[LincTex]

Is there a database anywhere that shows the micron ratings of various fuel filters? I found data on oil filters, but apparently no one has done much to measure fuel filters efficiency.

My 4BT just has one fuel small spin-on fuel filter under the intake on the rear of the head (Napa 3472 or Wix 33472), but the industrial Cummins engines we have at work use an adapter in the same location with a much larger primary, and the smaller filter as the secondary. For now, I am using a simple $3 Napa 3033 metal inline fuel filter (3/8" nipples in and out) right before the mechanical lift pump to catch crud from the tank (cheap and easy to change) and the Napa 3472 spin-on.

When I got my engine, I unscrewed the old fuel filter and it was full of rust when I drained it. I figured it caught the crud like it should, but when I changed the governor spring, the entire insides of the VE pump were coated with a very fine layer of red rust dust. I want to do what I can to keep my pump alive.

I was reading on the 'net that the Perma-Cool fuel filter is 2 micron. I haven't verified if it is that good. The Goldenrod brand of bulk-tank fuel filters (like at TSC) are supposedly 10 micron. I am wondering what the Napa 3472 filter will filter down to.

 

[Machman]

Shamelessly ripped from wixfilters.com:


Part Number: 33472
UPC Number: 765809334724
Principal Application: Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo (79-85), Deutz Engines, IHC, Other - w/Drain (10 Micron). If standard filter is needed w/o Drain use 33358
All Applications
Style: Spin-On Fuel/Water Separator Filter
Service: Fuel
Height: 5.145
Outer Diameter Top: 3.015
Outer Diameter Bottom: Closed
Thread Size: 16X1.5 MM
Burst Pressure-PSI: 330
Max Flow Rate: 8-10 GPM
Nominal Micron Rating: 10

Gasket Diameters
Number O.D. I.D. Thk.
Attached 2.865 2.421 0.217
Packed 0.871 0.595 0.143

 

[66gaza]

The average diesel filter filters down to around 25 microns. I would imagine that your inline napa fuel filter is for petrol and will not filter down to the required level. Why did you not just clean the filter head and stick a new filter on? I am thinking about putting a FS1000 Fleetguard filter in after the small standard filter this is a 10 micron stratosphere filter. Download this pdf from cummins/fleetguard about fuel filtration http://www.cumminsfiltration.com/pdfs/product_lit/americas_brochures/LT32599_s1.pdf

Gaza

 

[LincTex]

Why did you not just clean the filter head and stick a new filter on?

I think you misunderstood me....I replaced the Wix 33472 spin on filter with a brand new Napa Gold 3472. But, I was mystified as to how much crud was obviously getting past the stock spin on filter. The 10 micron rating explains why so much fine rust powder flowed past.

The small inline filter is going to be a safe-guard for the mechanical lift pump. It is the first line of defense for debris flowing from the tank before it reached the valves inside the lift pump. It is the same method the engine petrol was, I had one inline filter before the pump and one after. It is amazing how much junk flows forward from the tank, and it can't do the lift pump any good by flowing through it!

It will be fine for now....but I too will mount a larger filter. I am thinking since the Napa/Wix filter is only good to 10 micron, It will become the "primary" and I am going to look into plumbing a 2-micron secondary filter between it and the pump supply fitting.

 

[JimmieD]

Make sure your 2 micron has a sufficient flow rate in gph to fed the injection pump.

 

[LincTex]

Make sure your 2 micron has a sufficient flow rate in gph to fed the injection pump.

Thinking along the lines of this, or similar:

http://www.thedieselpage.com/reviews/megafilter.htm

 

[66gaza]

Sorry about mis understanding your post. It appears that fuel filtration has moved on. make sure you still have good fuel pressure as these filters will reduce it. seem like you need to clean your tank out though

Gaza

 

[LincTex]

Seem like you need to clean your tank out though

The rust that was in the filter when I bought the engine (a LOT of it!) was from the tank of the original frito lay van.

The tank in my truck does let a flake loose every now and then. I change the filter before the pump (first line of defense) every year and there is quite a bit of trash in there, but I believe a lot of it isn't coming from my tank.

Same for my '93 Ranger, which is petrol and has a 5.0 liter EFI engine. That fuel filter is rather large (about 3" diam by 3" long) and it gets plugged solid every 50,000 miles if I let it go that long. The fuel tank on that truck is plastic, so the source of rust is obviously coming from the fuel being purchased.

 

[LincTex]

Well, I certainly have been learning a lot about fuel filtration that I hadn't known before. I am thinking that a 10 micron filter is sufficient (or, two are better!).
Even though the stock filter's nominal rating is 10 micron, a good amount (80% or so) of particles down to 1 micron are also captured.

The first aux filter installation that I found was one guy's set up that had a Napa 4309 base and 3418 (12 micron) filter. Those items at my local Napa are $35.48 and $16.13, respectively. That totals to $51.61

The second was a dual filter (12 and 2 micron) set-up that used two Napa 4770 bases. The 10 micron primary filter is number 3405 and the 2 micron secondary is 3528, these are $14.22 and $11.76, respectively. The 4770 base is $28.13. (The big Baldwin BF7635 - 2 micron filter is about $45 by itself).

One 4470 base and one 3405 filter total $42.35. I am going to mount this large 12 micron filter between the tank and lift pump, then through the small 10-micron Napa 3472 spin-on in the stock location on the intake manifold. That should be enough filtration to satisfy most anyone's needs.

Thanks for the guidance and info!

 

[JimmieD]

Hey, Linc, check out the website at the Linc link:

http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/ubbthreads.php

This is a very large website and within its many sections there's a section on filtration, fuel. A guy can get quite an education of oil, fuel, filters etc. here and a lot of the posters are long time professionals in the field.

 

[eodcole]

It might take me a little while but I could get the part numbers for filter heads that allow you to use the big cat filters. The benefit to this is it has a TON of filtering capacity and I think it can be had in two micron ratings. This is easily done for pre-pump filtering and it's cheap.

I was going to throw a pair of these in 10 micron and two micron inline before the one engine mounted on my duramax. Those dmax filters are expensive. The cat ones are like $10 vs. $40+ for the dmax.

Edit: Nevermind I was able to find the info rather quick.

Baldwin BF7587, (or any equiv to Cat 1R-0749) for filter its a 2 micron

http://www.fleetfilter.com/Store_ViewProducts.asp?Cat=68 filter head and filters that fit with a few different micron ratings.

 

[LincTex]

The Napa 4770 head is 1 x 14 threads for $28.03
The Napa 4309 head is 1 x 12 threads for $35.48

I am looking for a head that is 7/8 x 14, shouldn't be hard to find

 

[LincTex]

I am looking for a head that is 7/8 x 14, shouldn't be hard to find

I was wrong about that! NOBODY makes an aftermarket filter base for 7/8 - 14 threads - so I made one.
I bought a whole case of Baldwin filters for dirt cheap, and that's what I'm using.