Switched my mind about pre-filtering diesel after a bad job in Rapid City

I used to think inline pre-filters were just an upsell from parts shops, but last month changed that. I was working on a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia that kept bogging down under load. Customer swore he just had the fuel filters changed 500 miles ago. I pulled the water separator and it was packed with crud, like little black specks and sediment. Found out his supplier had a bad batch of diesel with algae and rust particles. The pre-filter on a buddy's recommendation caught most of that before it hit the CP4 pump. That pump is a $3,500 fix if it goes, so now I see the $40 pre-filter as cheap insurance. Anyone else run into bad fuel from a specific station or region?

3 comments

3 Comments

park.troy20d ago

Did a buddy of mine have that happen on a Ford Powerstroke in Nebraska? He swore the diesel from a mom and pop station out there killed his pump. Had to drain the whole tank and flush the system, cost him over a grand in labor alone.

the_sam20d agoMost Upvoted

@park.troy that Nebraska diesel sounds like a real gamble sometimes.

mason_knight18d ago

Man those mom and pops ever test their tanks for water?