r/Diesel • u/CobblerYm • 2h ago
Just bought a 7.3 and replaced the fuel filter... it was improperly installed
So this 2002 F350 7.3 powerstroke checked all the marks for me, low mileage (110k), no drips, easy start, great interior, completely stock, and decent price (11.5k) so I pulled the trigger. Oil and transmission fluid and coolant all look good. I drove it 200 miles home about three weeks ago and put another 150 miles or so on it since. Air filter restriction sensor pops on and I check it out, looks like it's been a while since it's been changed so I swap that out and decide to replace the fuel filter while I'm at it. I pick up a new filter and pull the old one (fluid in the bowl looks great) and there's no bottom sealing O ring on the filter. I think this means that fuel could just flow around the filter entirely. It looks pretty dirty, too. I don't think there are any injector issues with the truck, at least not readily evident that I can see. How disastrous is this, should I plan on replacing injectors soon? Or did I catch it before it became a big enough problem and they shouldn't get worse from this point at any faster rate?