Primary diesel filter.

Sailfree said:
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!
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Not always. Was there one there before ?
 
Racor Type Diesel Filter FG500
KATSUSKU: 482720
Sale price£24.99

Racor Turbine 500FG Fuel Filter / Water Separator Assembly
Our Price:
$215.99

So why would anyone buy the Racor?

I have a vague plan to fit pairs of these, but with twin engines, that's £150 or so for the fakes by the time I've got the taps to switch between them, or £450 for the "real" ones. £150 is doable, £450 isn't.
 
TNLI said:
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.
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Sailfree said:
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!
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Are you sure you have the right filter fitted? If you fitted the previous one did that fit ok or have you just copied what was there?
 
dunedin said:
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)
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Tell me that I'm wrong but when you remove a used filter and fit a new one is the residual fuel that remains in the bowl not able to 'mix' ? I take it fuel enters the filter either in the centre or at the side and pass's through the element. When you remove the filter what stops the new (dirty) and clean (filtered) diesel that remains from either side mixing?
 
ean_p said:
Are you sure you have the right filter fitted? If you fitted the previous one did that fit ok or have you just copied what was there?
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It is a equivalent filter to the original. Side by side it looks identical at most it may be 1mm taller but that should not prevent some 10mm of thread being engaged.

Racor copy now ordered.
 
gavin400 said:
What is the overall length of the unit. Thanks
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Top of tee handle to tip of drain valve is 300mm, with lid off and filter rested on top is 340mm to tip of drain valve (absolute minimum to be able to change filter), a couple of inches would be needed below to drain water out.
Mount is 145mm wide, banjo to banjo is 150mm wide, back of mount to outer edge of housing is 125mm.
 
Sailfree said:
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!
Click to expand...


Just checked the old CAV type filter housing that I removd from my Bene 473 (Volvo Penta TMD 22). The threaded "tower" you mentioned is removable, it screws into the bottom of the metal bowl. So if you unscrew it a few turns, it raises the height of the "tower" which will allow the top bolt to enage poperly.

Not that it matters now as I see you have ordered the Racor knock off.
Has anyone tried the Racor copy as sold by Parts 4 Engines
500 FG Turbine Fuel filter assembly

Listed at £65, but no indication of who the maker is.
 
TNLI said:
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.
Click to expand...
I had a CAV filter fitted to a housing with integral fuel pump for 5years with no issues. I'm not a trained mechanic but changed it 5 times without problem also once en route to Ireland when we got shook up and sediment in the tank disturbed. I think a lot of people exagerate the difficulty of changing them. Many more boats have CAV than Racor and don't bother changing them.
 
ghostlymoron said:
I had a CAV filter fitted to a housing with integral fuel pump for 5years with no issues. I'm not a trained mechanic but changed it 5 times without problem also once en route to Ireland when we got shook up and sediment in the tank disturbed. I think a lot of people exagerate the difficulty of changing them. Many more boats have CAV than Racor and don't bother changing them.
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The CAV filter originally fitted to Jissel had two O rings of slightly different sizes. Obvious enough in good light and if you're doing them all the time, but far less so when you're practically hanging upside down in a dark engine compartment, the boat's leaping around and the crew's yelling that the rocks are getting closer. In those conditions, you want things to be as foolproof as possible. To my mind, a simple spin-on filter is far more foolproof.
 
ghostlymoron said:
I had a CAV filter fitted to a housing with integral fuel pump for 5years with no issues. I'm not a trained mechanic but changed it 5 times without problem also once en route to Ireland when we got shook up and sediment in the tank disturbed. I think a lot of people exagerate the difficulty of changing them. Many more boats have CAV than Racor and don't bother changing them.
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It has to be easier and quicker to change the Racor type. I have the CAV filter and find it fiddley and tricky to get it to seal properly. I'd hate to have to do this at sea. I'm considering changing for this reason. I'm also always worried I'll over tighten the CAV bolt and shear it. That would be inconvenient in port, and really horrid at sea.

On a slightly different topic, do you use ptfe tape on the threads of the bajo bolts to ensure a good seal?
 
Stemar said:
The CAV filter originally fitted to Jissel had two O rings of slightly different sizes. Obvious enough in good light and if you're doing them all the time, but far less so when you're practically hanging upside down in a dark engine compartment, the boat's leaping around and the crew's yelling that the rocks are getting closer. In those conditions, you want things to be as foolproof as possible. To my mind, a simple spin-on filter is far more foolproof.
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Yes, agree completely.

Some people just want to stick with the way they've always done it no matter what.
 
dunedin said:
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.
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Is there a non-return valve in the Racor filter? Otherwise wouldn't the fuel feeder pipe just return under gravity to the tank and introduce air into the fuel system?
 
ghostlymoron said:
I had a CAV filter fitted to a housing with integral fuel pump for 5years with no issues. I'm not a trained mechanic but changed it 5 times without problem also once en route to Ireland when we got shook up and sediment in the tank disturbed. I think a lot of people exagerate the difficulty of changing them. Many more boats have CAV than Racor and don't bother changing them.
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I disagree. I vomited far more when I had the CAV. Changing filter type was the best thing I ever did in the fuel system.
 
LadyInBed said:
Neither is Sailfree ?
Sorry Roger ?
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Not trained but like many on here 1st car was a cheap £30 one and ended up in first few years removing the engine and gearbox and overdrive unit and reconditioning all of them myself.

I always bought the necessary tools to do any job and ended up with a back street garage business that I did at weekends and evenings that initially supplemented my income and finally financed me with wife and kids to complete a 4yr degree in structural engineering.

More difficult to do that now with need for specialist diagnostics tools often specific to particular manufacturers.

But your right I'm not a trained mechanic just one of a generation that became competent mechanics and builders from economic necessity with car and house ownership!
 
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