Secondary Fuel Filter

[Stu Jackson]

   Stu, you must be living right, 900 hrs on your filters. That 2 micron is doing it's job.

Phil,

I'm sure I have been.  Listened to all the advantages and disadvantages of primary filter filtration, and personally decided to make the one I could get at easily the one to provide the smallest micron protection.  The other part of the equation is flow rate:  the primaries we almost all use are rated for scads of gph well in excess of what we actually use.  While the micron filtration isn't affected by flow rate, the amount of fuel that passes through certainly is, so one should expect a higher useful life.

My boat, my choice. 

PS:  Fuel Filtration 101 (with both primary Racor and secondary engine filter identification)
http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,1124.0.html and http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6475.0.html

These links ^^^, and the links therein, really cover EVERYTHING about this subject.

Here's all that was there when I cracked it open:

[KWKloeber]

Just some obscure info so as not to misled by Parker Hannifin's hype, the cartridge sold/marketed as "2u"  is actually (per Racor, 2012) a 4u filter.  The cartridge marketed as "10u" is indeed rated 10u. (Truth in advertising?)

[Ron Hill]

Guys : As Stu said - You can use the electric fuel pump to fill the empty filter after it has been put on. 
I just have always thought that if air in the fuel line WILL kill a diesel engine, then why introduce air in an empty filter when you can easily fill that filter with fuel???  I still bleed as a "just in case" !!

My thinking   

[MarcZ]

What would be the recommended bleeding procedure for M35A ?

[Dave Spencer]

MarcZ,
Bleeding the M35A is fairly easy with only one complication.
I simply open the knurled knob (hopefully you know what and where that is... if not, I can add a pic) and put the key in the "run" position at the cockpit instrument panel.  The complication is that there is a much discussed circuit in the M35A and possibly other engines that stops the fuel pump if the oil pressure is zero but allows the fuel pump to run if the glow plugs are activated.  I don't like holding the key in the "glow" position for the length of time it takes to bleed the fuel system due to the the power drain and what I view as unnecessary wear and tear on the glow plugs.  So, when I'm bleeding the fuel system after changing filters, I cut a short piece of wire and short circuit the oil pressure switch allowing the fuel pump to run with the engine off and the key in the "run" position.  Pics below.  Maybe someday I'll make this semi-permanent and add a switch instead of the jumper wire.  I don't fill the filters with fuel before replacing them.  This seems like an opportunity to spill fuel given my occasional clumsy nature.  I simply let gravity and the fuel pump do its job and after a few minutes, the system is bled.  With practice, you will be able to tell the system is bled by the sound the fuel pump makes.
Others may have different approaches but this works for me.  MBMC

[Stu Jackson]

What would be the recommended bleeding procedure for M35A ?

Mark,

Dave's right.  IIRC, he sparked a discussion in Critical Upgrades about just that topic.

I somewhat disagree with Ron on this.  I have NEVER tried to put diesel in any filter.  Why?  'Cuz when, not if, it spills, it stinks.

For my primary I fill most of it up with injector cleaner, simple, cheap and in a bottle.  The rest of getting the air out is well covered in Ken Heyman's Bleeding 101 Topic.

For my secondary, I pop the screw as I described earlier.  When I ever get around to doing it, that is. 

This, of course, is for an M25.  The M25XPs and the M35s have the oil pressure wiring for the fuel pump, as described by Dave here and elsewhere.  It makes NO sense to have to engage the glow plugs to run the pump for when you're bleeding the engine, while it may for other reasons.  After almost 12 years of covering this topic, I haven't found one yet, though.

Here's the Critical Upgrade topic, please read the links.  Since 2007! 

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5078.msg41829.html#msg41829

[KWKloeber]

Mark and Dave

There's ANOTHER reason not the keep the preheat engaged besides the plugs. The cheap crappy OEM solenoid Westerbeke used is intermittent duty and I have had folks burn out those by preheating too long There's discussion about replacing it with a better solenoid (in the 101 I believe).

Dave, You'll notice the tabs on the switch are bent. They are straight on a new switch.
On the As and Bs harnesses, Westerbeke used SAE wire ( untinned, stiff not fine-stranded) not marine wire. (Hey it's only a boat fer Pete's sake) and vibration/flexing is transmitted to, and will break off, one or both tabs on that switch. The harness needs to be zip-tied so there's NO movement possible relative to the switch.

Preheating on As and Bs also puts 12v, 13.5v, 14+v (pick the number depending on whether your charger is on) to the plugs that are rated 10v. Not good to do that fer too long.

[Dave Spencer]

Good observation Ken. Yes, the tabs are bent. I suspect from some previous manipulation although possibly due to stiff wire. At some point, I'd like to revisit that area and add a pressure sender and replace the voltmeter at the instrument panel with an oil pressure gauge. Has anyone done this?  What kind of thread on the sender will I need?  Is it a simple 1/8"NPT or something more exotic? 

[KWKloeber]

Dave

Eazy-peazy for you.
I did it on my m25 and did it on an XPB, and on two XPs (used Wb parts to relocate the oil switch off the block.)  Not quite as E-P.

The tee is indeed NPT (the hose is 1/8"-28 JIS x 1/8"-27 NPT.)  It's there cuz Westerbeke/Universal panels have OP.  Catalina - Why would anyone want to know that? 

A Sierra or any OP sender using the Stewart Warner 80psi convention works.  I used a BWD S768 sender from O'Reilly $17 lifetime warranty on mine; on the others Faria gauges/senders.

Some relocate their hourmeter (if it's separate) or the fuel gauge ( some builders put the fuel gauge at the nav.)

[Dave Spencer]

Great information Ken. Thanks. I definitely see the voltmeter as the gauge to sacrifice in favour of an oil pressure gauge. There's merit to moving the fuel gauge since it isn't something you need to refer to every few minutes but i want to retain it and don't want to relocate it below decks. I count on my battery monitor and solar panel meter below decks to give me accurate house battery voltage and don't need the cockpit gauge. Looks like a good off season project for this winter.