Primary diesel filter.

[Sailfree]

Changed the filter on my Jeanneau 43 DS and could not engage thread on securing bolt.

Checked i had not fitted 2 ring gaskets and only 1 fitted.

Removed rubber washer from securing bolt and thread engages then tightening bolt compressed gasket and a looks OK but frankly I am not happy with only a few turns of thread being engaged.

Anyone else had this problem and can anyone suggest a generic replacement primary filter housing.

 

[Beneteau381]

Changed the filter on my Jeanneau 43 DS and could not engage thread on securing bolt.

Checked i had not fitted 2 ring gaskets and only 1 fitted.

Removed rubber washer from securing bolt and thread engages then tightening bolt compressed gasket and a looks OK but frankly I am not happy with only a few turns of thread being engaged.

Anyone else had this problem and can anyone suggest a generic replacement primary filter housing.

Which filter?

 

[Graham376]

If it's a CAV, bin it and replace with spin on type.

 

[dunedin]

Not cheap, but with increasing diesel bug issues I would take the opportunity to buy the boat a New Year present and fit one of these …. Racor 500FG Diesel Fuel Filter (10 Micron)

 

[snowbird30ds]

Not cheap, but with increasing diesel bug issues I would take the opportunity to buy the boat a New Year present and fit one of these …. Racor 500FG Diesel Fuel Filter (10 Micron)

But these are cheap, use a proper racor filter in it.
Racor Type Diesel Filter FG500

 

[Laysula]

+1 for the Racor. I also fitted a squeezy bulb between the tank and filter. Changing filters now is quick, clean and easy.

 

[Sailfree]

Can't understand the links. Both show the same Racor filter 500 but one is £24.99 and the other over £200?

 

[snowbird30ds]

The one I posted was a chinese copy at £25, I have a pair to fit to get shot of my old cav filters.
I have changed the o-rings for viton and will use genuine racor elements but the unit looks to be pretty good, mine will cost me £120 for the pair once the seals and elements are included.

 

[Sailfree]

The one I posted was a chinese copy at £25, I have a pair to fit to get shot of my old cav filters.
I have changed the o-rings for viton and will use genuine racor elements but the unit looks to be pretty good, mine will cost me £120 for the pair once the seals and elements are included.

Thanks snowbird - now ordered.

 

[dunedin]

+1 for the Racor. I also fitted a squeezy bulb between the tank and filter. Changing filters now is quick, clean and easy.

Instead of adding a squeeze bulb, which felt like extra potential failure points, I simply keep a small bottle of diesel to top up after replacing the filter.

 

[QBhoy]

Is that seal meant to be used at all ? Some filters housing units don’t use them at all.

 

[Plum]

Is that seal meant to be used at all ? Some filters housing units don’t use them at all.

What seal are you referring to?

 

[QBhoy]

What seal are you referring to?

The one described as a rubber washer in the post.

 

[scottie]

The one that fits below the glass bowl when there is no glass bowl

 

[roaringgirl]

Instead of adding a squeeze bulb, which felt like extra potential failure points, I simply keep a small bottle of diesel to top up after replacing the filter.

Once the Racor filter is changed, I run the engine to pull some fuel through the filter, once the bowl is full I stop the engine, and drain the bowl into a container - then run the engine again until the bowl is full, then top up from the container, tip any leftover back into the tank.

 

[dunedin]

Once the Racor filter is changed, I run the engine to pull some fuel through the filter, once the bowl is full I stop the engine, and drain the bowl into a container - then run the engine again until the bowl is full, then top up from the container, tip any leftover back into the tank.

Each to their own, but seems a lot of extra phaff compared to dropping in a new filter, topping up the diesel to the top from a bottle and putting the lid on - then have a cup of tea

 

[Sailfree]

Is that seal meant to be used at all ? Some filters housing units don’t use them at all.

Not at the boat but the filter on my Jeaneau is a metal cannister filter that has a lip on the top that sits in a groove on the underside of the filter top plate. There is a metal bowl beneath the cannister filter. The large rubber washer gasket I assume fits in the groove beneath the top plate as otherwise it would be metal to metal contact.

What I could not understand is that the bolt has a thread length of approx 2cm and the receiving bowl at the bottom has a threaded tower to receive the bolt of some 3cm yet I could only get the bolt to engage by removing the small seaIing rubber O ring at the top of the bolt. Then I got a turn or two compressing the top rubber gasket - some 2cm of wasted thread!

 

[nigel1]

I have a vague recollection that the threaded female part in the lower bowl is adjustable in length. Can check next week.

 

[Stemar]

If it's a CAV, bin it and replace with spin on type.

Better still, fit two in parallel. Because it's then the work of seconds to change a blocked filter, the diesel demons will just give up and not bother you again. I ended up changing the filters on Jissel when they started looking a bit too rusty, after about 8 years. It more than paid for my investment, which was minimal anyway.

 

[TNLI]

If it's a CAV, bin it and replace with spin on type.

Totally agree, the CAV is a cheap truck filter that always seems to cause some kind of fitting issue. Even the cheap, (25 quid on Fleabay) copies of a Racor 500FG are far better than a CAV. Also any primary fuel filter should have a see through bowl, although make sure it is not fitted in the engine bay, as that can result in it complicating an engine fire incident. Not allowed in the same compartment on a commercial boat.