my fuel thru a Mr. Funnel also.

Great tip there Murph. Should I use this funnel exclusively for diesel or can I use it for my gas equipment as well?

murphy1244 · May 4, 2016

Hope Caper said:
Great tip there Murph. Should I use this funnel exclusively for diesel or can I use it for my gas equipment as well?

I use it for both. I have 2 of them 1 big and 1 small for my splitter. Never had a fuel problem.

oosik · May 4, 2016

I've never, in 30+ years, had problems(water, sediment, dirt) with the diesel fuel I use. The fuel bowl has always been clear. My owners manual recommends changing the fuel filter at 400 hours. I change my oil & filter once a year and use Kubota oil & filters. The owners manual recommends EITHER 10w30 or 15w40. I've always used 15w40.

There are a lot of other excellent diesel rated oils you could use - I got a fantastic deal on Kubota oil - that's why I use it. I say Kubota oil, knowing that some company makes it for Kubota.

I have a Mr Funnel and used it for a couple years but found that it was kind of a PITA and took forever to fill the tractor. As long as I take care of the storage and handling of the fuel everything has been OK. If I ever go to a fuel transfer system - so I don't have to hold a full 5 gallon jerry can up in the air - then I may go back to using Mr Funnel.