Why a secondary fuel filter?

[Davil1]

Thinking to do away with my Westerbeke 30B engine original secondary fuel filter system.

I have a primary Racor 500 with a 2 microns installed, about 9 inches hose length to the lift/fuel pump.

Servicing the filters found the last mechanic cross thread the housing bowl,replacement about $170.

The secondary fuel filter from Westerbeke is somewhere 10-19 microns (they are very coy about it and no clear specs)

I am aware of the standard explanation on protecting the injectors and high pressure pump.

I am aware of the opinions on 2 microns vs 10 microns for primary filters.

Since I use 2 microns Racor installing a new secondary (10 t0 19) down flow seems illogical.

Seeking opinions

Thank you

 

[Barking Sands]

Its only illogical because you have chosen a 2 micron filter as your first filter element. Many use 30 micron as primary and something smaller, usually an OEM spec, as secondary. In addition every time you change your primary a small amount of debris will get through and you will need your secondary to be in place.

 

[O C Diver]

Thinking to do away with my Westerbeke 30B engine original secondary fuel filter system.

I have a primary Racor 500 with a 2 microns installed, about 9 inches hose length to the lift/fuel pump.

Servicing the filters found the last mechanic cross thread the housing bowl,replacement about $170.

The secondary fuel filter from Westerbeke is somewhere 10-19 microns (they are very coy about it and no clear specs)

I am aware of the standard explanation on protecting the injectors and high pressure pump.

I am aware of the opinions on 2 microns vs 10 microns for primary filters.

Since I use 2 microns Racor installing a new secondary (10 t0 19) down flow seems illogical.

Seeking opinions

Thank you

It's extremely unlikely that your secondary filter is greater than 2 microns.

A simple question: When the primary lift pump fails and debris goes down stream, do you want to have to rebuild the injection pump also?

I can't think of a diesel engine manufacturer that doesn't have the smallest filtration between the lift pump and the injection pump. They do this for a very good reason. Don't try and short cut sound principles because a mechanic cross threaded the filter housing.

Ted

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Is this some kind of proprietary housing and filter? It may be possible to replace the housing with an off-the-shelf setup from NAPA and then be able to buy $12 filters in the future and return to 30s for the Racor. If that is possible, I'm sure somebody on the web talks about it.

 

[Larry M]

The filters are about $15-20. Changing out the housing to an after market, I think would be difficult. You can buy used on eBay for less than $100.

Is it the ring (#49) or the housing (#46) that the threads are damaged. If it’s the ring, that should be easy and they are available for about $25.

 

[Davil1]

Thank you Larry

Unfortunately, both are damaged,ring and #46 .

Replacement cost is not an issue, expensive but so is everything in boating.

Could install a new smaller Racor as secondary, if makes sense,at least will know filter rating, as now the secondary is not.


trying to figure why to replace it when the Racor next to it (7 inches hose) is filtering down to 2 microns.

Doubt after filtering to 2 microns will pick up any debris in the 8 inches long hose?

Also, there is another filter on the lifting pump intake ?? with a label "fuel prior to enter should be filtered to less than 180 microns"?

 

[Davil1]

not sure how accurate is this

"The on engine secondary filter is rated at 15-17 micron (source Joe J. & Bob B. Westerbeke engineers).Aug 29, 2016"

But I remember spending time researching this info and the range was between 10 and 19

 

[Lepke]

Westerbeke doesn't make filters. Some company specializing in filter manufacturing does. There may be a number or name identifying the maker.
The reason for a secondary filter is safety. If the primary should fill enough to restrict flow, tearing of the filter element is common. With a tear, you have no filtering. Plugging is more likely with a 2 micron.
I use a 2 micron and never had a plug. But I keep my tanks clean and don't buy fuel from small volume sellers.

 

[Davil1]

Westerbeke doesn't make filters. Some company specializing in filter manufacturing does. There may be a number or name identifying the maker.
The reason for a secondary filter is safety. If the primary should fill enough to restrict flow, tearing of the filter element is common. With a tear, you have no filtering. Plugging is more likely with a 2 micron.
I use a 2 micron and never had a plug. But I keep my tanks clean and don't buy fuel from small volume sellers.

thanks

finally decided to get a new replacement of the damaged secondary from Westerbeke,toyed with the idea of Kubota (offers an almost similar) but eventually ordered the Westerbeke.
Interesting Westerbeke has another filter on the fuel pump intake????no rating on the filtering.
When I opened the damaged secondary, after 5 years from last, looks clean, the 2 microns primary did a good job.
----------------------------------

Unrelated, since working on the engine,changed the engine zinc.
Gone, like no zinc left!!!

 

[rgano]

I second Lepke's and your use of Racor 2-micron filters in the primary, and I have been doing it successfully sine 1986. Secondary filters are often both expensive and difficult and messy to change while my Racors are a dripless change. I look at the secondaries on my mains and generators at about the five-year point. I also second the other commentors reasoning behind the continued use, which I see you are doing. of the secondary. Good thread here, guys.

 

[CarlF]

I’ve run 2 micron in the primary filter with my Yanmars for 10 years. I started doing this after the secondary clogged at 3AM in mid GulfStream. On my boat changing the primary is 10 minutes work. Changing the secondary leaning over a hot engine in a 5ft sea is something I don’t intend to repeat.

I have a vacuum gauge in the Racor that I monitor carefully. The gauge does not show a higher vacuum with a 2 micron element than with a 30 micron element. I change the Racor filter every 250 hours when I change the oil but I only change the primary every 3 years or so (and it’s always clean because the primary is so fine). As long as the vacuum gauge stays well below the red, I know I’m not putting any excess strain on the fuel pump. I wouldn’t do this if I had high horsepower engine but I’m only burning about 2gph — filtering a total of 500 gallons before the 250 hour change. A Racor 500 is rated for 60gph. I’m filtering less between filter changes than a sports fishing boat would filter in a day. When I change the 2 microns at 250 hours they never look particularly dirty (US and Bahamas fuel).

So my suggestion to the OP is to keep the secondary but extend the change interval.