(dead horse) Whats the lowdown on additional fuel filters

[thechevyhdman]

Ok gents....Its now been about 9 days since I dropped my truck off for 2 lowsy, stinking, injectors. When ever I get it back Im definitely going to run an additional fuel filter. What I want to know is what ended up being the best, trouble free setup? I dont feel like adding an air compressor to my truck, or being the "prime" king. I just want a nice easy setup. A nice say maybe 2 micron fuel filter as my primary(mounted near the fuel cooler) and I want to retain my stock Racor fuel filter.

Theirs just such a plethora of stuff to read on fuel filters.....All I can say is it must be trouble free with no air in fuel problems, and it must not require an additional lift pump etc.
We added a primary fuel filter to our CAT 3126( seems that GM has a nack for developing bad fuel filtering systems) And its a great setup. Id like the simplest, cleanest setup their is....TIA
Bill

[sdaver]

standyne fm 100 pump with 5 micron filter prelift pump 2 micron filter post lift pump but pre oem.........26 miles to date........two valves for a total bypass if necessary.........time will tell :D

[Burner]

Bill, I have yet to hear or see anyone on TDP put an fs2500 fuel filter on their truck. :confused: It could be the answer. I have the video and have spoken with them... sounds a little too good to be true but worth a try, maybe. Look into it and see what ya think. You wish for "no air" in a vacuum......eah...really not possible, there will always be a "little" air in the system. Think of the fuel like.... hummm, like coke in a plastic bottle. The coke in the bottle is at "normal" pressure and when you open the cap it "outgases" as if it were under a vacuum. The diesel fuel reaction is not that prolific but works in the same way. ;)
Basicly if you want all fuel and no air/dirt then get the Mega Filter System from JK. If you just want clean fuel... try Hoot's way.


Burner--------> :D

[Victory Red]

As a Cat post user I've had a handful of no start issues(although it's getting better and haven't had a no start in almost 3 weeks). The Racor 660's(only two users I know of have had no non start issues). Mega, probably the most used here has had a few issues.

Thing here though is that some have installed Cat's with no issues, some have installed Mega with no issues.

It's a crap shoot, but you should 'expect' to have a problem(albeit it's minimal) in my case, when I've had stalls 3 pumps of the primer and away I go.

Upside, it's a small price point to attempt, relatively easy and in my case I've gotten .8 better mpg's on last 3 tanks than normal with a high of 19.6(unloaded with 50/50 city and highway).

[Kennedy]

While I think that the key will be the addition of a lift pump (and NOT 3 filters in the system) I have a check valve in testing to see if we can hold the fuel in the line up to the pump from the Mega Filter. This will not stop the trapping of gasses, but may help lessen/eliminate no start issues. Time will tell.

[Manfred]

In sharing your view, I thought the Mega filter will do the job. You look at the filter and the results JK has gotten, it is a great filter. Only problem is, that at high temperatures, without using a lift pump, I experienced vapor locks. Never a stall while driving, but as soon as I shut the engine off, five minutes later, I had to prime the system. The lift pump is a good idea and I'd love to install one, but for warranty reasons I can't.
I liked the setup of Hoot and Nomad using the Racor 660 and 690 secondary filter application, trouble free sofar and installed the R660 2 micron assembly last week end. I also wanted to make as few changes as possible to get a better comparison of the filters, thus the assembly was connected to the Mega hoses.
Not having touched anything else, other than the two hose ends, I'm now on my third day of driving the truck, cool mornings, and afternoon temperatures in the high eighties. No problem sofar.

[Kennedy]

Originally posted by Manfred:
In sharing your view, I thought the Mega filter will do the job. You look at the filter and the results JK has gotten, it is a great filter. Only problem is, that at high temperatures, without using a lift pump, I experienced vapor locks. Never a stall while driving, but as soon as I shut the engine off, five minutes later, I had to prime the system. The lift pump is a good idea and I'd love to install one, but for warranty reasons I can't.
I liked the setup of Hoot and Nomad using the Racor 660 and 690 secondary filter application, trouble free sofar and installed the R660 2 micron assembly last week end. I also wanted to make as few changes as possible to get a better comparison of the filters, thus the assembly was connected to the Mega hoses.
Not having touched anything else, other than the two hose ends, I'm now on my third day of driving the truck, cool mornings, and afternoon temperatures in the high eighties. No problem sofar. But on the flip side, many others, in hot and cold climates are running just fine. It's quite inconsistent. I ran mine 3300+ miles out to MT, Denver, and back w/o touching the bleeder.

I believe that in time, GM will recognize the issue and add a lift pump. This may not be until the new models are released, and will not likely be a campaign, but they'll probably add one...

[Choreboy]

I have been running the Racor 460 setup for some time now. The original setup was the 460, with a 10 micron filter, in a primary location and a CAT 2 micron filter in secondary location.

After some thought about the metal threads on the CAT filter and the fact that this filter stuck-out like a sore thumb, I swicthed back to the stock filter in primary and the 460 as a secondary. The 460 has a 2 micron element and has been under the air box the whole time. Nobody knows that I have a second filter.

I have not had a single no start issue (knock on wood) since I have been running the Racor 460 setup in either location.

[HD-Nate]

Anyone have any experiences with the "Fuel Preporator" ?

Its a 10 micron that removes all air from the fuel and claims 25-30 hp increase and 8-12% better fuel economy.

[hoot]

I know of at least three others running the Racors that have not posted it here. DIS ran out of stock. There are at least 8 on this board running Racor that I know of. None have posted any issues.

I don't even know mines there. I put a spare filter in my truck before taking a 600 mile trip last month. Haven't had to change it yet.

4800 miles on it so far.

No lift pump to maintain.

[hoot]

Fuel Preporator Lists for $1200


Diesel Products Inc., a three-year-old St. Louis company that has patented a diesel fuel delivery system designed to remove entrained air, water/fuel vapor and diesel particulate matter prior to injection into diesel engines, has made a high-profile addition.

John Capellupo, former president of McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, has joined the firm in sales and marketing of "fuel preporator." According to Ray Savala, president of the company, the product will virtually eliminate black smoke (unburned fuel) which will result in fuel economy. Other benefits are recovery of lost power and a reduction of diesel particulate matter. I also see the Gov is looking into using it in military vehicles.....

http://www.house.gov/hasc/billsandreports/108thcongress/rdte.pdf

It pays to be a former Military Aerospace big shot.

[ 07-02-2003, 09:08 AM: Message edited by: hoot ]

[LanduytG]

Checking back through the records I have sold 28 Raccor units. All have been the 660 some with and without heaters. Also I now have 690 in stock. The Raccor mught not do as well on the 2 micron as the other filters do but George Morrison says that is not and issue.

Greg

[Burner]

Nate, do you really believe that a "filter" could give you 12% better fuel economy? I think that 10% would be a MAX and 1-2% an avg. :rolleyes: Fuel will only yeild X amount of power. Super cleaning the fuel will help atomization of the fuel which will "complete" the burn. However, unless the fuel is extreamly trashy it will not yeild 10%(20-30HP) more power. I think that slightly advanced timming and super clean fuel could produce a 4% increase in MPG or HP. ;)


Burner------> :D

[hoot]

It's the removal of air that they say gives the big performance/economy gain.

[NWDmax]

With a lift pump running at 0 psi it would still allow the factory pump to pull fuel only it would be with much less vacuum.
I'm currently running mine at 1 psi with the engine running as measured at the Mega bleeder port.
Still waiting for the JK gauge so I can read at the schrader valve but I suspect that I'm near zero or a slight negative pressure to the stock pump.
Put 300 miles on last weekend and have no air present and have not bled for weeks now. :D

[Manfred]

Hoot lists....
Fuel Preporator Lists for $1200


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diesel Products Inc., a three-year-old St. Louis company that has patented a diesel fuel delivery system designed to remove entrained air, water/fuel vapor and diesel particulate matter prior to injection into diesel engines, has made a high-profile addition.

John Capellupo, former president of McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, has joined the firm in sales and marketing of "fuel preporator." According to Ray Savala, president of the company, the product will virtually eliminate black smoke (unburned fuel) which will result in fuel economy. Other benefits are recovery of lost power and a reduction of diesel particulate matter.

Diesel engines are coming and are reality for air planes. High altitude will provide more outgassing, and $1200 are a small price to pay to prevent a vapor lock.

[SparkyTX]

I am the kind of guy that likes to do what I can, within reason, to prevent problems from occurring. I am also new to diesels. I share your sentiment that I would like to do something BEFORE I have injector problems but don't want to spend too much $$ or add something that is too high of maintenance (or complicated for that matter).

I have been very impressed with the Hoot location (and I believe nomad did the same). Post OEM makes since to me. Let the OEM do what it was designed to do and enhance the system on that side. Also there is no need to add something to a vulnerable location (frame rail) like the idiiots at GM started (fuel cooler) as well as no need to cut into the hard lines.

Let's see, additional filter for extra filtration post OEM that requires only re-doing flex lines and customizing a bracket and is fairly convenient to get to. Guess I don't see any drawbacks.

[roegs]

Sounds like all the replies so far are from post OEM installations. Bills original question mentioned a pre OEM filter. Is there anyone out there still running pre-OEM?

Also, for the post OEM users with Racor filters...has anyone else mounted their's up by the AC compressor as Lone Eagle did?

One last question, Greg L mentioned that he is selling both heated and unheated filters. How are those that use a heated system doing the wiring?

[Lone Eagle]

I just turned over 6K since I installed my Racor. I have had no problems. I checked the bleeder several times. It had a vacuum every time. I haven't caculated the mileage yet. Later! Lone Eagle :D

[GM Smitty]

I think I'm definitely the minority now. I'm still running my Racor 660R 2 micron pre-OEM on the frame rail. No issues whatsoever. Replaced it after 4500 miles, and it looked as though it could go longer. Gonna try 8000 miles this time, see if I get any clogging and extra restriction. Very easy install. Very easy to service.
I am looking at other set-ups now with lift pumps and such...thinking about a new project soon (I can't stop messin' with this truck!) I've had crummy fuel mileage since the truck was new, the added filtration helped a tiny bit, and looking for other solutions that could help this.

[Tinbender]

I've made the same installation as Lone eagle, no problems and no air that I can tell. Happy with the Installation.

Good idea, Lone Eagle!

Bob

[Choreboy]

Is anyone running the Fuel Preporator on thier Dmax or know of someone that is using this system?

I looked into the idea but based on the sizes that I was given, I could not locate a good place for mounting.

How does this system remove air? Seems like a person could attach some kind of air release valve and lift pump and get the same results.
Is there a chemical way to release air?

[a bear]

Choreboy, You are right. Under a vac with no pump etc. It ain't gettin rid of nuttin. ;)