Technical Fuel Filter replacement 2002-3 2.8JTD

Currently reading:
Technical Fuel Filter replacement 2002-3 2.8JTD

blaven

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
120
Points
93
Location
Highlands, Isle of Skye
Fiat Ducato 2.8 JTD fuel filter replacement. 2002-3 model

I've posted this in the Ducato section, but I need to know in detail how to remove the electrical cable and water sensor from the bottom of the old fuel filter whilst it is still in position if possible. Does it just pull out, or is it screwed out anti-clockwise? At the bottom of my new canister fuel filter is a hole with a threaded rubber grommet where the white plastic water release bung has been unscrewed.
Cheers
 
Last edited:
I don't know whether this will help but, I've just done this yesterday on my Boxer 2.8HDi.

Looking at the Ducato interactive manual, it looks very similar.

Mine has a plug a little way up the harness from the water sensor, clipped to the firewall, so I could undo the plug and allow the short cable harness to rotate while I unscrewed the filter with a strap wrench. I have one of those wrenches with a fabric strap and a 1/2" socket drive, which I was able to slip behind the filter without unbolting it from the firewall.

My two big problems were 1. I couldn't undo the air filter mounting nuts, as the rubber mounts were rotating underneath. I had to get an open ended spanner underneath to stop them twisting (can't remember what size, might have been 17mm)
2. I couldn't get the airbox and crimped on pipes past the front mounted fusebox on the Boxer, and I had to unbolt the fusebox from the front crossmember and lay it down out of the way. I'm not sure whether the Ducato is the same layout but be mega careful that the fusebox can't touch anything if you have to do this.

HTH
 
hi it dose not sound the same on 05 plate 2.8 jtd take air fillter out and housing
then the fillter is on the backk wall pipes are like the q fix push and pull

sorry about on the side
 

Attachments

  • 20151020_115647-1.jpg
    20151020_115647-1.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 299
Last edited:
From the information I've just recently been given, a 2005 built chassis may have either the canister or cartridge filter.

Mine was registered in 2005, but the chassis was probably built in 2004, and it has the canister type.
I understood that earlier X244s had the canister type, and the OP's is 02-03.

Apologies if I'm incorrect.
 
Cozzykim.

Thanks for that. Either my Ducato was fitted originally with jubilee-type clips where you have your crimped hose clips, or someone has replaced them. I managed to get the big hoses disconnected plus the smaller hose by slackening off the Jub clips and eased the airbox free. Like you, I couldn't undo the 3 little nuts securing the airbox body to the base,-(rusted solid). But if you just take the lid off the fuse box you can jiggle and rotate the whole airbox out if the vehicle leaving the fuel filter well exposed. I found two out of three rubber locating feet were broken (not by me). I bottled out at this stage and reassembled all I had undone because I didn't know how to remove the water sensor plug from the base of the filter and I wasn't going to put a strap wrench on and remove it until I knew.
You still haven't told me how this is done!!!!! I know you can disconnect using the upper electrical connector. I'm grateful for your input, but this is the vital bit of information I need to give me the confidence to carry on? Seems our vehicles are pretty much identical. If I were you I'd bite the bullet and replace your big crimped hose clips with some marine quality big Jubilee clips. It will make your life easier if you keep the vehicle?
Finally, how do you access the Interactive Manual?
Cheers
 
Last edited:
Cozzykim.

Thanks for that. Either my Ducato was fitted originally with jubilee-type clips where you have your crimped hose clips, or someone has replaced them. I managed to get the big hoses disconnected plus the smaller hose by slackening off the Jub clips and eased the airbox free. Like you, I couldn't undo the 3 little nuts securing the airbox body to the base,-(rusted solid). But if you just take the lid off the fuse box you can jiggle and rotate the whole airbox out if the vehicle leaving the fuel filter well exposed. I found two out of three rubber locating feet were broken (not by me). I bottled out at this stage and reassembled all I had undone because I didn't know how to remove the water sensor plug from the base of the filter and I wasn't going to put a strap wrench on and remove it until I knew.
You still haven't told me how this is done!!!!! I know you can disconnect using the upper electrical connector. I'm grateful for your input, but this is the vital bit of information I need to give me the confidence to carry on? Seems our vehicles are pretty much identical. If I were you I'd bite the bullet and replace your big crimped hose clips with some marine quality big Jubilee clips. It will make your life easier if you keep the vehicle?
Finally, how do you access the Interactive Manual?
Cheers

I unplugged the water sensor at the plug attached to the engine bay firewall, a bit up and to the right on mine. This left a wiring tail about 10" long, still attached to the water sensor unit on the bottom of the filter.
I put the strap wrench over the filter from below, passing the wiring tail for the water sensor through the strap first. Then, when I unscrewed the filter (it's anti-clockwise, turn the wrench to the left/offside) the wiring tail could rotate with the filter, as it's loose at the other end.
The water sensor then comes off with the filter. I took the water sensor off, after draining most of the fuel from the filter into a canister, by unscrewing it and then releasing the remainder of the fuel.

Put the old sensor into the hole in the new filter when you've removed the temporary white plug, and tighten it onto its rubber seal.

Fill the filter to the brim with fresh diesel and knock it gently on something solid to get rid of air bubbles. Make sure that it's full as can be and then push it gently onto the fuel filter fitting before screwing it back in (making sure that the seal is lubricated of course). I also put a quarter turn on it with the strap wrench to make sure it was sealed.

I only found the excellent guide, that was posted here by Freespirit in 2008, yesterday after I'd already done it.
I didn't do the repeated low pressure pump priming that he suggested, because I was relying on verbal instructions from my mate who's a dodgy back street van dealer.
Nevertheless, he told me to turn on the ignition and wait until the LP pump stopped, then start the engine and keep the revs up at approx 2000, to take it through any air bubbles. This worked OK, with a few coughs and splutters, but the Freespirit guide is obviously preferable.

I found it yesterday because this thread was below the one I just posted:

https://www.fiatforum.com/ducato/142975-how-change-fuel-filter-2-8jtd.html
 
No need to fill with diesel just cycle the ignition a few times and you 100% don't want to run a high pressure pump with air bubbles especially not at 2000rpm all that lubricates the pump is the diesel. At 2000rpm it could be making 800bar ~11000psi so you can imagine the forces on the pump cams.
 
Last edited:
Thank you Cozzykim, Corcai and Slowpace for all your help, and thanks for the link.
I am now confident that I know what to do.
I live a 2 hour drive from any Motor Factors, so if I bust anything, its not just a question of popping down the road and getting a new part. The van's off the road now and this job will get done in the near future. I might take some pics along the way and post it as a tutorial,-(assuming it all goes well of course)!
Thank you all once again.
 
I replaced the fuel filter today with no visible problems.
Two out of three of the air box rubber flexible mountings were broken and were replaced,- not cheap,they're about £5 each. But at least the airbox is firmly secured now.
It was much easier than I had thought thanks to you guys' input. The fuel filter was only hand tight, and although I put a strap wrench on it (Draper, rubber strap), it didn't need it.
I didn't fill the filter with diesel, but cycled the ignition half a dozen times over a period of 20 mins until no bubbling sound heard from the low pressure pump before firing up. It ran smoothly with no hiccups.
I did the filter up hand tight but my grip was not very strong, so I put another quarter turn on it with the strap wrench.
Whilst screwing/unscrewing the filter you need to be careful after disconnection, not to stress the cable tail from the bottom so that the contacts are not fractured. Guide it round by hand with every revolution of the filter.
 
Last edited:
Even if you don't get all the air out when you fit the filter the engine should start.Whilst it is idling just crack one of the diesel injector lines where they screw into the injector and it will bleed all the air whilst idling.Once there is no air tighten up the line easy.
 
While we are in the fuel area.... Is the hose at the top of the filter housing the one that comes from the tank?
 
Back
Top