Questions about the Duramax fuel system..............
 

OK I just bought a early 2004 (Mfg 10/2003) Chevy one ton dually and am having a problem with it, apparently losing prime. If I shut it off it won't re-start without a whisp of ether.

I bought a o-ring kit to rebuild that stupid primer thing on the filter housing, but poked a hole in, what looks like, a rubber diaphragm on it, so I'm pretty much screwed with that for the moment, until I find a different top for the filter housing!!!

That said can anyone answer these questions for me:

1. What if I just use an aftermarket canister-type filter and route it to the 2 hoses that go to the old fuel filter? Would that work for me, or is it going to need some type of a check valve in it, and why? On my Dodge I never missed having a fuel heater anyway.

2. Which of those two hoses at the filter housing comes from the tank - the short one or the long one? (trying to determine the direction of flow)

3. Why isn't there a fuel line coming up from the frame to the engine somewhere? The only lines I see are those 2 hoses coming off the top/right of the engine.

4. I might be putting a transfer pump on this thing, so on the left side of the frame - which of those 2 steel lines is the feed line FROM the tank - the top one, or the bottom one?

Man I'm sure glad this happened right here at the house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your competent help on this.

On the frame the 1/2 line is the feed and the 3/8 line is the return. As of removing the stock filter housing. Can be done with lift pump. Looks like short hose is from tank.
The line coming up from the frame is on driver side.
In photo Mine is removed and has Just the spin on filter head