D3 Secondary fuel filter (fuel/water separator)

[Red Raven]

When changing the secondary fuel filter (fuel/after separator on the engine) on the Volvo D3 yesterday I had a difficult time stopping the sensor on screwed onto the bottom from leaking. Never had this problem before. It is plastic so I didn’t want to break it by over tightening it but it took me three tries removing it, cleaning it and cranking it very tight before it stopped leaking. I was wondering if I had somehow lost a gasket but there is no sign of one ever being on the part and one does not show in the manual or on the diagrams on the filter. No gasket comes with the filter either.

Can anyone confirm that this part uses no gasket for a good seal? Anyone have this issue with a leaking filter at this point?

Curt

 

[Admiral S]

I haven't gotten this far yet, I spent an hour trying to get the filter off with no success. Is there some trick to getting this filter off the first time?

Looks to be a spring project with some disassembly in my future!

 

[Red Raven]

Yes, getting it off the first time is really a challenge. Get some friction tape and wrap it around the filter. Buy a good filter wrench that fits the filter really well and one with a short stout handle to fit in the space. If you cannot then move it by hand, then use a large crow bar taped to the wrench handle and pivot the crow bar against the motor mount below. That’s how I did it. Mine was over tightened by over a full turn. It is likely put on at the factory by a manufacturing robot.

 

[Admiral S]

Yes, getting it off the first time is really a challenge. Get some friction tape and wrap it around the filter. Buy a good filter wrench that fits the filter really well and one with a short stout handle to fit in the space. If you cannot then move it by hand, then use a large crow bar taped to the wrench handle and pivot the crow bar against the motor mount below. That’s how I did it. Mine was over tightened by over a full turn. It is likely put on at the factory by a manufacturing robot.

Thanks Curt, will give that a try. Attempted to use a wide rubber strap wrench and it started to get dark and abandoned!

 

[BB marine]

If your question is there a gasket ? Yes there is a flat rubber gasket. It sticks to the bottom of the filter housing. At least it did mine. When I replaced it this fall second replacement( First was a night mare!!!) I removed the drain plug and drained the filter before loosening it. Quite a bit of fuel came out so I thought it had drained. I left the drain off the filter and loosed the filter housing, it started to drain some more. Next time I replace it I will drain it then install the plug then loosen the filter and remove it. The gasket does not come with the filter. I reused it last year and this year and ordered a new gasket and plastic plug. I got the plastic plug and gasket just for emergency, I don't think it will take to much over tightening before it cracks. seal part # 21927730
sensor/drain plug part# 3808616
Brian Brown
Cutwater26
PORT-A-GEE

 

[Cessna172]

I ended up removing the filter mount. Then taking it to a vice, where it took two of us with mega-size filter wrenches to break the original filter free.

Don't be tempted to puncture or overly distort the filter when attempting to remove it, as this almost invariably ends with shards of the filter still threaded into the base with now nothing to grab onto to remove it...

 

[BB marine]

The first removal is bad !!! Like Curt said Robot installed. After that it is easy. I removed the filter assembly from the block also. It would not turn, I could not get enough leverage in the engine compartment. Here is a few pics from my album.

.


Brian Brown
Cutwater 26
PORT-A-GEE

 

[Red Raven]

If your question is there a gasket ? Yes there is a flat rubber gasket. It sticks to the bottom of the filter housing. At least it did mine. When I replaced it this fall second replacement( First was a night mare!!!) I removed the drain plug and drained the filter before loosening it. Quite a bit of fuel came out so I thought it had drained. I left the drain off the filter and loosed the filter housing, it started to drain some more. Next time I replace it I will drain it then install the plug then loosen the filter and remove it. The gasket does not come with the filter. I reused it last year and this year and ordered a new gasket and plastic plug. I got the plastic plug and gasket just for emergency, I don't think it will take to much over tightening before it cracks.
Brian Brown
Cutwater26
PORT-A-GEE

Thanks so much Brian. That information is exactly what I needed. I’m not sure where the gasket went but there is not one there now. I went back to the disposal bag I put the old filter in and looked for a gasket but found none and the filter went straight into the bag when removed. That is why I thought that maybe there wasn’t supposed to be one. Still I was concerned enough even though the leak stopped and asked the question here.

I presume I can get a new one from RT. I’ll ask Richard in parts.

Curt

 

[BB marine]

I reposted with part numbers. I purchased them thru Volvo online parts store.
Brian Brown
Cutwater26
PORT-A-GEE

 

[Red Raven]

Thanks, found it. Tugnuts is awesome!

Curt

 

[dclagett]

Curt,

Be careful screwing the sensor back into the filter. When I was having false water in fuel alarms I was asked several times by the RT factory if I had over tightened the sensor. It seems if you crack the plastic housing this can lead to false alarms. I purchased a new sensor ($80+) and with it came instructions for tightening. If I remember correctly you screw in the sensor until the thick rubber washer just touches the filter and then screw in an additional 1/2 to 3/4 turn.

Richard

 

[knotflying]

I have a Yanmar so I am not as familiar with the Volvo, but the pictures looked like the primary filter not the secondary. The terms are sometimes confused, but the fuel first goes through the primary which has larger microns and the secondary has smaller microns and is usually larger in size. On the Yanmar the sensor is on the primary. I also do not understand why the sensor has to be removed. I usually turn off the fuel valve at the tank outlet. Unscrew the entire filter assembly with the sump, dump it into an old large coffee can and then remove the sump. No need to remove the sensor.

 

[BB marine]

The pictures I posted are of the Secondary which is mounted to the engine block. The sensor works two functions 1) it is a drain to drain off water and fuel, and 2) it is the water sensor. It has to be removed when replacing the filter and reinstalled on the new filter . The primary filter is a racor with a 10 micron filter element std. but can also be 20 micron or 2 micron depending on if it is used as a primary or secondary. It is mounted on the bulkhead it also has a drain plug or a petcock to drain the filter housing of water and fuel. There is an optional sensor that can be installed there also. The Volvo D3 on my Cutwater and I assume on the rest of the line only have the sensor on the engine filter.
Brian Brown
Cutwater26
PORT-A-GEE

 

[BB marine]

Curt,

Be careful screwing the sensor back into the filter. When I was having false water in fuel alarms I was asked several times by the RT factory if I had over tightened the sensor. It seems if you crack the plastic housing this can lead to false alarms. I purchased a new sensor ($80+) and with it came instructions for tightening. If I remember correctly you screw in the sensor until the thick rubber washer just touches the filter and then screw in an additional 1/2 to 3/4 turn.

Richard

The filter also has the installation directions on it . Tightening the filter to the housing and tightening the sensor to the filter. It is amazing that Volvo doesn't follow these directions.Filter 3/4 turn past contact, sensor 1/2 turn past contact.
Brian Brown
Cutwater26
PORT-A-GEE

 

[Red Raven]

Curt,

Be careful screwing the sensor back into the filter. When I was having false water in fuel alarms I was asked several times by the RT factory if I had over tightened the sensor. It seems if you crack the plastic housing this can lead to false alarms. I purchased a new sensor ($80+) and with it came instructions for tightening. If I remember correctly you screw in the sensor until the thick rubber washer just touches the filter and then screw in an additional 1/2 to 3/4 turn.

Richard

Yes. The 1/2 turn instruction was another reason I suspected a gasket was missing. I could not turn it even a quarter turn past contact. Red flags were going up which led to my post about whether there was supposed to be a gasket. I’m surprised the gasket is not shown in the manual or on the instructions on the filter since it is critical and easy to lose.

Curt

 

[knotflying]

The pictures I posted are of the Secondary which is mounted to the engine block. The sensor works two functions 1) it is a drain to drain off water and fuel, and 2) it is the water sensor. It has to be removed when replacing the filter and reinstalled on the new filter . The primary filter is a racor with a 10 micron filter element std. but can also be 20 micron or 2 micron depending on if it is used as a primary or secondary. It is mounted on the bulkhead it also has a drain plug or a petcock to drain the filter housing of water and fuel. There is an optional sensor that can be installed there also. The Volvo D3 on my Cutwater and I assume on the rest of the line only have the sensor on the engine filter.
Brian Brown
Cutwater26
PORT-A-GEE

Thanks for the info.

 

[Red Raven]

OK, here I go again on the removal of the Volvo D3 secondary fuel filter. Per the discussion in the thread about last year I was dealing with a lost gasket on the water-in-fuel sensor. In the process of dealing with that I must have over tightened the fuel filter to stop the leak.

Now this year, I could not get the filter off again. I was out of friction tape which is necessary to keep the strap wrench from slipping and my wrench was getting bent to the point of uselessness. Of to the store for friction tape an a new wrench. While there, I bought two types of filter wrenches to see if they would work better as the old wasn’t cutting it.

Here’s the solution that worked best:



Here’s a close up of the wrench.



Note the friction tape and crushed filter. On tight!

 

[BB marine]

I hate when stuff like that happens a five minute job turns into hours. After my first nightmare removal I make a point of 3/4 turn after initial contact of the filter gasket touching. I use my hands only to tighten. The same with the drain/water sensor, replace the gasket every time and tighten 1/2 turn past contact. It doesn't seem tight enough but it has never leaked. I fear having the nightmare again! What I really fear is having a issue like that while cruising, needing to replace the filter and it is struck on and can't loosen it. Hand Tight ....

 

[Red Raven]

Yes, absolutely! 3/4 turn... Hand Tight...Hand Tight...Hand Tight!