Extra Filtration

[paddyp]

Was just reading the writeup by jdcaples on installing extra racor filters, I am doing the same as is my brother. People were wondering what was deficient about the stock filtration setup should read this recent paper by the American Filtration & Separations Society:

http://www.afssociety.org/spring2011...egan-paper.pdf

Basically all stock filtration systems are deficient due to flow surge, vibration, wide range of contaminante and electrostatic discharge in the filter media.

[showkey]

Not high on my list of things to worry about

If I was worried I would just change the stock filter twice as often

[jdcaples]

I'm not sorry I installed the Racor 110A.

Does it help, mechanically?

Will it make my fuel injectors and high pressure fuel pump last longer?

I have no proof.

It just makes me feel better and properly spec'd, extra filtration won't hurt anything; unless adding extra failure points is a "hurt," and for some people, it very much is a negative aspect.

I read the paper. I'm not going to pretend to understand even 30% of it. I did note that Cummins Filtration, Inc is cited in the title; not sure how self-serving the paper is, but at least they didn't recommend their filtration products in it :)

They seemed to cite organic contamination as a threat, so fresh fuel from "high turn-over" fuel stations will help mitigate that. My fuel site refills their tanks every three days.

As for putting extra fuel filtration on your Sprinter....

Just remember that I was able to shove 30-something liters per hour into my engine - at wide open throttle, loaded with <some number above zero> lbs of material, climbing a steep grade - for a brief period of time; nominal consumption is in the teens (liters) per hour at 1800 rpm, but your flow has to be sufficient to not starve the engine under any condition or you may find yourself limping (or stalled!) when you'd really rather (perhaps desperately wish to) accelerate.

Also remember that the nominal pressure - between the Sprinter's in-tank fuel lift pump and the factory filter - is way past the 30 psi other filters diesel fuel filters are spec'd to handle (I think it's in the mid-50s to low 60s-psi). I have some NCV3 training material somewhere around here that says "72.5 psi" a pressure relief valve opens and returns some fuel to the tank.

That's why I selected the only filter housing able to handle 100 psi on the market at the time, with a flow of 57 liters per hour (or something like that).

-Jon

[OrioN]

Thanks Jon...

Now I have another reason to lay awake at night...

[cahaak]

I read the paper. I work for a company that is one of the largest makers of filter media in the world. Unless you operate and refuel your sprinter in a mining or other abrasive dust laden environment you have nothing to worry about, the existing filter will work fine. The paper is kind of silly, but not unlike many of these types of papers out there. Lets make up some extreme edge of the data curve not very plausible conditions and show that there might be issues if you operate here! Yes, drinking too much water each day has its dangers too.

Chris

[Aqua Puttana]

Originally Posted by showkey

...
If I was worried I would just change the stock filter twice as often

Or use my method. I change the filter half as often. That way the contaminates fill the voids in the filter media which makes it more efficient at stopping small stuff.


Any boob could figure that out.

vic