Fuel filter options

Thanks everyone for their thoughts.
Variously:
Secondhand kit as it's place as far as im concerned: unless it's been cross-threaded I can't see that there's a lot to go wrong with a filter head unit although I may be wrong.

I'm aware of the "Facor" clones and people have reasonable results with them after a but if fettling. Wasn't sure of the ethics, hut if the patent has expired, then that changes things.

The one occasion I changed my CAV, it went quite well, although I assembled it and took it apart again to double check. But that was in harbour,not being tossed around at sea. And you don't know if you've got it right until it's full of fuel, which is a pain. As a minimum, I'll move the filter to a less inaccessible place but something more convenient appeals.

Fair point about the centrifuge being a bonus: if it's a 10 micron filter it's still a filter. Unless it clogs up more readily or something.

I'll look into all these options.
Thanks.
 
mogmog2 said:
Wasn't sure of the ethics, hut if the patent has expired, then that changes things.
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I, too, have qualms about the ethics, and doubt the patent has expired, but my qualms start to crumble when the price of the genuine article is about 8 times the cost of a knock off!

I'd happily pay twice the price, perhaps even four times the price, for the IP and better quality control of the original, but 8 times?
 
LittleSister said:
I, too, have qualms about the ethics, and doubt the patent has expired, but my qualms start to crumble when the price of the genuine article is about 8 times the cost of a knock off!

I'd happily pay twice the price, perhaps even four times the price, for the IP and better quality control of the original, but 8 times?
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Agred, their prices appear unjustifiably high - I saw the glass bowl is £40 and the CAV one is about £4 (I know its bigger and a bit more complicated but...)
 
IIRC Patents have around a 20 year life only. Regular payments should be made during this 20 year period to keep them protected.

Racors have been around longer than that.

Apart from changing the element and O rings for Racor ones, my Chinese version required no fettling and cost less than 50 quid delivered.

I see no ethical problems at all.
 
Interesting to read lots of posts about using a CAV type with or without a spin on filter. The primary reason I changed to a top loading filter is the speed of a filter change in a seaway.
 
Sandy said:
Interesting to read lots of posts about using a CAV type with or without a spin on filter. The primary reason I changed to a top loading filter is the speed of a filter change in a seaway.
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Changes at sea are my motivation here.
Spin on must be somewhat easier/quicker than the O ring type but more importantly, you get a sure fit, so a worthwhile upgrade even if not as convenient as a top loader.
 
Amused me slightly, looking at the Racor product selector, the smallest is 60gph. No option for gallons per year ?
 
mogmog2 said:
Amused me slightly, looking at the Racor product selector, the smallest is 60gph. No option for gallons per year ?
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Sounds like it has been some time since you bought any fuel. I can't remember the last time I bought a gallon of anything!
 
After a filter blockage caused a degree of stress some years ago, I went to my local car breaker and found a matching pair of filters with spin-on elements. Taps to isolate each filter (four on/off taps were significantly cheaper than a pair of Y taps) and a bit of pipe from ASAP and I had a twin filter system for less than £30, which allows me to switch filters in seconds and change a filter while the engine's pulling me off that lee shore. I haven't tried it, but I think I could even bleed the new filter while the engine's running.

Because I run on one filter and can switch to the other so easily, changing filters is no longer part of my routine maintenance. I changed them last year, after about 10 years, because they were getting rusty enough for the possibility of pin holes to be a concern, but the filtration and fuel flow were fine.

Amused me slightly, looking at the Racor product selector, the smallest is 60gph. No option for gallons per year ?

I'm reminded of the first time I filled up with fuel on my little Snapdragon. I put about 8 gallons - 36 litres for the modernists ;) - and as I was paying, there was a gin palace on the other side of the pontoon who was paying for a couple of tons of fuel. As I left, I said, rather louder than was really necessary, "Thanks very much, see you next year."
 
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Stemar. �� Do you have a water trap? I was wondering about splitting that function. I can remember being interested in the glass bowl in my father's Comma van. What's the advantage of having filter and separator in one unit? Space is less of a premium than in a vehicle.
 
No water trap. I think I could buy filter cartridges with a tap on the bottom, but I've never worried about it. I only potter around the Solent, buying fuel from places with a fast turnover, so water isn't the issue it might be in more exotic places.

If I were fitting out a boat for serious cruising, I'd fit a water trap upstream of the filters, maybe something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Diesel-Water-Trap-/323558378033
 
mogmog2 said:
Stemar. �� Do you have a water trap? I was wondering about splitting that function. I can remember being interested in the glass bowl in my father's Comma van. What's the advantage of having filter and separator in one unit? Space is less of a premium than in a vehicle.
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I have has some grit contamination in my diesel tanks that blocked up my primary filters very quickly. My primary filter is the CAV with water separator included.

I am considering fitting one of these before the CAV filter.

https://www.parts4engines.com/perkins-4-236-sedimenter-kit/?setCurrencyId=1

I do need to open my tanks and clean the tanks properly but I need to find somewhere to store the 650 liters I have in each of my 3 tanks.
 
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