Simple (for you) filter change help

[firstbase]

IMO, **** can the Racor 500s and get 900s.

And personally I'd run 10 or 2 micron elements in them.

As to the CAVs, there is s way to make them self bleeding if you are interested.

OK, I will bite..how do you make them self bleeding? Also, aren't the 900's sort of overkill for my engines or is the thinking simply that bigger is better?

 

[SeaMoose]

Lehmans suck so little fuel, and have such low vacuum, that with the 900 you'll never get the spin in the separator. The spinning action is part of the water separation process.

For any other engine.. not true, bigger the better.

Another thing is not to obsess over bleeding, I've replaced the engine filters and simply bled them to the top and started it right up. This doesn't work for common rail engines of course [emoji2]

 

[firstbase]

Thanks. I will say that two months into owning the boat the only thing I have found that is self bleeding is my wallet.

 

[firstbase]

Greetings,
Mr. fb. Not a problem. The CAV filter change does seem daunting with the potential for numerous contributions to the "cuss jar" but properly prepared it's really pretty straight forward. I should comment, the cleanliness of your engine is outstanding.
Just make sure you have a goodly supply of absorbent pads and paper towels close at hand AND a trash pail/container to dispose of them immediately. Sort of defeats the purpose of sopping up any spillage and then having no place to put the soaked towel short of on deck of your ER.
I anxiously await the report on a successful completion...

Filter changes completed without much drama. Seemed to have a stripped knob that holds the bottom of the bowl on one filter. Ordered a new one from American Diesel. Seems like a nut would work but harder to change in the future. After sitting there draining fuel on the first one I found it was easier to just unbolt the thing and let the lower bowl just fall into bucket, fuel with it. One filter had a blue mark on one gasket indicating it went on top. The other three did not have a blue mark but it wasn't hard to figure which was bigger. Seating the top one was easier than I thought as well. Anyway..thanks for everyone's help on this simple task. It's what you don't know that you don't know that gets you and what I was trying to avoid!

Here is what I found. The aft filter was dirtier than the forward one which makes sense. With the clogged primary, the thing driving this more immediate change of the onboards, I expected it to be dirtier maybe? Just how dirty does this one look on a 1-10 scale?

 

[kchace]

It doesn't look dirty at all, but since its a secondary filter I wouldn't expect it to show a lot of dirt since only much smaller bits get to it.

re Wix filters - they have a rather good reputation around here and are used by many mechanics, but everybody has their opinion. I have heard before that Brian at AD doesn't like Wix.

Ken

 

[Dan Cahn]

wix fuel filters

Just to be correct, it was Bob Smith who commented about Wix fuel filters for the FL. I took his class at Trawlerfest. But if I remember correctly the Wix filters I purchased were manufactured in Poland. While Wix is one of only a few companies that actually manufacture filters, I would not be surprised if they purchase the CAV type filters from another company. It is not likely to be a major seller in their catalog.

Dan

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Lehmans suck so little fuel, and have such low vacuum, that with the 900 you'll never get the spin in the separator. The spinning action is part of the water separation process.

The "spin" is a bit of a myth. Even Racon will tell you that .

The vast majority of the water separation action happens at the filter element.

Just look at the flow rating for a Racor 500. Lehmans never come even close to pulling that much fuel. Do you get little or no spinning action in the bowl.

Better to have larger filter element surface area.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

OK, I will bite..how do you make them self bleeding? Also, aren't the 900's sort of overkill for my engines or is the thinking simply that bigger is better?

You remove the bleed screw from the CAV filter that is slightly higher than the other and add a check valve there that feeds back to and T into the return fuel line.

We used to use clear hose between the valve a return line so we could see any air in the line.

Works great. Gives you a nice visual indicator of any air in the fuel system.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Filter changes completed without much drama. Seemed to have a stripped knob that holds the bottom of the bowl on one filter.

If you're talking about the white plastic knob at the bottom of the filter, that is a drain knob.

 

[firstbase]

If you're talking about the white plastic knob at the bottom of the filter, that is a drain knob.

Yep, thats the one. I guess if it is stripped I may have some leaking. I tightened it up pretty good and noticed that it kept spinning at the end of my tightening so I stopped. May be enough to keep the fuel in and air out. Not sure....yet. Supposed to take some family out this weekend. Is there something temporary I can do until the knob gets here?

 

[firstbase]

Just to clarify, the first pic is of the aft filter. The second pic is the forward filter. I didn't break open the forward one but it appears much cleaner than the aft one which caught all of the gunk coming in or so it appears. Seems that you folks think that the aft one, although dirty, wasn't extreme. That's a good thing.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. f. I think since you're talking about the bottom of the CAV filter you may experience leakage as opposed to air intrusion since that drain plug is downstream of the fuel lift pump (meaning on the pressure side as opposed to the "suck" side). IF that drain IS stripped, better minds than I can most probably suggest the safest, easiest and cheapest TEMPORARY fix.
Put a piece of absorbent pad material (oil diaper) underneath the area. IF there is a leak, you should be able to spot it immediately and the pad should keep any drips out of the bilge.

Have a nice cruise...

Oh, and further to Mr. 11's comment, that drain plug has nothing to do with holding the whole works together and should only be snugged to the point of no leakage...

 

[firstbase]

Thanks Mr. Fly. It is pretty tight so I would think (there I go thinking again, dangerous thing for us newbs) that the leaking would be minimal. I will check it in the slip and see what's up.

After I open the seacock of course.