Racor Water Seperator Filter Cartridge

[jgarmin098]

My local marine supply store is no longer stocking Racor R24S filters because "my diesel guy says the 2 micron filter is causing fuel starvation problems." The store is only offering the 10 micron filters.

I've been using only 2 micron filters since forever on my 25XP. What say you? Shall I listen to this "advice" or seek out another source for my beloved 2 micron filter?

J. Garmin
'88 E-32-3

 

[Frank Langer]

I have never had an "fuel starvation problems" with my 2 micron Racor filter, and plan to keep using it in our 5416 16 hp Universal diesel. I think its better to have it filter out any impurities before they reach the injectors, which I understand are very sensitive.

Frank

 

[mherrcat]

From Wikipedia:

A single strand of hair usually has a diameter of 20 to 180 μm. Red blood cells are approximately 8 μm in diameter.

Here is a link to an article I found on diesel fuel filtration that appears to be from 2005; the section on Filter Performance is particularly (pun intended) interesting:

http://www.lydallfiltration.com/tech/documents/DesignandPerformanceDieselFuelFilters.pdf

Don't know how high the pressure is in a small diesel engine like most of our boats have, but seems like a 10 μm filter would be sufficient

 

[Tom Metzger]

From the horse's mouth

I asked Westerbeke a similar question about M-25XP filters and got this reply.

"Hello Tom,
10 microns for the on engine spin on filter is fine. Do not go any smaller in micron rating. Our #298854 spin on is rated at 25 micron. Stay with 10 micron in the Racor as well. You want the Racor to be doing the majority of filtering.

Kind Regards,

Westerbeke Corp."

 

[Frank Langer]

Tom,

That's helpful information. I am currently using the 2 micron Racor filter and it has been working fine on my 5416 16 hp diesel engine. Would you interpret the Westerbeke information to recommend using the 10 micron instead, or only if the 2 micron is getting plugged? As I think about it, I don't really see any advantage to having less filtration, but maybe it's making the electric lift pump work too hard, or having some similar effect that I don't understand.

Frank

 

[Tom Metzger]

My question to Westerbeke was:

"I have a Universal M-25XP engine that uses a Universal 298854 fuel filter. I have been using a 10 micron Wix 33390 filter that Wix cross references to the Universal number. Is 10 microns the correct filter level for the engine filter? Should I be using a 30 micron element in my Racor primary filter/separator? Thank you for your attention."

I got answers from two 'master distributors' to the same question before going to Westerbeke.

You should never use an aftermarket filter. A two micron (brown) Racor primary fuel filter is fine with the secondary Universal 298854.

Sincerely,

TDC Equipment, Inc.


I’d be surprised if the 298854 was as low as a 10 micron, I’m thinking more like 30 -60 micron. Most of the time, when a “Racor” type primary is installed into a fuel system, the filter supplied by the Engine or Generator manufacture becomes either redundant or unnecessary. I’d go w/ 30 micron in your Racor. As your 10 micron gets clogged quicker over time, the lift pump will have to work harder to pull the fuel through the filter. Hence, your fuel pump will die prematurely.

Sincerely,
Chris Herting
Grove


Be careful who you accept advice from.

 

[rwthomas1]

A huge determinant of the micron rating of the filter is its capacity. For example, I have a Racor 500 "turbine" type filter on my boat. It is rated for 60 gallons per hour. I assume that means it can filter up to 60 gallons per hour without an appreciable increase in restriction with a clean filter. Since my engine uses less than ONE gallon per hour the headroom in capacity is simply huge. A 2 micron filter may plug up faster than a 10 micron but really, will I notice it? Unlikely unless the problem is severe. Its almost impossible to have too much filtration capacity. RT

 

[mmackof]

I just added a 2micron Racor 500 with problems

I added this to my Perkins 4-108. I also put a Facet electric pump in after the filter. This all just popped inplace of the existing Fram spinon.

The engine would not start. I checked the injectors and the injector pump and found to little fuel flow.

Took the filter out and the engine runs fine.

I plan on trying a 10 micron and seeing if that makes the difference.

The Facet was never supposed to run all the time. It was only provisioned for bleeding/priming. The 2 micron didn't work even with the facet running full time.

This thread seems to not offer a definitive answer. Anything I'm missing?

Thanks,

Mort

 

[Tom Metzger]

Mort - This sounds like an air leak, not a filter porosity rating problem.

 

[Loren Beach]

Racor 500

Prices range from $223 to $294, per a quick Google search. (If this is the one being referenced.)
Since these use a cartridge filter element rather that the separate pieces that my smaller Racor uses with two separate rubber gaskets, there should be less chance for an air leak...
But air leaks on these filters can be quite sneaky, as I have discovered in the past.

Loren

 

[mmackof]

Thanks

Tom,
Okay. I'll go over all the tubing and fittings again.
I'd like having the 2 micron filter in place