Fuel filtering – am I in danger of restricting flow?

[Dan Kealy]

Hello all, and thanks for a great forum. This is my first big diesel, first forum, and first post…. The information I’ve got already is invaluable . Now I’m not so worried I had to saw the end off my OEM pencil zinc when I screwed it into my OEM heat exchanger!

I’ve also started fresh water flushing which makes a lot of sense – I do it with the 3.3 outboard for the tender so why wouldn’t I with the expensive engine? Thanks for that- it just takes someone to say it out loud and it seems so obvious.

I’m the proud new owner of a 32′ flybridge cruiser (a Roberts- I’m over in Brisbane, Australia) with a 210 6BT 5.9M. I’m thrilled with the engine- have just crawled all over it giving it the full service- and am also pleased to hear what a great reputation it has.

My question today is regarding my fuel filtering. I’ve read all the posts and Tony’s Tips so feel I’m on the right track, but just wanted to confirm so I don’t stuff anything up. When I got the boat it had 2 off-engine Racor 500MA filters (both with water alarm) in parallel. I understand this is so when continuously running the filters can be changed without stopping the engine…. We are recreational family cruisers on maybe 100 hours a year so this didn’t seem necessary for us.

Reading Tony’s tip on graduated filtering made a lot of sense so I’ve re-routed the plumbing so the racors are now in series. Racor has 30,10, and 2 micron filters for these so my plan is :

Fuel Tank – Racor 30 – Racor 10 – on engine/last chance filter 2 micron.

My research has come up with the Fleetgaurd FF5320 for the last chance filter… it doesn’t have the fuel/water separator but I didn’t think this important as the racors should sort any water and my fuel comes from the local big gas station in my own plastic jerry cans.

I was happy with this until I went to get the 2 micron FF5320 from my cummins part supplier and he queried that filtering finer than OEM recommendation might restrict flow……….

So, Question 1: How does my plan sound? Are there any flow concerns?

Question 2: Since reading this site I have a vacuum gauge coming that installs as the t-handle on the racor – thought I’d put it on the second 10 micron racor to monitor the restriction on the flow through this off-engine pair of filters. With my low hours and high quality fuel I expect these filters to remain clean for a long. long time….how long before I should consider changing the filters even if they aren’t becoming clogged? Do they have a ‘life’ just sitting in diesel?

Thanks heaps Gents, I appreciate your advice and I anticipate that this is the first of many (I hope not stupid) questions,
Thanks, Dan

Topic

[Bill Desmarais]

Your choice is a good one.
Keep us posted !

btw, I would have installed a SMX double/double setup in my 25 lobster boat with the single 6BTA 370….but I just didnt have the physical space so I went with a single SMX FS1000 with a vacuum gauge.

I change the FS1000 annually @ +- 125 hrs. of running time…the fuel burn rate on average is 2 gals/hr.

The OEM FS5285 last chance filter on the engine I change every few years. No particular schedule.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Dan Kealy

[Dan Kealy]

Thanks Rob and Bill – sounds like 30-10-10 is the go. I went down the boat and sorted that out this morning. Thanks for your help.

[Bill Desmarais]

Dan,

I now own my fifth 6BTA 370. Same engines as yours except for higher hp, higher rated rpm (3,000) and an after cooler.

All my fuel filter setups for the engines (except for the 370 I have now) were 20-10-10 mic. I used Tony’s double/double 20/10 mic setup. FS19513 20 mic/ FS1000 10 mic. And the OEM FS5285 on engine filter.

The 370 in my lobster boat now has a single FS1000 (10 mic) filter for primary and then the OEM factory 10 mic FS5285 on the engine.

IMO (as Rob stated) I’d go with a 20-10-10 setup if you are using the two Racors as primary filters in line.
If just a single Racor at a time with the other as a switch over reserve, I’d install 10-10-10.

IMO no need to go through the hassle of installing a 2 mic fuel filter on your 6BT 210 if you could.

Hope this helps you.

[Rob Schepis]

I believe the FF5320 will not even fit?…

Regardless, you do not want the “last chance” filter to be part of your “filtering”. Do everything off the engine with your primaries. So if you want to try and go down to 2mic do so in your second Racor, 10mic >> 2 mic. Overkill for that engine and the 30mic >> 10mic will do you well. It all comes down to what’s in the tank. So start with the 10 >> 2 and see how your change out interval works out for you….

[Author]

Replies