davenewellhome Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Hi there, if any owners of Mk7 transits are considering doing their own servicing you may be interested to know that there is a potential problem with changing the fuel filter. I've serviced one today and the fuel filter alone has occupied me for 5 hours!!! Long story short, it refused to self bleed so I inserted a manaul fuel pump between the filter and high pressure pump to prime the system. All I could get was lots of air bubbles in the translucent pipe between filter and HP pump. I tried everything I could think of and asked other local mechanics for help but no joy. I even spent over £100 for a brand new filter head and filter assembly from the local Ford dealer thinking the filter head must have a hairline crack in it but to no avail, still no go from the motor and lots of air in the fuel line. I finally got it sorted by putting the manual fuel pump between the tank and the filter head, pressurising the system this way sorted it out. don't ask me how or why but it did. Be warned if you own a Mk7 Tranny and are considering doing your own servicing, or even using a non Ford garage for servicing as some may try to charge you the £100+ fee for a new filter head and filter assembly. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I see the Institute of Crap Design strikes again. It's not only Fiat that employs them then?. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Fiat with bubbles may not shudder (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Hi Dave, We clamp off the hose pipe going to the HP tandem fuel pump. Clamp also the forward line from the tank 1" before the filter and remove the filter. Fill the filter with clean fresh fuel, attach both lines, remove brake clamps and start up, Regards, Brendan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 Hi Brendan, I'm a bit wary of using brake hose clamps on semi rigid pipes as they split very easily. To be honest this is the first time I've had this much trouble with one. I was told yesterday evening of another local garage who spent three days with this same problem on a Mk7 tranny (made me feel a bit better to know I wasn't alone). When they finally conceded defeat and towed it to the local Ford dealer they had it running in just ten minutes by doing exactly the same as I had. Makes me think that Ford trained mechanics might be aware of this issue but nobody's made it publicly known. Ford dealer had six filter head and filter assemblies in stock which seems a bit much as you wouldn't ordinarily think the head would need replacing, I suspect others have been caught out like me and changed the head assembly in desperation. Of course once you've fitted it and run diesel through it you can't take it back for a refund can you :-( . We live and learn, anyone need a new filter and filter head assembly for a Mk7 Tranny?? D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkc Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Hi Dave, Yes the problem is not unknown, it was related to me by a commercial mechanic quite a while ago. He confessed to using starting fluid to get them running if all else fails. God knows what that does to the big ends etc. I believe it is not restricted just to Ford vehicles. Regards PKC. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 On my new MK7 Transit the visible fuel filter indicator showed a partially blocked filter, the big one on the bulkhead. My Motorhome dealer asked Ford to change the filter. This was done in the parking area, the foreman simply removed the old filter, filled the new one to overflowing, fitted it and started the engine. Took him 5 minutes. Done 1000 miles since, total to date 2000 mls. Bit wary of even asking knowing your excellent reputation, but. did you fill the filter as above ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 Hi Mike, yes I did prefill the filter with clean diesel before I fitted it. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Hi Dave The clamps will do no harm, It works every time, This is not just confined to Henry Ford the VW and Merc's (Common rail) also suffer from drain back. The clamps save you from pressuring up the system every time. Regards, Brendan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunbeam Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 We have 11 of them and fill the new filter up with fuel change them over very quikly and if they dont go give it a tow which is very seldom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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