MEP 803a Fuel Water/Separator

[69birdman]

I used a strap wrench with nylon band, grab as high on filter as possible.

 

[cbisson]

Just take the side panel off so you get get the wrench in from there. Dont waste any other time doing it any other way. And make sure to oil the new gasket when you put it in

This.

Easier and less chance of messing something else up. Also gives you a chance to inspect everything in the back part of the control cube. I've done it only on 2 802a's and they were nightmare tight with very little room to work. Go in from the side and grab it high.

 

[mciikurzroot]

Just take the side panel off so you get get the wrench in from there. Dont waste any other time doing it any other way. And make sure to oil the new gasket when you put it in

Sound advice, life is too short to screw around trying anything less on these filters.. mac/mc

 

[JRM]

Got it off- 3 quick questions, the new filter came with a hose washer size rubber washer I did not see one used on the old filter? Can the drain petcock be transferred to the new filter? I took the side panel off as Lightinthedark recommended and that did work quite well, many thanks for that advice but....there are nuts on the inside that cannot be reached when I assemble it, are people using sheet metal screws? Thanks, Joe

 

[smokem joe]

I use a piece of tape on a box wrench for those nuts that I can't reach. It is a cheap and easy solution.

 

[JRM]

I use a piece of tape on a box wrench for those nuts that I can't reach. It is a cheap and easy solution.

Hmmm, some of those are pretty impossible to reach unless there is some soft of trick- Maybe stuffing my 3yr old inside the unit?

 

[Light in the Dark]

Got it off- 3 quick questions, the new filter came with a hose washer size rubber washer I did not see one used on the old filter? Can the drain petcock be transferred to the new filter? I took the side panel off as Lightinthedark recommended and that did work quite well, many thanks for that advice but....there are nuts on the inside that cannot be reached when I assemble it, are people using sheet metal screws? Thanks, Joe

No transfer isnt possible. I don't know if they are still up there, but the OEM separator was on fleabay recently in quantity. That way you can retain the drip line. I personally dont mind just tucking a coffee can under a non OEM filters and seeing what comes out.

 

[Guyfang]

I personalty would just go without the hose to the outside. Simply install any old petcock that fits and like LITD said, coffee can. My all time favorite was baby food glasses. That way I could see in a heartbeat if there was water in the fuel or not.

On many a cold night, I just did not have it in me to go back to the shop another time, (seems like a million trips) so I took a tiny little smear of crazy glue and glued the nut to my finger. If your fast, you do not even loose much skin.

 

[JRM]

Maybe im just fat, but i cannot even come close to reaching some of those bolt/nut locations due to air baffles and such- anyone jb weld the nuts on the panel prior to assembly?

 

[smokem joe]

You need some movement in everything to get it all back together. Get all the bolts started before you snug them up. I've taped extensions to ignition wrenches with the nut taped in the box end on vehicles before when I couldn't reach

 

[m32825]

I've used my teenager for hard to reach bolts. Just wait until he comes by and mention that "getting this bolt started is impossible" and voila, a couple minutes later he's showing me how easy it was!

 

[Jeff H]

Got it off- 3 quick questions, the new filter came with a hose washer size rubber washer I did not see one used on the old filter? Can the drain petcock be transferred to the new filter? I took the side panel off as Lightinthedark recommended and that did work quite well, many thanks for that advice but....there are nuts on the inside that cannot be reached when I assemble it, are people using sheet metal screws? Thanks, Joe

About the small rubber washer that comes with the 3472 filter.
I decided to use it after reading this https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/fuel-filter-small-square-cut-gasket.244828/

I just got this 803 and it has 28 hours. And yes like everyone else, the original water separator filter was quite difficult to remove. Vise-Grip locking chain clamp pliers did the trick. Strap type oil filter wrenches would never have worked.