RTV900 FUEL FILTER

TRIBUTE100

Active member
I just read an interesting article about these CAV diesel water strainer type filters on the attached link. This guy is saying that the inlet and outlet ports need to be connected in reverse of the way they are marked. If one is using the bowl, glass or metal, below the filter with the drain: Connect the line coming from the fuel tank to the outlet port to make the fuel go down to the bowl first, thereby allowing the heavier water to remain there before the fuel goes through the filter and into the fuel pump, engine. This prevents the water from contaminating the paper filter. Makes sense to me.
http://ckdboats.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/cav-lucas-diesel-water-strainer-filter.html
 

TRIBUTE100

Active member
Ordered Racor Spin On Fuel/Water Separator Filter

I just ordered a Racor 120 AT Fuel Filter Water Separator on e-bay for $54.00 including shipping, link below. This assembly is 6.5"h x 3.2" in diameter and should mount nicely next to and just behind the factory air filter assembly on the frame as Popo1945 did with his spin-on filter assy. I may move the position of the old style factory inline filter next to this new assemble as a pre-filter, but in an easier location to change. I will also install some fuel shut off valves to make filter changes easier. This Racor filter has a drain valve on the bottom of the plastic bowl to drain out water.

I also ordered a Mr. Filter AF3CB ($27.52 on e-bay) to filter the diesel that I pour into the tank. My RTV900 may sit for longer periods of time than most of your units, thus the reason to provide better fuel/water filtration for my unit.

QUESTIONS FOR MEMBERS:
This unit comes with a 10 micron filter, but there is a 2 micron available. Would the 2 micron filter be an overkill and possibly cause too much resistance for the engine fuel pump?

Are these one piece plastic fuel shut off valves ( with barbs and thumb knob) suitable for diesel fuel ?

Thanks for your help. I will post pictures when my installation is complete.

e-bay link for Filter Assy : http://www.ebay.com/itm/400622878259?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

e-bay link for Mr. Filter: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281398762591?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Parker/Racor Product Brochure: http://www.parker.com/literature/Racor/10219_Rev_B_120A_and_120B_Series.pdf
 
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bordercollie

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That is great information Tribute. :tiphat: I know that Two Guns loves his Mr. Funnel- so they must be good . :tiphat: collie
 

Mark.Sibole

Well-known member
Good info.
I use mine a lot so i keep a 55 gallon barell of diesel in the garage with a electric pump with filters on that.
This way i always have diesel on hand when i can afford the liquid gold and pump it through the filter making sure i get no dirt or moisture when filling the RTV.
Diesel is a very dirty fuel to begin with and any filtering you can do is always a plus.
 

Keifer

Senior Member
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Thanks for all the useful information.

However, I have a question, maybe a dumb question but... Does diesel fuel have a "shelf life" like gasoline? And, does this affect the summer blend as well as the winter stuff? In other words-- how long can you keep diesel fuel before it goes bad? Is there a conditionier like the Stabil stuff used for gasoline also available for diesel fuel?

Keifer, aka Keith
 

Mark.Sibole

Well-known member
I use this year around.
pws_1025-12_h.jpg

Diesel dosnt collect water like ethanol gasoline so it stays around a lot longer..
 

D&D Farm

Gold Site Supporter
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I use this year around.
pws_1025-12_h.jpg

Diesel dosnt collect water like ethanol gasoline so it stays around a lot longer..

A slug of that, one of Lucas fuel treatment, and one of Marvel Mystery stuff in EVERY tank have allowed me to keep going despite LOTS of abuse by my idiot hired hand........God bless.......Dennis
 

TRIBUTE100

Active member
In Line Fuel Filter

I have seen several comments that some fuel filters can't be use on diesel. I picked up a new Fram G2 in line filter (paper type) at a thrift shop for $1.00, planning to use it on my 1985 John Deere 216 Lawn Tractor with Kohler 16HP gas engine. It looked to be the same size as the RTV fuel filter I bought at the Kubota dealer. So I looked up the G2 filter and several websites said it was a gas filter. A few sites indicated it would filter down to 10 microns.

Went to the Fram website and their G2 fuel filter is a direct match for the Kubota part no. 12581-43012 fuel filter I bought at the dealer.

So am I correct to believe a paper gas fuel filter will work fine with diesel fuel ?
 

Kanook

Active member
I have seen several comments that some fuel filters can't be use on diesel. I picked up a new Fram G2 in line filter (paper type) at a thrift shop for $1.00, planning to use it on my 1985 John Deere 216 Lawn Tractor with Kohler 16HP gas engine. It looked to be the same size as the RTV fuel filter I bought at the Kubota dealer. So I looked up the G2 filter and several websites said it was a gas filter. A few sites indicated it would filter down to 10 microns.

Went to the Fram website and their G2 fuel filter is a direct match for the Kubota part no. 12581-43012 fuel filter I bought at the dealer.

So am I correct to believe a paper gas fuel filter will work fine with diesel fuel ?

Down south they are probably ok because it never gets cold enough to thicken up the fuel. In cold climates it becomes difficult to impossible to suck or push that cold thick diesel fuel through one of those filters made for gasoline.
 

TRIBUTE100

Active member
Kanook, I see where you'd definitely need to use the anti-gel additives during the winter up there and mix in some kerosene. We might get down to 10 degrees F every once in a while down here in Western North Carolina. I'm at 2,600 feet in altitude and others around here could be up at 5,000+ feet
Reminds me of a story a friend told me about when he used to drive long haul trucks around the U.S. The mechanics would tell him how clean his fuel system was on his truck when they did maintenance. What he didn't tell them at every fill up he would add some gasoline. Don't remember how much he added, but he never had any problems or freeze ups.
 

muleman RIP

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gold Site Supporter
NAPA inline diesel filters are metal mesh. I run winter blend year round in all my diesels. When fall rolls around the Bota gets a gallon of straight Kerosene added and the backhoe gets 5 gallons as well as the tractor and skid steer. I have better things to do than deal with gelled fuel in the winter time. I get to work on enough other folks equipment with gelled fuel as it is. This past winter was a good example of that.
 

TRIBUTE100

Active member
Racor Fuel Filter/Water Separator Installed

I just finished installing the Racor 120A fuel filter/water separator with a 10 micron filter on my 2010 RTV 900, details of that product was presented in a post last week in this thread.

I clamped the fuel line before the in-line filter and removed old filter. I installed a "T" where the factory fuel line from the tank attached to the old filter, installed a fuel shut off valve pointing down with short hose attached. My idea here was to have a way to drain the fuel tank if necessary.

The filter's mounting holes didn't match the existing holes in the frame behind the air filter, but decided one 8mm X 1.25 about 1 1/4" long with lock washer would be adequate to hold the filter. I installed the two provided plugs with pipe thread sealant in the left side ports. Installed two 1/4" NPTF threaded barbs fittings with sealant on the right side inlet/outlet ports.

I used 5/16 fuel injection hose (purchased 3 feet, fuel injection hose is stronger than standard fuel hose) and ran a section from the filter's outlet port directly to the engine fuel pump. I ran another section of hose from the "T" mentioned earlier up to another fuel shut off valve and then a another short section of hose to the inlet on the fuel filter. The fuel shut off here will help when changing the filter in the future.

I removed the fuel filter with the plaster bowl attached, filled it to the top with diesel fuel, and then re-installed the filter to the head assembly. The pictures may not clearly show that I ran the fuel line hoses between the vertical frame member and the fuel tank and used some cable ties to secure them. If water appears in the plastic bowl, there is a valve in the bottom to drain it off.

Then I started the engine, about 8-10 times. Each time the engine spit and sputtered, then stalled. (Note: I only had a 1/2 tank of fuel, a full tank may have worked better) I would increase the throttle and it would run OK, then went back to idle, it would spit and sputter, then stall. Finally it would idle, try to stall, but continued to run poorly. I got worried the 10 micron filter may be to fine or the extra length of fuel line was creating to much resistance. After about 15 minutes of rough idling it began to idle smoothly. Tomorrow I will take it on a test drive just to make sure everything is OK.

By the way, in addition to paying about $55 for the filter assembly, I spent another $35-40 for fittings, hose, shut offs, etc.
 

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Doc

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Nice work. Will be interesting to hear how the sputtering plays out.
 

D&D Farm

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Really nice job......even better research.........Great write up........THANKS......God bless.........Dennis
 

TRIBUTE100

Active member
UPDATE: Racor Fuel Filter/Water Separator Installed

This morning I went out to start my RTV 900 to see if idle speed was running better. What I found was a pool of diesel fuel in the pan I had under the unit. The "T" connection with fuel shut off valve that I had installed on the hose coming from the tank where the factory filter was attached was leaking. I decided that I would remove that "T" connection and fuel shut off thinking that would cause a potential leak in the future. I replaced it with a straight 1/4" brass hose barb (wasn't able to find a 5/16" and the 3/8" was too large).

After trying to restart the engine and having it stall many times, I realized this new connection was leaking fuel again and probably sucking air into the fuel line. I re-adjusted the hose clamps further to the end of the barb. I disconnected the fuel filter from the frame and lowered it below the fuel level in the tank, which was now only 1/4 full, and was able to bleed the air from the filter using drain connections in the bowl, then re-attached filter to frame. I was able to get the engine started. I later found the connection had not leaked.

I was not satisfied with that 1/4" hose barb and again went by Home Depot this evening. Still not finding a 5/16" hose barb I looked at the pex fitting and found a 3/8" brass straight pex coupling that had an O.D. between the 1/4" and 3/8 standard hose barbs. The 1/4" hose barb and 3/8" pex coupling are pictured below. I tried the pex coupling in some extra hose and I believe it will work well. I will install it in the morning and go through the bleeding and starting procedure again. "Practice makes Perfect"
 

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muleman RIP

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A situation I have run into before is the clamp being used is too big for the hose diameter. It simply can not close tight enough. I try to keep a good mix of clamp sizes on hand but we all grab the closest one we have. If you have problems try a smaller clamp size.
 

TRIBUTE100

Active member
Muleman, You are correct. I had purchased screw clamps for 1/4" to 5/8" size hose, but when you're tightening it down to that minimum it distorts the sphericity (roundness, just looked that up) of the clamp, leaving a crack in the seal.

Hopefully, this 3/8" pex coupling will solve this problem. I just checked the diameter of this one and it measures right at 11/32" on the ribs, just a 1/32" over 5/8". As soon as I get another cup of coffee and it lightens up outside, I'll try it out.
 
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