RobBrown
Active member
Anyone know if the Delphi 296 & 901 filters are interchangeable? Was supplied one of each. They look the same size. Usually use 296s, but will keep the 901 if compatible.
CAV Fuel filters
- Thread starter RobBrown
- Start date
Daydream believer
Well-known member
I have had trouble with the CAV filter every year since I got the boat.
Stopping it leaking has been a real pain
I checked the diameter of the rebate in the bottom of the filter & on 4 different makes there was 1.8 mm difference in diameter
the largest diameter is better for leak prevention
however, i bet there are loads of leaking CAV filters on boats all over the place. they are Carp
Stopping it leaking has been a real pain
I checked the diameter of the rebate in the bottom of the filter & on 4 different makes there was 1.8 mm difference in diameter
the largest diameter is better for leak prevention
however, i bet there are loads of leaking CAV filters on boats all over the place. they are Carp
Hadenough
Well-known member
L
Don't start me off! I've just spent the whole day bleeding the bleeding fuel system. Bought some budget filters which just don't fit (lesson there). Replaced the primary with a "proper" filter and hey presto. Having said that I've never had a problem in the past but the CAV filter assembly is so basic that how do they think you will get a seal anyway! Glass bowl type (not in the engine bay) but the bloody filter comes with a seal short! Got another CAV to do on the genset tomorrow. Definitely be fitting Racor screwins next winter.
Don't start me off! I've just spent the whole day bleeding the bleeding fuel system. Bought some budget filters which just don't fit (lesson there). Replaced the primary with a "proper" filter and hey presto. Having said that I've never had a problem in the past but the CAV filter assembly is so basic that how do they think you will get a seal anyway! Glass bowl type (not in the engine bay) but the bloody filter comes with a seal short! Got another CAV to do on the genset tomorrow. Definitely be fitting Racor screwins next winter.
pvb
Well-known member
The CAV filter is essentially simple and easy, but you do have to realise that there are 2 different sizes for the big O-rings.
superheat6k
Well-known member
+1 for the Racor, but there is a very good Headman copy of the Racor available on EBAY for half the price and as good quality IMHO, and will take original Racor elements, although I use and have extensively tested the headman own elements and filters for my business.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Racor-typ...tEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item58a423720b
This is the 500 size, but they also offer the 900 size. I have had two of the 900 fitted for two seasons and they work as well as the Racor and do not leak.
KenMcCulloch
New member
Quite so. I've never had a problem with a CAV filter, well only once.
Hadenough
Well-known member
Yes I do realise that! But tell me why, without going into whether or not you should have a glass bowl, even up market filters only come with two, not three, replacement O rings! The problem with CAV filters is that they are so crude. Five seals, wobbly, at best construction. (Push the two tier assembly up into the top seal and furtle around trying to find the thread of the female thread!) And the bleed screw relies on a taper seal only, too many things to go wrong. Incidentally, after taking the callipers to the cheap filters against the better one the problem seems to be in the inner "tube" which doesn't have enough of a lip to make the seal. Effectively, as it it is tightened it pushes the lip of the tube off the o ring. The tube of the better filter goes right through the filter.
wully1
Well-known member
Do the Racor type filters work with the small flow rates of a 20 to 30 HP engine?
superheat6k
Well-known member
The Racor has two functions, so the spinner action may be less at low flow rates, but the element is still effective, and acts as an agglomerator as well as a filter, and you could use a lower micron rate, say 10 instead of 30 micron for lower service flow rates.
Racor do offer smaller units similar in appearance to the CAV, but no experience of them. Plenty on EBAY.
Racor do offer smaller units similar in appearance to the CAV, but no experience of them. Plenty on EBAY.
RobBrown
Active member
Well I put in a CAV as a 1ry filter replacement for an agglomerator & to me it has proved a cost effective replacement and a great improvement on the original fitting. bought the unit plus filter from SLs and was les than £20 and direct swap on the exisiting fitting bolts, whereas with Racor set up, I wa slooking @ £100+. I replaced the filter in mine last week for the first time & to be honest dd not find it a particualr trial. In fact the 2 filters were ordered as replacement spares for the 296 cartridge replaced (£2 each). Now tried the inlinefilters site suggested. Couldn't find any simple cross reference facility, but after searching for the type of filter & turning up Baldwin filter FBW-BF825, in the list of compatibles for are included both the Delphi 296 & HDF 901, so by inference, they should be interchangeable. Bit round the houses, but makes some sense!
The 296 btw only has 2 large seals, top & bottom & the small seal on the tube, but thats all thats required on my glass bottom CAV filter unit.. I found them pretty simple to replace.
The 296 btw only has 2 large seals, top & bottom & the small seal on the tube, but thats all thats required on my glass bottom CAV filter unit.. I found them pretty simple to replace.
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ghostlymoron
Well-known member
Can't understand how such a simple and widely used unit can cause a problem if properly installed. Thousands of farmers and digger drivers do it every day.
savageseadog
Well-known member
The only thing that's wrong with CAV filters is the ham fisted amateurs that fit them
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Thanks- that has solved that problem then.
macd
Active member
A CAV tucked away in an awkward location: no thanks, I'd go with a spin-on every time.
A CAV you can freely get at?: no worries, simple, cheap, cheap filters (and the ones with a priming pump on top are a boon).
A CAV you can freely get at?: no worries, simple, cheap, cheap filters (and the ones with a priming pump on top are a boon).
RichardS
N/A
I don't think my Racor 500 spinners actually spin on either of my 3YM30s with 10 micron filters. Is that normally the case with 30HP engines?
Richard
ghostlymoron
Well-known member
If it's in an awkward place, move it.
Hadenough
Well-known member
Totally agree, Anyone else would fit a quality filter :encouragement: As for changing the element my post was a warning about using cheap after market elements. When I retried with good quality elements I got a seal straight away.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
My CAV is fitted on a mounting with butterfly nuts. It is dead easy to remove & the fuel line is long enough for me to place the assembly over a bucket.
I have even removed it & assembled it on a bench with no luck.
& as for earlier posts- I have stripped& rebuilt dozens of Diesel engines in my earlier days- I used to look after the plant in a building company. So " ham fisted amateur" does not really fit the bill.
alan17
New member
I would not call other people "ham fisted" but certainly some people are less adept at doing certain jobs.
My set up uses a CAV filter and I am reasonable adept at changing filters without leaving a leak. When I buy new elements they are supplied with 2 large seals of slightly different sizes and a much smaller seal. The problem is that I need 3 of the large type seal. I contacted Crosland, the manufacturer of the element that I use and told them that I needed extra of one of the large seals. They simply asked how many extra I would like and sent them to be at no cost.
To be fair to the anti CAV brigade I would not relish the thought of having to fit a new element in a choppy sea! I have arranged a by pass system using 2 CAV filters and some on/off taps to reduce the possible need to change at sea. It has so far not been necessary but that may be inviting a problem!
My set up uses a CAV filter and I am reasonable adept at changing filters without leaving a leak. When I buy new elements they are supplied with 2 large seals of slightly different sizes and a much smaller seal. The problem is that I need 3 of the large type seal. I contacted Crosland, the manufacturer of the element that I use and told them that I needed extra of one of the large seals. They simply asked how many extra I would like and sent them to be at no cost.
To be fair to the anti CAV brigade I would not relish the thought of having to fit a new element in a choppy sea! I have arranged a by pass system using 2 CAV filters and some on/off taps to reduce the possible need to change at sea. It has so far not been necessary but that may be inviting a problem!
Hadenough
Well-known member
Absolutely! Why on earth they don't provide the three seals required as a matter of course is beyond me. I totally agree with the problem of changing it at sea, it's not too difficult with the right components but it is fiddly (even though I'm not a ham fisted amateur). Bleeding is not the problem if you are set up properly it is the time necessary to fit the bloody filter element. Not being a weekend warrior, I'm going to fit spin on filters.
