Lo-flo Racor fuel filter?

wully1

wully1

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I have a strong dislike for CAV type fuel filters mainly due to my incompetence in putting them back together first time without leaks..Add to that the fact I hate the smell of diesel oil and loathe getting it on my skin as it brings me out in a rash...

The Racor types look a much better solution but seem to be more suitable for larger engines with a bigger fuel flow than my Volvo 2030 - does anyone use them on small engines?
 
wully1 said:
I have a strong dislike for CAV type fuel filters mainly due to my incompetence in putting them back together first time without leaks..Add to that the fact I hate the smell of diesel oil and loathe getting it on my skin as it brings me out in a rash...

The Racor types look a much better solution but seem to be more suitable for larger engines with a bigger fuel flow than my Volvo 2030 - does anyone use them on small engines?
Click to expand...

No problem on smaller engines, although it's debatable if the turbine works effectively. Still gives good filtration and is much easier to change than the CAV.

Maybe worth looking on Ebay for the 500 series clone filter assembly and fit it with genuine Racor elements.
 
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pvb said:
Or change the CAV filter head for a similar one which takes a spin-on filter element. Much cheaper.
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Would be much cheaper than using a genuine Racor filter housing, but only about £10 cheaper if you use the Racor clones on Ebay. Genuine Racor elements from ASAP are only a couple of quid more than the spin on ones.
 
I had the same problem and put in a Racor on my Beta 20. As Paul implies it doesn’t operate as a turbine as there is too little fuel flow, but it still operates as a filter, is very easy to change without splashing fuel everywhere and easy to achieve airtight seals.
Worth the money

wully1 said:
I have a strong dislike for CAV type fuel filters mainly due to my incompetence in putting them back together first time without leaks..Add to that the fact I hate the smell of diesel oil and loathe getting it on my skin as it brings me out in a rash...

The Racor types look a much better solution but seem to be more suitable for larger engines with a bigger fuel flow than my Volvo 2030 - does anyone use them on small engines?
Click to expand...
 
pvb said:
About £10 versus £6.
Click to expand...

£10.46 v £7.43

The Racor has some advantages that make the extra £3 on an annual service well spent i think. It's marginally easier and cleaner to change the element and it can be filled up to the top before putting the lid on, so a little easier to bleed, perhaps. But the main advantages are the better filtering, the Racor turbine and cone will coalesce water and the element will trap water on its surface and coalesce it, so it falls down into the clear bowl. Some of the spin on elements have a drain on the bottom, but this is not as effective as the Racor but the elements cost more the Racor ones.
 
There are dozens of filters from cars which would do the job.
The filter on most cars goes for years without being changed.
You can get some which have water sensing contacts in.

I think if I were starting from scratch, I would put in a separate system to remove water and dirt from the bottom of the tank and maybe a filter from a car.
But personally, I don't have much trouble with CAVs.
 
We found the trade off was v most of a tank of fuel in the bilge. Racor won that battle over CAV and we have never looked back.
 
rotrax said:
I have.

A bit of minor fettling - fraze removal mostly - and using genuine Racor elements and 'O'rings and it is as good as the real thing.

They are not 'knock off's' as many think - the Parker Racor Patent has long expired.

Fill yer boots.................... ?
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They are actually slightly different, the Racor has a separate, wrap around mounting bracket, the "clone" has its bracket as part of the casting.

I'll definitely be using genuine Racor filters and seals.
 
The Racor clone I bought on Ebay looked fine when it arrived. As I had read on here people had received items with bowls which had been damaged in transit, I had a good look but it was fine... Until I actually filled it, multiple cracks showed up. I would recommend to fill and examine it before installing. The seller had disappeared from Ebay, so I ordered an identical looking one from a different seller. This filter was fine, but came with totally different threaded connectors from the earlier one, and looked different from the photo too.
 
Looking at fitting an FG500 type to replace an old watertrap (with no filter). On engine filter always looks clean and never found much in the way of crud in the system. Would it make sense to use a 10 micron filter in the FG500 or would a larger mesh be OK/better?
 
I have a Separ SWK2000/5 onboard, replaced the CAV unit a few years back after a dose of the fuel bug.

It works in the same way as the Racor and is happy with the throughput of my VP2002.

Filters are more expensive than the CAV ones, but I'd rather have a system that worked first time than having to fiddle with something in a seaway.
 
A simple and not very expensive add on for easy bleeding is an electric pump. Use a momentary switch to operate. Clears air after changing a filter element real fast.

The Facet low pressure type are best, but expensive.

Again, Patent has expired and several similar Chinese types are available for under £20.00 from that well known online auction site.
 
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