Well, cleaned the prescreen filter for the first time today. (~2600 miles)

[Marv]

Over the past couple days, the green light on the switches has been flashing on and off a bit. Noticed yesterday that it would come on and then go off. It'd try to come on a couple more times and then it'd just stay off.

So, I manually reset the system by turning it off and then back to automatic a couple times. After two or three times, the system would come on and stay on. My first thought was the pre-screen (which Clay also recommended), so this afternoon I pulled it out and checked it.

Here's what I found:







Not a whole lot there. So, I cleaned it up a bit and put it back in the module. After I got done, I then checked out the drain pan I had used. While I cleaned the prescreen, I let oil drain out of the opening for about 6-8 minutes. I guess during the drain, a number of metal shavings made their way out. Here's a shot:



First couple times I fired the truck up, the system still did the same thing. On and then off. Reset and then it's good. However on the final drive home this evening, it came on and stayed on. Never really cooled off however, so I'm thinking that the higher temp of the oil aids in it flowing through the screen - lower viscosity means it'll flow around any debris. I think this was what allowed it to work after resetting prior to my cleaning of the prescreen.

Anyways, just wanted to post up my results. I'm going to see what it does tomorrow and then change the Donaldson if I need to.

Thanks!

[Clay]

Doesn't look too bad i don't think...maybe we were way off. The donaldson maybe plugging. If so, keep track of milage ont eh second one and if it fails as fast, you will need to look into your filtering procedures i would think.

[lancaster,pa]

Mary,

Thanks for the great pics. If you do end up changing the Donaldson, are you also planning on cleaning out the line to the tank? Also, if you end doing all of that, is there a way to clean out the passageways in the V3 itself. Reason I'm asking is I believe I may have gotten some water in some of my fuel and my light is also going out now. If I do the prescreen and the Donaldson, I wouldn't want to pollute the new filter with watered down veg still left in the lines. - Patrick

[Marv]

Doesn't look too bad i don't think...maybe we were way off. The donaldson maybe plugging. If so, keep track of milage ont eh second one and if it fails as fast, you will need to look into your filtering procedures i would think.

Well, as luck would have it, I was late getting home this evening, had somewhere to be and I didn't get to change the Donaldson. However, after cooling almost two hours, I fired the truck up and the light came right on and stayed on. Over the past couple days it hasn't been doing that.

So...I'm gonna go one more day (don't really have a choice, gotta work) and change it tomorrow afternoon. It still seems to operate fine when the oil is up to full temp, so I'm hoping it's got one more day in it.

And you're right...if the filter change doesn't do it, I'm gonna troubleshoot a couple other things and then re-think my filtering.

Thanks!

[Marv]

Marv,

Thanks for the great pics. If you do end up changing the Donaldson, are you also planning on cleaning out the line to the tank? Also, if you end doing all of that, is there a way to clean out the passageways in the V3 itself. Reason I'm asking is I believe I may have gotten some water in some of my fuel and my light is also going out now. If I do the prescreen and the Donaldson, I wouldn't want to pollute the new filter with watered down veg still left in the lines. - Patrick

Patrick,

No problem on the pics. Well, first off I'm just gonna change the filter. I'm pretty comfortable with my filtering at the moment (filter has almost 2800 miles on it and it's the first one - catches all the manufacturing junk from the tank build) so I'm hoping there won't be anymore problems with a new filter.

If that doesn't remedy the issue, I'll check the temp and pressure switch and then look into cleaning the line from the tank to the module. If I need to clean it, I'll probably try compressed air first.

Not sure how a person would clean all the passages in the V3 - not sure how all the passages run. I'm sure Jason or James could provide the answer though.

Thanks!

[Jack_Toepfer]

My thought on cleaning the passages on the V3 would be to let it get hot, let the light come on, and then remove the post-V3 fuel line. This will let the oil come out @ 70psi, but it won't be going to your motor. Take a sample of that oil to see if there is any water in it. I don't recommend letting this oil come out for very long.

[lancaster,pa]

Thanks for the info Marv and Jack. - Patrick

[Clay]

I dont see any reason to have to clean the V3 passages, if something got in there that is large enough to block a line, it will likely lodge in the rubber hose. If it makes it to the V3, it will stop in the prescreen which you already checked.
Marv, changing the filter before taking a pressure reading is like eating a steak when your not sure if you hungry. Check pressure first...it will take 2 seconds with a tire gauge and it will take the guessing out of the scenario.

[FastCote]

... is like eating a steak when your not sure if you hungry...

you point being? Not sure there is a BAD time to eat stake! (JK)

[Marv]

I dont see any reason to have to clean the V3 passages, if something got in there that is large enough to block a line, it will likely lodge in the rubber hose. If it makes it to the V3, it will stop in the prescreen which you already checked.
Marv, changing the filter before taking a pressure reading is like eating a steak when your not sure if you hungry. Check pressure first...it will take 2 seconds with a tire gauge and it will take the guessing out of the scenario.

Roger that...I'll pick up a cheap tire gauge at AZ this afternoon and check it before I pull that filter off.

I'll let you know what I find out.

[Marv]

you point being? Not sure there is a BAD time to eat stake! (JK)

Haha...I might have to agree...steak is pretty good just about anytime!

[lancaster,pa]

I dont see any reason to have to clean the V3 passages, if something got in there that is large enough to block a line, it will likely lodge in the rubber hose. If it makes it to the V3, it will stop in the prescreen which you already checked.
Marv, changing the filter before taking a pressure reading is like eating a steak when your not sure if you hungry. Check pressure first...it will take 2 seconds with a tire gauge and it will take the guessing out of the scenario.

Clay,

Was thinking about the watered down veg remaining in the V3 if and when I change the Donaldson. Seems like it wouldn't be a good idea to allow the contaminated veg in the V3 to flow into the new filter. - Patrick

[Clay]

Clay,

Was thinking about the watered down veg remaining in the V3 if and when I change the Donaldson. Seems like it wouldn't be a good idea to allow the contaminated veg in the V3 to flow into the new filter. - Patrick

Watered down vegi? Well when you remove the filter, your goin gto drain plenty of vegi out into the drain pan before installing the new filter....just the nature of the game.

[HORSEMOVER]

Roger that...I'll pick up a cheap tire gauge at AZ this afternoon and check it before I pull that filter off.

I'll let you know what I find out.

Will a simple tire gauge work? I have been meaning to pick up a fuel pressure gauge at Harbor Freight. Sombody told me you can get a fuel pressure kit w/different adapters for like $15 but if a tire gauge works I will give it a try. One of these days I will get the fuel pressure kit for my Quadzilla Commander so I can monitor it in the cab.

[Marv]

Will a simple tire gauge work? I have been meaning to pick up a fuel pressure gauge at Harbor Freight. Sombody told me you can get a fuel pressure kit w/different adapters for like $15 but if a tire gauge works I will give it a try. One of these days I will get the fuel pressure kit for my Quadzilla Commander so I can monitor it in the cab.

Well, I had never thought of that, but after Clay brought it up, I don't see why it wouldn't. I'm just going to get a standard one from AZ and give it a shot.

It'll at least give me an estimate on what kind of pressure I'm seeing.

Hopefully I won't squirt vegi all over the place...haha.