Cav Fuel Fiters - messy!

Chris_Robb

Chris_Robb

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I have just done my first fuel filter change on a Volvo 2003T. It has an initial Cav filter. Is there any way of changing the filter without dumping loads of fuel in the bilge? I had Racors on the last boat, and you could change those and not even get your fingers dirty!!!
 
Cut a polythene container such as a 4pint milk bottle to slip under the filter. Depending on the space under the filter it will catch all the diesel and the old element. Perhaps you need to move the filter?
The top of the filter needs to be below the diesel level in the tank for the bleed screw to let air out not in. So if you raise up the filter to make space for a receptacle beneath it, you may have to refuel before changing the filter. Not ideal, as you may have to do it in anger one day! It takes a long time to bleed a cav via the yanmar lift pump!
 
Disposable nappies are an essential part of my on-board inventory.
Just put a couple under the filter.
The amount of engine oil and spilled diesel they soak up is impressive.
Buying them from the local supermarket is guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows.
 
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I am not sure of the design on your engine. however I use a polythene freezer bag or similar around the filters to catch the fuel or oil as I manouvre the filter out

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What a great and simple idea!!!!
 
Your question contains the answer!

Dump the CAV and fit a Racor Spin-on filter. That's what I did, and I have never regretted it. I bought all the parts I needed from ASAP Supplies Ltd, Beccles, Norfolk [Suffolk?]
 
Not much room underneath, so the freezer bag idea is good. By the way - how the hell do you bleed them. If you freed off the nut on the top (offset), then just neat fuel comes out. I had to release the central nut that holds the filter in order for the bowl to fill. There must be an easier way! Good news was that there was no sediment in the bowl at all, however it would have been useful to see how dirty the filter was, but as it is enclosed, it is not possible to see..

Perhaps I will just replace it with a Racor - far better design!
 
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i do my CAV filters with a plastic jug underneath .. I drain them first but still messy.

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Agreed. We use a plastic bowl and don't spill a drop in the engine bay though, as you say, it's still messy on the hands etc.

I've thought about changing to the Racor 'spin on' type, usually when I'm just about to do the job, but then, when the job's done, I realise that's it's not that much bother so keep the CAV!!

I probably get round to changing one day ..................
 
Do you have to bleed the cav filter? I have just changed both filters on my VP2002 I opened the bleed valve on the engine filter and used the pump to draw fuel through, it took a long time but eventually I had a good stream coming out of the engine filter. The glass bowl on the primary filter is full, and the engine started very well, I ran it for about 10 minutes with no problems but, should I have bled or indeed do I need to bleed the primary filter.
 
No.
It sounds like you have got he air out of it.
My point was that if you can do this by opening the bleed screw and waiting, its a lot easier.
 
on the racor system does the canister spin on a central hub or is there still a threaded rod/long bolt. I thought about this but the guy at asap reckoned by the time you bought the changeover kit you might as well get a whole new filter housing. When i looked it appeared you would need a good deal of space beneath the filter to remove the canister.... do you?
 
After my CAV filter blocked on a very bumpy day, resulting in a rather traumatic entrance into Portsmouth Harbour, I ditched it and replaced it with two spin-on filters plumbed with a tap above and below each one, so that if one blocks, I can switch to the other in a few seconds. I can also change filters in a seaway, which I'd hate to try with the CAV and all its O rings.
 
I put a peugeot fuel primer bulb in circuit, same thing as an outboard primer, a couple of good handfuls and bobs your whotsit, primed!
stu
 
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