Replace sediment bowl with inline filter

[piper184]

Ah, that is typically called the rack. The governor runs the rack back and forth to regulate fuel flow to the injectors. When you pull the shut off it over rides the governor and moves the rack so far that all fuel to the injectors is cut off and the engine dies.

I have never had that cover off to see what was inside so I am a little confused on what is in there. Bob Rooks has WAY more knowledge than I in this area. I am having a hard time figuring out how any crud can get in there.

Is the chamber under that cover usually full of fuel? I don't know if this is normal or not.

At the very least all fuel in the injection pump should have passed through the sediment bowl, lift pump and secondary spin on filter before reaching the pump.

You do have a secondary spin of filter, don't you? When was the last time you changed it? I am not aware of a fuel filter that has a by-pass relief like some oil filters do, but that would seem just wrong. Is it possible the fuel filter is "wrong" or defective?

What you could do is shut off the fuel and thoroughly clean the sediment bowl and screen. Then remove the spin on filter and rig up something under the filter housing to catch fuel. Make sure the container is clean. Use the hand primer pump to pump fuel into that container and inspect the contents for crud. Once you know you are getting clean fuel through to that point, screw on a new filter.

My position on how to replace a filter is controversial on this site but it is the way Caterpillar mechanics are trained, so here goes.
1. Wipe the area completely clean prior to removing the old filter. Compressed air and rags.
2. Have new filter ready to go but leave the cover on the base until the last minute.
3. Remove old filter and carefully set aside. Use clean rags and wipe the area again.
4. Remover cover from new filter and carefully screw on and tighten properly. DO NOT attempt to pre-fill the filter with fuel as you will be pouring un-filtered fuel into the engine side of the filter material.
5. Use primer pump to fill the filter and remove air by using the bleeder screw. This assures only clean, filtered fuel can get to the injection pump.

Now granted, this procedure is for much tighter tolerance systems than we have, but it seems like a valid procedure to me. Flame suit on. Your tractor, maintain it the way you see fit.

Once you have clean fuel to the pump it should start and run just fine. If there are any microbes in the fuel the biocide treatment should get them. If you are not seeing water in the sediment bowl that shouldn't be an issue.

If you had problems in the past and the crud you are finding is the dead bugs, then they need to be cleaned out. Personally I would fix up some kind of a spray wand made out of some soft copper tubing and connect it to a "suck gun". Then I could bend it into a shape that would allow me to squirt fuel all the way around inside the tank. I probably would remove the sediment bowl first and fix up a drain hose to run into a bucket. If you use a funnel with a fine mesh screen or a rag or something to screen out the big stuff, you can recycle that fuel until you have gotten all the crud out you can.

Then with some fresh fuel give one more spray rinse. I have an el-cheapo Harbor Freight brake bleeder and I would fashion up a copper tube to fit that so I could go around the bottom of the tank and vacuum up the bottom as best I could. occasionally pouring in some fresh fuel. Inspect the contents in the bleeder, rinse and repeat until you have gotten as much crud out as you can. Anything left should be easily taken care of by the sediment bowl and secondary filter.

I really don't understand how crud from the tank can get all the way to the rack in the IP. Bob?

The mods I mentioned for the instrument cluster and hood hinges make life so much easier in future. I wish I had done them when I assembled the tractor. Experience is a great teacher.

 

[5030]

I could find a set up that uses a "reusable" filter that would be great.

Told you what to do. Whether you heed my advice or not is your prerogative

 

[Bob Rooks]

I really don't understand how crud from the tank can get all the way to the rack in the IP. Bob?

Only one logical explanation for that large of infestation. The secondary filter has channeled, and is host to a live colony. As 5030 has recommended, a 2µ Racor filter will take care of it. Replace the secondary filter with this one.

 

[Bob Rooks]

I'd like to install something with a clear housing so I could see when the filter needs changing and if I could find a set up that uses a "reusable" filter that would be great.

There are self-cleaning filters available. The CUNO filter has been around for as long as I can remember, and they are also used by the military. And they filter down to 35µ.

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40066758/

 

[piper184]

Failed secondary filter for sure. That is why I queried about when it was last changed. ANY suspected infestation calls for immediate replacement of all filters and flushing of the system. Treating a dirty system is just a waste of treatment.

If I didn't want to replace the whole filter/adapter assembly, at a minimum I would buy three new filters. One to swap out immediately, one to swap out after a couple of tank fulls of fuel and one to have as a spare. When the nearest parts house is an hour's drive and they are closed at night and on Sunday, it makes sense to have a lot of spares around, especially mission critical ones.

I wonder if Racor makes a spin on that will fit the OEM adapter? I'll have to look into that when I have a chance.
I do like the visual check of the clear bowl. I have that kind of setup on my bulk gas tank. In 15 years it has only collected a little bit of dust in the bottom and never any water. Thousands of gallons of gas, but I can monitor the filter condition easily.

It might be considered a "little redneck" but if I were facing a bad fuel system situation in the winter with a good need to put off the proper cure, I would figure out a way to strap a fuel tank of some kind to a fender and run some hoses up under the hood and get them connected so the tractor is usable. I have some red gas cans on hand. The policy police might have a hissy fit about putting diesel in a red can but I would say it not only matches the color of my tractor, it signifies "red" fuel only!

 

[430488]

On my Nortrac 254 the previous owner put an inline filter between the sediment bowl and the spin on filter. It is one of the inexpensive clear plastic ones. I replace it once a year with a Wix replacement. I know it works be cause I have had problems with the tractor losing power and seeing low fuel flow in the filter. Replacing it fixes it. I also replaced the sediment bowl assembly with a glass bowl. I don’t recall where I got it. I also have a rusty tank but it seems the extra filter helps, or at least gives me a peace of mind.

 

[angelugs]

Told you what to do. Whether you heed my advice or not is your prerogative

I appreciate your input and I haven't disregarded it. Just haven't decided exactly what to do yet.

 

[angelugs]

On my Nortrac 254 the previous owner put an inline filter between the sediment bowl and the spin on filter. It is one of the inexpensive clear plastic ones. I replace it once a year with a Wix replacement. I know it works be cause I have had problems with the tractor losing power and seeing low fuel flow in the filter. Replacing it fixes it. I also replaced the sediment bowl assembly with a glass bowl. I don’t recall where I got it. I also have a rusty tank but it seems the extra filter helps, or at least gives me a peace of mind.

Thanks for your input. This seems like the simplest and least expensive way to accomplish what I want to do BUT probably doesn't protect the fuel system as well as some of the other suggestions here. No more than I use my tractor it would probably suffice. But I'm the kind of guy who would lay in bed at night and wonder what if ...... .

 

[5030]

Well, I have the Conus base with a Racor 30 micron water block spin on filter not only on both my tractors but my diesel pickup truck as well.

 

[angelugs]

Failed secondary filter for sure. That is why I queried about when it was last changed. ANY suspected infestation calls for immediate replacement of all filters and flushing of the system. Treating a dirty system is just a waste of treatment.

If I didn't want to replace the whole filter/adapter assembly, at a minimum I would buy three new filters. One to swap out immediately, one to swap out after a couple of tank fulls of fuel and one to have as a spare. When the nearest parts house is an hour's drive and they are closed at night and on Sunday, it makes sense to have a lot of spares around, especially mission critical ones.

I wonder if Racor makes a spin on that will fit the OEM adapter? I'll have to look into that when I have a chance.
I do like the visual check of the clear bowl. I have that kind of setup on my bulk gas tank. In 15 years it has only collected a little bit of dust in the bottom and never any water. Thousands of gallons of gas, but I can monitor the filter condition easily.

It might be considered a "little redneck" but if I were facing a bad fuel system situation in the winter with a good need to put off the proper cure, I would figure out a way to strap a fuel tank of some kind to a fender and run some hoses up under the hood and get them connected so the tractor is usable. I have some red gas cans on hand. The policy police might have a hissy fit about putting diesel in a red can but I would say it not only matches the color of my tractor, it signifies "red" fuel only!

I've been looking around to see if there's a Racor type fuel filter that would fit the OEM spin on mount on my Jinma 284. I found one that might work BUT it has M18 x 1.50 threads on the mounting port and the OEM thread on the tractor is M16 x 1.50. If the pipe nipple on the OEM mount is removable I could find an M16 x 1.50 to M18 x 1.50 adapter and then be able to use the Racor type filter. Do you know if that nipple is part of the mount or is it removable? If I could adapt it to the OEM mount it would save me from having to replace all the hoses and fittings. Finding space to mount an aftermarket unit is going to be a problem too.