Racor filter recommendations needed

[HillBilly2]

I'm hopelessly confused. I've been on google for an hour trying to determine what I need and am just getting more and more lost.

I've got a new rebuilt 6.2 with new heads, injectors & pump sitting on the stand, ready to be installed. I want to do what I can to protect it and from what I've read Racor filters are the best. But, which one? Which filter micron size? Should I replace the OEM, or put it in series? What do I do about the water in fuel sensor? Does the Suburban have a tank filter and do I need to replace it as well?

And finally, I'd like to buy from one of the sponsors here. Do any of them carry Racor products?

Thanks for any guidance you can give.

[Robyn]

Racor 230R2 is the ticket

It has a sight bowl on the bottom that has a drain, air bleed on top and mounts easily.
This unit uses a spin on filter element. (Keep a spare wrapped up behind the seat)

The (2) on the end of the number denotes two micron, which is the filtering quality.

This filter will allow plenty of fuel flow through to keep the engine quite happy and it will be very clean

Racor offers this same unit in 11 and also 5 micron

2 is great as long as you dont have crap fuel.

The 6.2/6.5 run a fair amount of fuel flow through the IP and injectors back to the tank so a fairly high capacity filter is needed to handle the flow.

I have this filter on my 95 DaHooooley with a DS4 pump and I love it.

My factory filter rotted out in the lower part of the heater unit and started leaking.

Most parts stores can get this for you.

OH BTW you will likey need to fab a mounting bracket.

Best

Robyn

[aloharovers]

You can also get a Racor bowl that has the heater element in it, and I beleive a H2O sensor.

[Robyn]

Yup all the optional goodies are available for more $$$$$$ :)

The 230R2 is the basic unit but will accept the extras.

If you are in a cold place the heater would be a nice touch.

Mounted in a conspicuous place the bowl can be seen easily and any water will show itself when your in there to check the oil ????????? :eek:

Best

RC

[rustyk]

Check the oil - what a clever idea! :D

Seriously, Missy, thanks for the Racor number!

[trbankii]

Any advice on where to buy? Google shopping search shows a number of places with it in the $100 to $115 range - mostly marine. Jamestown Distributors is one of them at $115 and I've dealt with them before for epoxies and paints. Probably go with them if no other suggestions.

[Robyn]

Ebay will see a lot of this type of stuff from time to time.

I bought mine from a filter supply house in Portland Or for about the cost your talking. $120 I think .

There are several modles that will work fine. The filter needs to be able to pass about 49 gallons an hour to be able to satisfy the recirculation needs of the GM diesel.

2 micron is a good choice for filter media as it will keep the fuel nice and clean.

Some guys will install a prefilter that is rated at 5 mic to knock down the crap.

This is not a bad idea if you regularly fuel in places that have questionable quality of fuel.

The original 6.2's had dual filters but Im sure that idea went away due to the cost savings by going to just one filter.

Best

Robyn

[trbankii]

There are several modles that will work fine. The filter needs to be able to pass about 49 gallons an hour to be able to satisfy the recirculation needs of the GM diesel.

The information on the 230R2 that I'm seeing is showing that the "30" means 30gph and the "2" (as you said) is micron size.


15gph. Flow Rate, 8.3" x 4" x 4" 215R2
30gph. Flow Rate, 9" x 4" x 4" http://images.westmarine.com/blank.gif http://images.westmarine.com/blank.gif 230R2
45gph. Flow Rate, 10.5" x 4" x 4 http://images.westmarine.com/blank.gif http://images.westmarine.com/blank.gif http://images.westmarine.com/blank.gif http://images.westmarine.com/blank.gif 245R2

[Robyn]

Not sure where I got 49 GPH

The 30 GPH filter is plenty. It was early when I typed that post :o

RC

[trbankii]

No problem, just making sure the model number is the right one before I consider ordering. Need some marine epoxy for another project, so looks like a Jamestown order coming up in the near future.

[trbankii]

Actually, looking a bit further, there is a 320 that has 60gph flow vs the 30gph of the 230...

And looking on the marine sites, they are saying that some are for outboard use only while others are inboard or outboard. I can't say for sure, but it seems that the ones with the see-thru bowl are the "outboard only" ones while the inboard/outboard ones have metal bowls. Does this have to do with some marine-related fire regulations if the plastic bowl would break?

[trbankii]

Ok, think I answered my own question...


is suitable for Inboard engines which require a metal bowl, but may also be used for outboards.

Also figured out that the 320 model with 60gph flow is for gasoline applications.

[raunch]

Attached are some photos of a Racor R60S in my Surburban. The primary filter, as one can see, is still part of the system. The bracket was fab'd, but modeled after the bracket Racor used to sell for this application.

The R60S is a 2 micron filter, and the sight bowl has a probe for a water sensor and a port for a heater. The gauge is a positive/negative gauge. If the gauge starts to show a decrease in the number on the dial, that is telling me the filter is beginning to plug.


Well, the pictures are too large to attach. I'll try to make time to resize them today and send them later.

[raunch]

Attached is one of the resized photos. The other would not resize small enough.

[Robyn]

Marine stuff has to be safe from fuel spills (Bowl getting hit)
The plastic bowl on a diesel truck is no biggy.

Having the filters in the engine bay on a boat and getting a leaky bowl with gasoline could be a real issue :eek:

The 230 flows plenty of fuel for the 6.2/6.5

The reason I chose that size was the ability to flow the needed fuel plus its ability to FIT in a reasonable sized spot.

Best

Robyn

[HillBilly2]

Attached are some photos of a Racor R60S in my Surburban. The primary filter, as one can see, is still part of the system. The bracket was fab'd, but modeled after the bracket Racor used to sell for this application.

The R60S is a 2 micron filter, and the sight bowl has a probe for a water sensor and a port for a heater. The gauge is a positive/negative gauge. If the gauge starts to show a decrease in the number on the dial, that is telling me the filter is beginning to plug.


Well, the pictures are too large to attach. I'll try to make time to resize them today and send them later.

raunch, could you give some more info on your setup? The R60S crosses back to the element. I've not found any Racor filters with a differential gauge. Sounds like a good idea, where did you find it?

[raunch]

raunch, could you give some more info on your setup? The R60S crosses back to the element. I've not found any Racor filters with a differential gauge. Sounds like a good idea, where did you find it?

The gauge is an aftermarket purchase that I found at an industrial hose and fitting supplier. As for the set up, the stock primary filter and housing remain in the same place on the firewall, and the lines are plumbed the same relative to the filters and pumps. The fuel flows through the primary filter to the lift pump, out of the lift pump to the racor filter (takes place of the stock secondary) and out of the racor filter to the injection pump.
The racor housing has a primer pump and a bleeder screw to pump air out of the lines after a filter change or other fuel line work. The little pump actually pumps a decent volume.

The racors are not cheap. The whole unit was around $200 and filters are about $30 after that. I have heard of ebay finds for better deals on the filters though. I think it's worth it--I plan to keep my suburban for a long time, the filters are easier to change, and the performance of the filters can be monitored with the gauge. I'll get a photo from the top view so you can see the plumbing in/out of the racor housing.

[raunch]

The plumbing is rather straighfoward. Fuel in one port of the racor and out the other. The gauge is 'T'd into the outlet line. There are two other ports on the opposite side of the racor housing, both of which are plugged for my application.

Fuel leak is optional.

[HillBilly2]

The plumbing is rather straighfoward. Fuel in one port of the racor and out the other. The gauge is 'T'd into the outlet line. There are two other ports on the opposite side of the racor housing, both of which are plugged for my application.

Fuel leak is optional.

Thanks raunch, that helps clear things up. One final question, how is the gauge calibrated? Just PSI or plus/minus? I appreciate your help. Thanks!

[raunch]

Just +/- for the gauge. I know that with a clean filter it reads about 7 on the '+' side at idle. If it starts to drop toward the '-' side, I know the filter is plugging up. So I guess the calibration would be the gauge reading after a new filter is installed. I know of another truck with the same set up, and that truck's gauge reads a '5' at idle.

[opto]

Here is my filter mount, It's a 90 gph filter

Basically the bowl and the mount are the same in the different models, it's just the filter that's different, so if you buy a 230 and buy a 45 replacement filter you got yourself a 245

http://www.hagberga.com/images/racorfilter.jpg

Ohh... and the batteries I dumped and fabbed a dual 180Ah Heavy Duty battery mount under the bed. Gives you quite a bit extra room under the hood and a little better weight distribution

[opto]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts-Accessories___NEW-Racor-pre-filter-kit-for-Duramax-Diesel_W0QQitemZ140300027656QQddnZPartsQ20Q26Q20Ac cessoriesQQddiZ2811QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_T ruck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item140300027656&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A1171%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A131 8

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts-Accessories___RACOR-490RP2-FUEL-FILTER-WATER-SEPARATOR_W0QQitemZ290295707706QQddnZPartsQ20Q26Q2 0AccessoriesQQddiZ2811QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Ca r_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item290295707706&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A1171%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A131 8

I think you can also get 2 microns from this seller
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts-Accessories___RACOR-Alliance-R90-Replacement-Element_W0QQitemZ290295258522QQddnZPartsQ20Q26Q20A ccessoriesQQddiZ2811QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_ Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item290295258522&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A1171%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A131 8

[SmithvilleD]

I got a Racor 30 micron, 90 gph w/ prime pump from the second link - vendor pbtxxx. It was just like described, shipped pretty quick, & was a good price.

Mounted it underneath the bed to the bed's tin/u-channel just ahead of the fuel fill hoses. Fabbed a little 1/8" plate for a gravel guard

Figured the 90 gph had lots of excess flow capacity so less worry about adding too much restriction before the lift pump. Racor's literature mentions water separation is best on the suction side.

Took some thought to find a place to fit that long a filter. Also that location might just have it at a level above tank fuel level when the tank's close to empty. If it is, then fuel won't try to flow when changing the filter. Otherwise I might need a shut-off valve to avoid a diesel bath.