Fuel filter question

[Martin610]

Hi Guys,

So, after last summer's disaster with my former mechanics, I got set up with Forked River Diesel here in NJ. Very happy with the service, mechanic was great.

I had them do what they call a 'spring service'. I didn't really need them to do it, but I wanted to be on the books as one of their customers.

I have a CW 28 with the D4-260. The only question I have is on the fuel filter. When I change the Racor primary filter myself, I put in the 10 micron as I think that is the spec. FRD put in a 30 micron. Seemed odd to me, I thought it was a typo on the invoice. When I asked, here was their reply: "We do prefer to put 30 micron fuel filters in even though Volvo specs it at 10micron. The reason for this is, the 10 micron pre filter will allow more sediment through which is essentially the same as the engine filter. This lowers performance and you have to change more frequently. The 30 micron pre filter will not allow particles larger than 10 micron through."

Now this email was from the secretary, so it might have lost something in translation. Looking for opinions on this from people with more diesel experience than I do. I don't generally change specs developed by the manufacturer, but again my diesel experience is limited.

-martin

 

[Scuba Too]

That doesn't make sense. A 30 micron filter allows larger particles than a 10 micron filter. The rationale may be that the Racor 30 micron fuel filter catches everything >30 microns and the engine fuel filter catches everything between 2-30 microns (BTW I couldn't find the spec for the engine filter but it's noted as 2 micron in some websites). In some ways this would increase your active filter area I suppose. I'd just check on what the Volvo warranty requirements are if still under warranty. I have to say though that it's easier to change out the Racor filter compared to the engine filter. Note that I have the D4 260 as well but in an R29 CB.

 

[Gunner065]

Interestingly, I just read a very good article about the size of fuel filters specific to diesel fuel for the marine environment.

https://www.soundingsonline.com/news/di ... you-choose

I'm no expert but the statement in the quotes makes no sense to me.

 

[Scuba Too]

Stefan, that's a great article. On balance it seems safe enough to use the 30 micron primary filter. I've stayed with the factory recommended 10 micron but we seem to have clean fuel in the area and starving the fuel line hasn't been an issue.

 

[BB marine]

Volvo recommends 10 at primary and 2 at secondary. The theory the marine repair shop is using was used with machanical rail and older boats with dirty fuel systems. We have small fuel tanks and all newer boats. Plus we have common rail injection. I feel if you use you boat and change filters seasonally the factory recommendation is the way to go.

 

[Martin610]

Thanks guys. Nice to have such a good community here.

I subscribe to Soundings also, but hadn't read the article yet. My take is that my mechanic was not necessarily 'wrong' to use the 30 micron. However I think Brian's point is well taken, we have newer boats. I run the boat boat a lot, go through a bunch of fuel, and I change the filters seasonally. I will change that filter over to a 10 micron after I launch.

-martin