David Brown 990 fuel filters

[atticdiver]

Hello,

I spent a recent weekend working on a 1996 David Brown 990. I drained the fuel tank and replaced the fuel filters.

I went to NAPA and got a hold of a couple fuel filters with a part number of 3166. I didn't really look at them and put them on. They seemed to fit fine. However I spent the next couple hours trying to bleed the lines.

I was about to go crazy, then I pulled the new filters off and compared them to the old filters. The NAPA filters had a solid top and bottom. The old filter had slots/holes in the top and bottom.

I had also ordered a couple Delphi 296 filters online, which took forever to come in...and then they were generic looking (different problem). However, these filters had the holes in the top and bottom and looked very similar to the old ones I had taken off. I put these on and I was able to bleed the lines and start the tractor in 15 minutes.

My question is: does anyone know if the NAPA 3166 filter fits ANY DB 990 or similar tractor? The good people at NAPA refunded the purchase price, but they were interested in knowing the answer to this question so they can adjust their catalog info.

I'd like to know the answer as well and also prevent this heartache from happening to any other DB owners.

Thanks in advance.

Atticdiver

ps. I am going to try to attach a pic of 3 filters. The one on the left will be the old filter. The middle one will be the NAPA 3166 and the right one will be the supposed Delphi 296/generic looking one.

 

[Dieseltech]

Did you make the COMMON mistake on the NAPA/WIX brand filter of placing an O ring in the filter top OUTER groove near the edge?? That's the filter INLET and must be open. The filter is fine, just flows a bit different than the 296/796 filter does. Both bring the clean fuel up through the center.

 

[atticdiver]

You're killing me Smalls....

Just to be crystal clear:

Are you able to see the image I included earlier?

If so: If I took the rubber gasket out of the groove in the middle filter (as shown) and put on an outer gasket as shown in the filter on the left, then the middle filter would have worked just fine???

If that's what you're saying, then we obviously have user error here and I'll be making a trip back to NAPA to repurchase those slightly used filters I returned last night!?!

Experience -- something I could really use BEFORE a job is done...

 

[Dieseltech]

Yes.. The top OUTER groove next to the sealing lip is the fuel INLET on NAPA/WIX filters and MUST be open. I've lost count how many service calls I've done to correct that mistake. Block that passage with an O ring and engine either won't bleed out, or barely runs at all...

 

[RGMartin]

Yep, O-ring goes up into the aluminum housing, not down into that groove.

If you look at the path the fuel has to flow, it seems like it gets pushed through more media in the WIX/Napa filters. They are all I use unless I pick up some cheap at auctions or with purchased equipment.

 

[DRCA]

recently had same napa filter issue on my new to me Case 435 diesel.... couldn't get fuel to flow with new filter-- installed old Case labeled filter and fuel flow much better. Have now decided pump is stuck from 4-5 years of sitting.