Pre-filling is okay IF the fuel is filtered. I had a discussion with a manager at Speedco about this, and he claims that they filter the diesel they use to fill filters with a 3 micron fuel filter. I believe there is another post on CAD that covers this topic in depth. At least I think it's on CAD and not somewhere else. I've used Lucas or tranny fluid in the past, but then I started to wonder how well those fluids might be filtered at the factory. These days, I do not pre-fill at all, in part because my ISX is self priming and in part because I now use a Davco fuel processor, which somewhat negates the need.

 

Diesel all comes from the same pipeline. The difference is the retailer and tank maintenance or additives added. I never bought hot fuel from T/A or Petro but had Plenty from F-ing J, Pilot, Mapco (Pre Pilot).

The big problem is government fuel. First the unbridled Federal Gov. tells the OEMs how to make trucks and the reliability and performance goes downhill. Next they tell the refiners how to make No. 2 fuel and the performance goes downhill. Yes this ULSD mandated by our overbearing central gov. is causing many injector/nozzle troubles. You'd be hard pressed to find a diesel tech who disagrees.

Now, filling filters before installing is just one more opportunity to introduce dirt into the system. If possible fill from the outer holes because the center hole is the "clean" side of the element. How clean is the gas can you use? Doesn't matter how clean the fuel is if the can is dirty. Sitting on the shop floor for an hour will get dust on the nozzle. Something to think about.

CAT hand primer is the way to go.