What type of fuel filter is this?

[MattS]

Can anyone tell me what type of fuel filter this is?

My engineer fitted it recently, and I want to know if I can change it for a filter with a water separator without changing the housing itself…

 

[pvb]

It's a CAV-type filter head with a spin-on filter element. You can buy spin-on elements which have a drain screw for getting water out, eg Delphi fuel filter HDF496 | Filter fuel | Fuel filter Delphi

 

[[70521]]

My engineer fitted it recently, and I want to know if I can change it for a filter with a water separator without changing the housing itself…

Looks like it will need a 'proper' filter. I'd suggest a Racor clone. Why 'fitters' are still fitting stuff like that is beyond me.

 

[TernVI]

Or add a separate water separator upstream?
Add on Diesel fuel Water Separator Replaces 5864-003 Thread 1/2 X 20UNF | Diesel Fuel Filter Replacement

 

[pvb]

At the risk of being controversial, can I say that I've never seen any amount of water in the glass bowl of the filter/separator on my boats? Only 40-odd years to date, so still lots of opportunity to find some.

 

[Oily Rag]

I fitted a drain to the Racor after buying the boat. Haven't used it once!

But.... the dedicated Eberspacher tank is a subject for another post. I think I have a recipe for brewing up asphaltenes and will report next month. ?

 

[TernVI]

At the risk of being controversial, can I say that I've never seen any amount of water in the glass bowl of the filter/separator on my boats? Only 40-odd years to date, so still lots of opportunity to find some.

Me neither. Well not more than a teaspoonful.
But I've found gallons of water in the bottom of various tanks.
Most yacht tanks seem designed to keep the water in the tank to farm bugs, whereas cars and tractors have tanks designed to dump the water in the filter ASAP and rarely suffer from the gringe.

I have found the odd drop of water in the secondary engine filter.

 

[[70521]]

At the risk of being controversial, can I say that I've never seen any amount of water in the glass bowl of the filter/separator on my boats? Only 40-odd years to date, so still lots of opportunity to find some.

A glass bowl also allows you to look at the colour of the fuel. Is it clear or cloudy? If cloudy why?

 

[MattS]

There does seem to be mixed views on whether or not a water separator is really necessary (not just online!).

It just feels to me that if I can have a filter including a water separator on there, for relatively low cost, I may as well.

Looks like it will need a 'proper' filter. I'd suggest a Racor clone. Why 'fitters' are still fitting stuff like that is beyond me.

@Sandy Could you explain a bit more what you mean by this? I'm pretty ignorant

 

[wrr]

If you want a drainable trap on the filter, look up the thread size and diameter for your existing Mahle KC20, then find either a can type filter with a bowl or a filter with a drain tap, with the same spin-on thread. eg 16x1.5 and filter diameter. Any large filter supplier should be able to help.

 

[MattS]

If you want a drainable trap on the filter, look up the thread size and diameter for your existing Mahle KC20, then find either a can type filter with a bowl or a filter with a drain tap, with the same spin-on thread. eg 16x1.5 and filter diameter. Any large filter supplier should be able to help.

Thanks - my next question was going to be are they all standard thread size - so I think you've answered that one

 

[pvb]

A glass bowl also allows you to look at the colour of the fuel. Is it clear or cloudy? If cloudy why?

With CAV-type filter heads, the fuel in the bowl has already been filtered, so visual inspection may not tell much.

 

[SaltIre]

If you want a drainable trap on the filter, look up the thread size and diameter for your existing Mahle KC20, then find either a can type filter with a bowl or a filter with a drain tap, with the same spin-on thread. eg 16x1.5 and filter diameter. Any large filter supplier should be able to help.

I had one of these:

 

[SaltIre]

If you want a drainable trap on the filter, look up the thread size and diameter for your existing Mahle KC20, then find either a can type filter with a bowl or a filter with a drain tap, with the same spin-on thread. eg 16x1.5 and filter diameter. Any large filter supplier should be able to help.

KC 20 is here:
General Details:

Filter type	Screw-on Filter
Height [mm]	80
Connecting thread	M16x1,5
Housing Diameter [mm]	76
Diameter 2 [mm]	72,0
Diameter 3 [mm]	62,0
Tightening Torque [Nm]	14
Part number of the recommended special tools	OCS1

Mahle Fuel Filter KC20 single


This:
Mahle Fuel Filter with Drain Tap KC102 (M.A.N Trucks) single
...seems to have the same thread but doesn't have a clear "bowl" to view the fuel.

Edit:
I read somewhere that if your filter is near the engine you shouldn't have a filter with a clear (plastic) bowl - it would melt in a fire and.....
Not sure if that is relevant.

 

[[70521]]

There does seem to be mixed views on whether or not a water separator is really necessary (not just online!).

It just feels to me that if I can have a filter including a water separator on there, for relatively low cost, I may as well.


@Sandy Could you explain a bit more what you mean by this? I'm pretty ignorant

OK there are a number of points in my comment:

• Filters that have glass bowls in them are cheap as chips and should be fitted as standard; and
• I used the word 'fitter' as an engineer is somebody who has a professional qualification - It's the personal gripe of a retired engineer.

With CAV-type filter heads, the fuel in the bowl has already been filtered, so visual inspection may not tell much.

True, but I was suggesting that MattS get a 'proper filter' like a Racor clone. The CAV ones, in my experience, are hopeless as they filter from top down, not bottom up. The result is the brown gel produced by the fuel bug is hidden from view until you dismantle the unit and take the filter out. I do not want to inflict anything like the vomit induced few hours I experienced when changing my old CAV filter on the mooring many years ago - I dread to think what that would have been like in a seaway.

With a Racor type, I have a Separ as it was picked up cheaply on ebay but works in the same way, the fuel is delivered to the bowl so I can see the condition of it before it enters the filter and any heavy particles drop to the bottom. Filter changes are a doddle as there are no fiddly O rings to deal with.

I know lots of CAV users say they are easy to fit, but most boaters change their filter annually whilst on the hard, not in a F6 with a quartering sea with a lee shore rapidly approaching.

 

[TernVI]

Debating the optimum filter is a bit like 'what sort of bolt for the stable door....'
I prefer to know that the tank is reasonably clean and won't block my filter.