Aftermarket fuel filter units?

[Jonnie B.]

I've got a 2005 IC RE300 with a DT466E w/EGR and a 105 gallon tank. Bus ran quite well last summer for a 10,000 mile trip cross country. I found the fuel filter to be appallingly dirty when I serviced the bus afterwards. I know that the lift pump is located on the engine and the fuel is purely under suction from the tank all the way to the fuel water separator and pump attached to the engine. Since the system is under vacuum is there a good way to add additional filtration? I know my tank is likely dirty, but I want to prolong filter life at the engine and get the cleanest fuel possible. I have some concerns about entrained air, but I can't justify the cost of something like an AirDog or a FASS for the amount of time it will be driven.



Anyone familliar with the RACOR 500FG10 turbine style filter or the Davco Diesel Pro? Are there other units that I should consider? Is it worth adding more filtration with a pre-filter upstream of the factory fuel filter in the engine compartment? I change my fuel filters at every lube oil service every 10K or 300 hours, (whichever comes first). There seems to be little information on this, but the filter seems to be less effective than it should be to me, and I would like to improve filtration.

[s2mikon]

Are you sure you don't have one under the bus? Mine has a 900 series racor 30 micron at the tank.

[Jonnie B.]

I have been over every inch under the bus and there is no additional filter in line between the tank and the engine.

[Booyah45828]

I bought this unit off ebay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/22201822588...53.m1438.l2649 It uses a fairly common racor aquablock 30 micron filter, and works perfect as a primary filter/ water seperator. You can get smaller microns, but I was told not to if you're using a primary and secondary fuel filter arrangement. I was also told, the more this is plugged, the less efficient it is at removing water, so you don't want too small of a micron. Removing water is the main reason I wanted to run a primary filter, and I used this because it came with a hand pump as well, which is needed on an engine with a mechanical lift pump.

If I wanted better, I'd look into installing a davco unit https://www.davco.com/products.html. They're commonly used on semi trucks, and have a clear filter housing that you can use to monitor water entrapment and filter plugged level. Probably find one used off a wrecked semi for cheap if you know where to look.

[Iceni John]

I recently bought a Racor 900FH primary fuel filter to replace my old 900FG with its discolored bowl, and I've also fitted the optional fuel heater and water-in-fuel sensor to the FH. Racor makes very good filters - that's why there are so many Chinese knock-off copies on eBay! Davco are also well regarded. To me, the main reason for a Racor (or similar) primary filter is to eliminate any water in the fuel before it can blow the tips off your injectors, or worse. The more filtration, the better!

John

[Booyah45828]

The base and bowl might be knockoffs on the ebay unit I bought, but the filter is near genuine as far as I can tell. We've got genuine racors on the shelf and comparing the two, I couldn't tell a difference.

Watch some of those ebay units, If they show an o-ring in the picture with the plugs/fittings, the listing says they're npt, but I believe the threads are actually straight metric and require o-ring sealed fittings that aren't commonly available. You want npt, which is a tapered pipe, which requires sealant or tape not an o-ring.

[Jonnie B.]

thanks for all the replies everyone!

[LargeMargeInBaja]

Eugene, Oregon.
.
Anderson Brothers Heavy-Truck Wrecking (aka 'dismantlers').
Highway 99 at Beltloop.
.
My hobby is walking wrecking-yards.
I see wrecked trucks dismantled down to the frames... and they always leave the Racor-type filter mounts with the frame to go into the shredder.
.
I acquired several over the years for sometimes us$5 (five FRNs), sometimes free; the new filter element inserts are usually triple that cost and more.

[shorthair]

Originally Posted by Jonnie B.

I've got a 2005 IC RE300 with a DT466E w/EGR and a 105 gallon tank. Bus ran quite well last summer for a 10,000 mile trip cross country. I found the fuel filter to be appallingly dirty when I serviced the bus afterwards. I know that the lift pump is located on the engine and the fuel is purely under suction from the tank all the way to the fuel water separator and pump attached to the engine. Since the system is under vacuum is there a good way to add additional filtration? I know my tank is likely dirty, but I want to prolong filter life at the engine and get the cleanest fuel possible. I have some concerns about entrained air, but I can't justify the cost of something like an AirDog or a FASS for the amount of time it will be driven.



Anyone familliar with the RACOR 500FG10 turbine style filter or the Davco Diesel Pro? Are there other units that I should consider? Is it worth adding more filtration with a pre-filter upstream of the factory fuel filter in the engine compartment? I change my fuel filters at every lube oil service every 10K or 300 hours, (whichever comes first). There seems to be little information on this, but the filter seems to be less effective than it should be to me, and I would like to improve filtration.

Have been a big fan of the RACOR filters with the drain on the bottom, makes it easy to check out the fuel quality. Run a 100 miles then drain a little bit and see how clean it is.