Primary fuel filter has something?

[wizard]

Just changing fuel filters and first up is the primary filter and this is what I found inside ….



Is it what I think it is as the engine has not sounded as crisp and sweet as it normally has.

 

[[70521]]

Is it what I think it is as the engine has not sounded as crisp and sweet as it normally has.

Difficult to tell what it is and I can't zoom in on the picture.

What type of filter is it? Is that the bottom of a water separator bowl? What do you think it is? Looks like a bit of plastic from here.

If you think it is the bug, when I had it I found it on top of my CAV filter not at the bottom of the bowl, now I have fitted a proper water separation filter where the fuel is delivered to the water separator before being filtered any heavy crud falls to the bottom of the bowl.

 

[jwfrary]

Difficult to tell what it is and I can't zoom in on the picture.

What type of filter is it? Is that the bottom of a water separator bowl? What do you think it is? Looks like a bit of plastic from here.

If you think it is the bug, when I had it I found it on top of my CAV filter not at the bottom of the bowl, now I have fitted a proper water separation filter where the fuel is delivered to the water separator before being filtered any heavy crud falls to the bottom of the bowl.

That happens if your CAV has been plumbed the wrong way around.

 

[[70521]]

That happens if your CAV has been plumbed the wrong way around.

What does?

 

[jwfrary]

The crud ends up on the top rather than in the bowl. When used as a water seperator the cav filter needs to be plumbed backward compared to what's indicated on the top.

With regards to the OP I recon that's a bit of sludge. Treat with product. I favour marine 16 and then check the filter in 20 hours or so.

 

[pvb]

The crud ends up on the top rather than in the bowl. When used as a water seperator the cav filter needs to be plumbed backward compared to what's indicated on the top.

That's incorrect, I'm afraid. When plumbed correctly (ie according to the arrows cast into the head) the fuel passes first through the filter, ending up in the bowl below. See the attached CAV description of the agglomeration process.

 

[wizard]

To further help the reddy/orange liquid in the base is very goey and is made up of lots of little orange globules which I managed to separate some to the side.

(if using ipad or phone pinch and zoom to see in detail)

 

[jwfrary]

That's incorrect, I'm afraid. When plumbed correctly (ie according to the arrows cast into the head) the fuel passes first through the filter, ending up in the bowl below. See the attached CAV description of the agglomeration process.

View attachment 122316

I didn't claim it to be the manual way but it's pretty common practice in agriculture.

The 'standard way' contaminated fuel can be sucked from the bowl. If you reverse it it has to come though the filter.

That said they really aren't the gold standard in filtration.

 

[pvb]

I didn't claim it to be the manual way but it's pretty common practice in agriculture.

The 'standard way' contaminated fuel can be sucked from the bowl. If you reverse it it has to come though the filter.

That said they really aren't the gold standard in filtration.

Agriculture standards aren't what we should aim for in our boats. CAV filters work best when you follow their instructions! The whole idea is to filter the fuel, after all.

 

[jwfrary]

Agriculture standards aren't what we should aim for in our boats. CAV filters work best when you follow their instructions! The whole idea is to filter the fuel, after all.

Clearly they work suburbly and no further development has occurred since the 1950s in fuel filter technology.....

 

[Moodysailor]

Just changing fuel filters and first up is the primary filter and this is what I found inside ….

View attachment 122253

Is it what I think it is as the engine has not sounded as crisp and sweet as it normally has.

It's a small amount of water & sediment, quite normal over time, and indicates that the filter is doing it's job. It is still undesirable though, so I would recommend finding a way to drain the bottom of the tank, change filters (primary & secondary), add treatment & monitor.

 

[wizard]

It's a small amount of water & sediment, quite normal over time, and indicates that the filter is doing it's job. It is still undesirable though, so I would recommend finding a way to drain the bottom of the tank, change filters (primary & secondary), add treatment & monitor.

Many thanks for a reply actually relevant to the question asked - much appreciated.