Fuel filter questions Perkins 4108

[TimFromLI]

I recently had to motor for a few hours into a strong headwind and chop. As a result, I think the gunk in the fuel tank got churned up and clogged the filters. The gods were with me that day though, I made it back to my mooring without a problem but the next day the motor died after a half mile. I replaced both the primary and secondary fuel filters and bled it, cursed and bled again until it started. My primary spare was a 30 micron - I think that was on the recommendation of a mechanic. I cant find the specs for the secondary spin on fuel filter. It's a Perkins 26561118. What size fuel filter should I use for the primary? Should I continue with the 30, or go to a 20 or 10. As for the secondary, does anyone know what size the Perkins 26561118 is? Google searches returned zilch.

 

[jssailem]

Tim. I have the older cousin, the 4.107. The first filter out of the tank is a Racor 500M. I use the 30 micron filter. It catches the junk from the tank. When stirred and sucked up it is like coffee grounds in the filter. The turbo action in the filter lets the bigger pieces settle in the bowl. I jus drain that he and toss.

The filter on the engine, #2 in line is a Perkins or an equivalent.Not sure of the Perkins number but I can check tomorrow when I go to the boat. It, if memory is correct a 10 micron filter. Not to big. Cleaned about once a year. The Racor pretty much catches all the debris and goo.

Bleeding requires a lot of pumping. I’ve been figuring I can add a boost fuel pump that would make the problem go away. Just have to be sure the pump does not impinge the flow when not running.

 

[odaydokay]

Not sure how that system looks, but many electric fuel pumps have a fine screen that needs to be removed, body inside wiped and that screen cleaned out regularly. You can have all the clean filters you want but if that fuel pump screen is clogged you will have major issues.

 

[TimFromLI]

Thanks for the reply, I guess I'll stick with the 30 for the primary. I assume the secondary is much finer. The PO left me with no less than 5 of the secondary filters, he must have found a sale. I'll keep going till they are used up. One of these days, I will hook up a T and and a gate valve and install some finer filters for primary with the ability to switch if one gets clogged. It was blowing 20+ knots on the nose with 4 foot waves deep water and the CT shore only a few miles to leeward. Not much time to sort out a fuel problem. It's the boy scout in me, just preparing for the next time. I'm fairly new to sailing. If I did have an engine failure, now I know I would just sail south to the wind shadow of LI, shallower water, and flatter seas and sort out the fuel problem. Keeping the Admiral (and me) calm makes everyone happy.

 

[jssailem]

many electric fuel pumps have a fine screen that needs to be removed, body inside wiped and that screen cleaned out regularly.

You are absolutely correct about the screens on fuel pumps. I tried to pump dirty fuel through filter to a clean tank. Worked for a while, then no joy. Took pump apart and WOW. All sorts of crud. Now I suck the fuel from a dirty tank with a replaceable filter between the pump and the tank. Works great. No fouling of the pump just the filter. Replace the filter turn on the pump. So much easier. Wonder if it would work in your situation.

 

[Stu Jackson]

The fuel pump should be after the primary filter. In fact, that's just what the Parker filter manuals recommend. The filter in the lift pumps should see no debris.

There have been countless discussions about filter sizing for primaries and secondaries. One school says: 2 micron primary avoids the need to change secondaries so often. Other school says 30 micron for primary, because standard filtering concept always say coarser filters first, finer second.

I ran a 2 micron primary filter for five years (!) [yeah, yeah, yeah, it's truly nonsense to change them yearly - Why? 'cuz even the filter manual says 500 hours!!!]. No problems. At the same time, I had my secondary on from 2400 to 3600 hours, just changed both.

And years of "research" i.e., internet boating forum reading, and Maine Sail's contributions, seem to indicate that secondary filters are anywhere from 20-30 microns anyway, 'cuz most of 'em aren't adequately labeled.

Your boat, your choice.