2 micron fuel filter?

[nickleinonen]

Caterpillar has 2 micron-rated "High-Efficiency" fuel filters, available for their engines. I've got one installed on my auxillary, in-bed 115 gal. fuel tank. It works great.



This filter is about 10-1/2 " long & wider than the our stock filters, which, are 4" long & skinnier. This filter cross-referenced to a Fleetguard filter mount.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

the cat filters are nice, and the glacier diesel filter kit uses one of the cross ref. fleetguard cat filters. . i have some of the short and long fleetguard 2u filters of the cat 1r0749/1r0750 cross ref...



for those who have not seen this fleetguard vs cat 2u fuel filter propaganda. . here is link to pdf...

 

[LSteiner]

2u filter restriction

This is somewhat of a " CATCH 22 " situation with Bosch saying we need the

2u filtration and then having to replace the cheap factory lift pump in order

get an adequate rate of flow to the cp3 when using this filter. I'm not sure if the stock pump would pump thru a 2u filter or not , but I was afraid to chance

it being that the stocker is known to be failure prone as it is. It cost me

$600 + shipping to correct this DC mistake.

A few weeks ago when I ordered the GDP 391 kit, I also ordered the GDP

2 micron filter.



I installed the 2 micron filter first and ran it for a few days. With my stock

in-tank pump I only noticed an approx 1/2 psi drop measured at the CP3.



This tells me there isn't all that much restriction in this relatively large

2 micron filter.



Larry

 

[Buffalo]

NICK,



Thank You for posting that link. I had not seen that, before. I was unaware that Fleetguard had a competitive product.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[brods]

Does anybody have a link to the Bosch test report?



There are several unclear issues here.



A secondhand account posted by BrettWilliams stated that one teaspoon of 5 micron steel shot was used for the Bosch tests. Why 5 micron? Does this mean any particle below 5 micron is safe to run through the injectors? Supposedly one of the filters they used was rated for 5 microns. The filter apparently still allowed stuff to get through and cause problems. Was this a 5 micron absolute filter? What problems did the shot cause? Was it with the injectors and/or the pumps or something else? There are plenty more questions about the test, but lets move on.



What are the efficiency numbers on a stock Mopar filter? Is it a 10 micron absolute filter? What is it’s efficiency rating on say 5 micron and 2 micron particles? How is the test done? Clearly the test must be of a single pass type to have any meaningful results. Same questions for the 7 micron stock filter.



What is the typical dirt content and particle distribution of pump diesel. What does the dirt consist of? It would seem soft material would be less worrisome than say particles of steel shot. Is the injector tube “edge” filter effective against the typical contamination in diesel fuel?



Now lets assume 2 micron absolute element is a necessity. Can a 2 mic element be dropped in a stock fuel filter housing? If yes and given the certainty that it will load up with dirt much sooner, what are the ramifications if the truck is run with a clogged fuel filter? I would assume a clogged filter would starve the gear pump which would start cavitating. Is this the case? Will the plunger part of the pump be damaged by low flow or aerated fuel? Would the truck stop running before any serious damage could occur?



So either the Dodge engineers are the most inept in the world or there is more (or less) to this fuel filter thing than meets the eye. If it was as simple as dropping in a 2 micron filter to prevent injector failure and avoid the associated warranty costs, why wouldn’t they just do it? With all the chicken little stuff (the sky is falling), why aren’t injectors failing constantly?



No disrespect to any of the experts who have posted so far, but is there any definitive written information on this issue?

 

[rbattelle]

What are the efficiency numbers on a stock Mopar filter?

Whoa, Brods... lots of good questions. I believe most of the answers are around here, somewhere.



I can answer the above right now. I emailed Fleetguard some time ago regarding the FS19579 filter (10-micron). Here's their response:

Thank you for contacting Fleetguard.



The FS19579 is a 10 Micron at 98. 67% efficient.

-Ryan

 

[Yo Hoot]

A brand new filter has it's highest flow rate at the onset.



The flow rate might drop drastically as the filter loads up.

 

[TCDiesel]

Whoa, Brods... lots of good questions. I believe most of the answers are around here, somewhere.



I can answer the above right now. I emailed Fleetguard some time ago regarding the FS19579 filter (10-micron). Here's their response:







-Ryan

This Means, You Get 98. 67% of 10 micron or higher on the first pass which get"s you a absolute rating :-laf ,Fleetguard and other manufacture would not return any Data on Pressure or flow rates,So I will guess for them,Most Filter manufactures will use the lowest pressure and flow rate to get the highest Mic rating possible,Example: Mic"s rating at 2psi @32 onces Per-Minute with a absolute rating of 2Mic"s. You only getting maybe 20% of 2Mic"s particles on the first pass and only 30% of 5Mic's 50% of 8Mic's and 98. 67 of 10Mic's,Now if the Pressure and flow rates Double you will half to double the scale. So those that are running High pressure system"s with filter that claim are 2Mic's are allowing more contamination than stock on the first pass... Until filter manufactures design at low mic@high psi + flow,High Pressure system run HIGHER risk of contamination.

 

[Diesel Power]

This Means, You Get 98. 67% of 10 micron or higher on the first pass which get"s you a absolute rating :-laf ,Fleetguard and other manufacture would not return any Data on Pressure or flow rates,So I will guess for them,Most Filter manufactures will use the lowest pressure and flow rate to get the highest Mic rating possible,Example: Mic"s rating at 2psi @32 onces Per-Minute with a absolute rating of 2Mic"s. You only getting maybe 20% of 2Mic"s particles on the first pass and only 30% of 5Mic's 50% of 8Mic's and 98. 67 of 10Mic's,Now if the Pressure and flow rates Double you will half to double the scale. So those that are running High pressure system"s with filter that claim are 2Mic's are allowing more contamination than stock on the first pass... Until filter manufactures design at low mic@high psi + flow,High Pressure system run HIGHER risk of contamination.

this is real stuff, guys and very scary.

 

[steved]

A brand new filter has it's highest flow rate at the onset.



The flow rate might drop drastically as the filter loads up.

And as the filter loads up it actually filters better... but as you said, it might not flow too good either... .



I think it is pretty much imperative that you run a fuel pressure guage if you run anything beside the OE filter/pump... you can then catch when the filter is starting to plug...



steved

 

[nickleinonen]

Until filter manufactures design at low mic@high psi + flow,High Pressure system run HIGHER risk of contamination.

multi stage filtering... once i get off my butt and get my extra filters and new walbro pump installed, i will end up having 3 or 4 stages of filtering. .



there will be:

2u filter before the cp3

stock filter at 10u [i have a case of them so i'll use them up before going to the 7u filters]



now before all that, is where i need to decide what to do. i have not decided if i am going to run a course 100u strainer before the walbro or leave a 15u filter before the walbro. . if i run the strainer, i will run the 15u after the pump, but if i don't run the strainer, it will get just the 15u filter pre pump [for the price i can get those filters for, i could change them out monthly if the restriction gets too high]

 

[Yo Hoot]

Now you are all beginning to understand... . You can't have an absolute 2 micron filter that flows enough in the sizes we require.

 

[Diesel Power]

thats correct

 

[Diesel Power]

filter update

well i know you guys are not going to like this but here it is, i just got off the phone with tech at racor and the s3201T 2 and 10 micron filter thats been sold for a while is not rated for the fass 95 or 150 or the 200... ... the filter is rated for a max of 90 gph and those models exced that, i was told that it would rip the media and bypass harmful particles. also the filter is only rated for a max psi of 30. so as of now i am currently finding filters that are rated for the pumps we have. as of now i found only 2 that look like they will work. fleet guard didn't even have those kind of specs on there filters, so who knows, also the same for many others. i'll let you guys know asap. thanks

 

[Glock Guru]

I was under the impression that the 2m filter replaced the old style filter. The last time I went to the dealer the 2m filter was the only fuel filter they were selling.



-Troy

 

[rbattelle]

I say again:



#ad




I run roughly 90GPH at nominal 12psi. Been doing so for over a year now. Stanadyne makes a good product.



When I built my system everyone scoffed at me for not going with FASS. Now FASS is out of style and the GDP kit is in. Meanwhile I've always said that if you take a little time you can design a better system than you can buy.



Note the FM100, which I use, is rated to 80 GPH (and I'm pumping around 90 or so). I was under the impression, however, that this rating was based on the size of the inlet/outlet ports, NOT on the resilience of the filter media. In fact, the FM1000 (rated to 180 GPH) and FM100 filter media are identical, except that the FM1000 unit is about double the size. Perhaps it's different for Racor.



Ryan

 

[Diesel Power]

I say again:



#ad




I run roughly 90GPH at nominal 12psi. Been doing so for over a year now. Stanadyne makes a good product.



When I built my system everyone scoffed at me for not going with FASS. Now FASS is out of style and the GDP kit is in. Meanwhile I've always said that if you take a little time you can design a better system than you can buy.



Note the FM100, which I use, is rated to 80 GPH (and I'm pumping around 90 or so). I was under the impression, however, that this rating was based on the size of the inlet/outlet ports, NOT on the resilience of the filter media. In fact, the FM1000 (rated to 180 GPH) and FM100 filter media are identical, except that the FM1000 unit is about double the size. Perhaps it's different for Racor.



Ryan

ok your chart says it's tested under 45 gph, you are running yours around 90gph thats double the rated flow, your bypassing debris im sure, thats the same problems we as fass users are faceing. problem still not solved

 

[steved]

fleet guard didn't even have those kind of specs on there filters, so who knows, also the same for many others.

I believe I can help on the Fleetguards... but I'll need to get to my work computer... I have a PDF file from Fleetguard that shows the specs on all the HF6XXX filters... The HF6604 (the claimed 3 micron filter) is only 50% efficient @ 3 micron and absolute at 7 or 10 micron... they have the beta ratios too... they have better filters, but nothing in "our" size... but it might help the AirDog guys... never thought of that...



I believe the FGs are rated at 100 PSI break through... and a pretty high GPM since they are a hydraulic filter (thinking of a typical hydraulic system's flow rate... ).



I'll try to post it tomorrow...



steved

 

[Diesel Power]

racor makes filters that will work, it just that they wont fit on the fass, thats what im looking for fitment and function.

 

[rbattelle]

ok your chart says it's tested under 45 gph, you are running yours around 90gph thats double the rated flow, your bypassing debris im sure

You're right, the filtration efficiency at 2 micron certainly isn't going to be 99% at 90 GPH.



But I figure with the 10-micron factory filter upstream I'm still doing pretty good. I have no data to back it up, but I wouldn't be surprised if I'm doing better than FASS and Airdog in terms of total particle removal.



Ryan

 

[steved]

You're right, the filtration efficiency at 2 micron certainly isn't going to be 99% at 90 GPH.



But I figure with the 10-micron factory filter upstream I'm still doing pretty good. I have no data to back it up, but I wouldn't be surprised if I'm doing better than FASS and Airdog in terms of total particle removal.



Ryan

Ryan: Is your setup a return? Does it cycle fuel back to the tank like the FASS and Airdog??



Being the FASS and AirDog do multiple passes and circulate the same fuel roughly 3 times per hour (on a full tank)... you get multipass efficiency then correct?



I'm not sure that is any better or worse than single pass...



steved