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Old 06-02-2016, 08:10 PM   #1
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Did I Wait Too Long

I have two Racor 75900 fuel filters. I just changed them both. One looks like it may have been over due. These are 30 micron. Are these good or should I use 10 micron? Engine is a 2002 Cummins 330 hp. Click image for larger version

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Old 06-02-2016, 08:19 PM   #2
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Maybe not if you have an on-engine secondary. Change both.
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Old 06-02-2016, 08:29 PM   #3
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They look kinda short, what size filter do you have? 60 gph?
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Old 06-02-2016, 08:29 PM   #4
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I would use 10 micron if my engine secondary was 5 or less.

I have seen filters with great gobs of black slimy things hanging from them and the engine secondaries be whistle clesn.

That black filter looks normal to not bad at all.....
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Old 06-02-2016, 08:32 PM   #5
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Do you have a vacuum gauge on your filters? If not, I would install one.

Are your primary filters set up so only one is selected at a time? Mine are and when I changed both the one that is used all the time was dirty and the other appeared completely clean.

What primary filtration does your Cummins call for? Mine are common rail so they have a 2 micron secondary filter and they call for 10 micron primary filters. You engine isn't a common rail system so is not as sensitive to fuel contamination. If Cummins calls for 30 micron primary I would do that.

Finally, how old are the filters that you pulled out?
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Old 06-02-2016, 08:35 PM   #6
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Are those two filters from a dual Racor setup? And have you been running on one but not the other, which would be normal? If so, I think they are normal.

Do you have a vacuum gauge with tell tale needle to show max vacuum? That will tell you if they are starting to plug up.

You should double check, but I think Cummins calls for 10 micron external to the engine.
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Old 06-02-2016, 10:04 PM   #7
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I would not use 10... smallest doesn't mean best your injectors are rated for a certain size. Use what the factory specs out. If you need piece of mind polish
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Old 06-02-2016, 10:09 PM   #8
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I would not use 10... smallest doesn't mean best your injectors are rated for a certain size. Use what the factory specs out. If you need piece of mind polish
The factory specs are 10 microns for the Racor and then a Fleetguard FF5285(if memory serves me correctly)....which I have heard is 2 micron but I do not know for sure. And as far as polishing goes...a 6BTA pumps 4 times more fuel than it uses. So you are polishing the fuel....by default.

Mine look about like that when I change them!!
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Old 06-02-2016, 10:14 PM   #9
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Than I retract. Go with the specs. the system is engineered as a whole you change one thing you start chasing Gremlings.
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Old 06-02-2016, 10:15 PM   #10
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2 Microns sounds awfully small
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Old 06-02-2016, 11:24 PM   #11
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2 Microns sounds awfully small
It is, which is kind of the point. My Cummins QSB calls for 2 micron secondary filters preceded by 10 Micron primary filters. I'm not sure what the earlier Cummins call for.
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Old 06-02-2016, 11:40 PM   #12
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PGI- Looks pretty normal to me, except that you have probably been running on only one of the two filters. Change them both, but in the future switch from side to side occasionally. Let each do some of the job.

75/900 is a dual 900 series, 2040 elements. I run 10mic or 30mic depending on my mood.
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Old 06-03-2016, 12:00 AM   #13
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2 Microns sounds awfully small
I will defer to the experts!!! And Ski is one of them. I did do some research on Boatdiesel et al. And it seems the consensus is as stated above. 10 primary(racor) followed by the on engine spec filter which, like I said, I think is 2 Microns..... That is not for me to question as it is the on engine spec filter for the engine. It might be 60000 micron. But I do believe it to be 2....the same formula for DLHays common rail QSB. I do believe we are over analyzing things here. I do not think that injector pumps/injectors/engines are failing at a rapid rate due to improper choices of fuel filters. If 30 microns "floats your boat", go for it. I honestly don't think there will be any negative repercussions. I would be a little more picky if I had a common rail engine.

And like Ski said, the OP likely has a dual set up where one filter was never used. Either run them in series or switch between the two(the favored option). But one was wasted and never used....at least that is the way it appears.
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Old 06-03-2016, 06:26 AM   #14
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"2 Microns sounds awfully small'

But a 2 micron filter rating is not absolute , it will pass some 20 micron particles too.

With an old diesel injection system todays filtration is fantastic , what ever you choose will be better than the eng mfg dreamed of .

With very high pressure electronic injection of a new diesel,multiple filtration seems to be required.

With a fairly clean fuel system I prefer the 2 micron as the primaries are not in the engine room and are very easy to monitor or change.
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Old 06-03-2016, 06:57 AM   #15
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Quote:
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The factory specs are 10 microns for the Racor and then a Fleetguard FF5285(if memory serves me correctly)....which I have heard is 2 micron but I do not know for sure.
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Originally Posted by pearlwindham View Post
Than I retract. Go with the specs. the system is engineered as a whole you change one thing you start chasing Gremlings.
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My Cummins QSB calls for 2 micron secondary filters preceded by 10 Micron primary filters. I'm not sure what the earlier Cummins call for.

Don't know about the Bs, but our 6CTAs call for 30 micron primaries and 10 micron secondaries.

I'd have guessed 30/10 for mechanical 6BTAs (same generation as our 6CTAs) and 10/2 for the newer common-rail QSBs... but that's without benefit of the Cummins manual for those particular engines.

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Old 06-03-2016, 07:07 AM   #16
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Don't know about the Bs, but our 6CTAs call for 30 micron primaries and 10 micron secondaries.

I'd have guessed 30/10 for mechanical 6BTAs (same generation as our 6CTAs) and 10/2 for the newer common-rail QSBs... but that's without benefit of the Cummins manual for those particular engines.

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I was just going with what I (think I) read on boatdiesel.
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Old 06-03-2016, 02:17 PM   #17
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Tony Athen the boatdiesel.com guru calls for step filtering, which just so happens to be the cummins spec as well. I've seen plenty of people out engineer themselves by stating they have a 10 primary and a 10 secondary and state my secondary always looks great.... Have to remember the tigher the filter also creates a load on the fuel pump as well, stay with manufactures spec and buy your fuel at a reputable place and everything will be alright.
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Old 06-03-2016, 02:31 PM   #18
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"remember the tigher the filter also creates a load on the fuel pump as well"

Many larger boat engines were big truck sourced , the fuel pump is metal gears , just like a lube oil pump.
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Old 06-03-2016, 02:57 PM   #19
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Tony Athen the boatdiesel.com guru calls for step filtering, which just so happens to be the cummins spec as well. I've seen plenty of people out engineer themselves by stating they have a 10 primary and a 10 secondary and state my secondary always looks great.... Have to remember the tigher the filter also creates a load on the fuel pump as well, stay with manufactures spec and buy your fuel at a reputable place and everything will be alright.
Actually, I believe Tony recommends installing a large spin-off type of "mud" filter in front of the primary, changing the primary to the same rating as the secondary, and keeping the secondary with the expectation of never having to change it.
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Old 06-03-2016, 03:14 PM   #20
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I would use a 10. What did you drain out of the bowl(s). That would also give some insight.
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