Cleaned Sedimenter - should I be concerned?

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Originally Posted by isuzurover

Slime (algae/microbial growth) existed long before biodiesel use and is largely unrelated. Biodiesel is partially oxygenated though, which may help it grow.

All diesel in AU can have 5% bio without labelling, as it helps lubricity. There is a french study of long term (100% bio) use in a whole fleet which included commonrail diesels. At the end they pulled the engines down and the bio engines were as good or better.

Your diesel on the GC comes either from the caltex refinery or the BP refinery in Brisbane. It is unlikely any NSW fuel crosses the border.

As for your problem. Put some diesel fuel treatment (biocide) in the tank and all will be good.

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Can you recommend a brand/type?

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Originally Posted by uninformed

I also looked at Racor, they make very good products. I could not get there website to open? and given they have literally hundreds of different options, I had no idea which to buy? The other thing was that it seemed the classic "296" filter is readily available pretty much across Oz, but I figured the Racor a bit harder to come by, especially if heading away from the coast line. Not sure of the Racor set up, but it seems you can run the CAV type either way. That is, filter first and separator second, or vise versa. If you run the filter first, you will get a better job but less filter life. Not sure if you can run your Racor backwards or if it would make any difference. The other thing to consider is the filter itself. Any idea what micron the Racor filters down to? and how that compares to the "296" (I have no idea on either)

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My new plan is to leave sedimenter in place and run the filter in series down steam ie locate the filter unit in the engine bay.

Racor micron levels vary. I made the mistake of fitting a 4 micron filter. Just too fine. I've leaned a bit since. The 296 CAV type will probably be 15 or 20 micron which is normal for automotive applications.

Racor filter is a screw on type filter. Model R12T filter is 10 micron.

Alternatives that fit are:
Baldwin BF1380
Fleetguard FS19802
Donaldson P502489.

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Originally Posted by uninformed

Can you recommend a brand/type?

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Fuelset

Thanks, I was already out and about so picked up some "Liqui Moly" Diesel Algae Stop. (Anti-Bacterial fuel treatment) It was the only one that didnt have all sorts of other stuff like extra boost, top end lube blah blah blah...

CAV is 5-7 micron rating & cost about $1 per micron (cheap). Is available in ALOT of places as its used on ALOT of applications not just automotive. I would not hesitate to say it would be one of the most common filters around.

Use Wynns EDT

Wynn's | Fleet Products | Fuel Treatments | Wynn’s® EDT Enviro Diesel Treatment

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Originally Posted by rar110

My new plan is to leave sedimenter in place and run the filter in series down steam ie locate the filter unit in the engine bay.

Racor micron levels vary. I made the mistake of fitting a 4 micron filter. Just too fine. I've leaned a bit since. The 296 CAV type will probably be 15 or 20 micron which is normal for automotive applications.

Racor filter is a screw on type filter. Model R12T filter is 10 micron.

Alternatives that fit are:
Baldwin BF1380
Fleetguard FS19802
Donaldson P502489.

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I don't know what prompted you to swap the sedimenter for a filter that fine. (assuming Racor's rating is accurate).

I know some people who work for Racor. IMHO their products are somewhat overrated...

If you had opted for the combined sedimenter filter setup as most have, you could have retained the sedimenter.

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Originally Posted by isuzurover

I don't know what prompted you to swap the sedimenter for a filter that fine. (assuming Racor's rating is accurate). I know some people who work for Racor. IMHO their products are somewhat overrated... If you had opted for the combined sedimenter filter setup as most have, you could have retained the sedimenter.

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What prompted me was a big dose of naivity, a recommendation that it would benefit the fuel system, and a presumption that technology had generally improved on the Lucas sedimenter. I did like the Racor being a spinon type.

The Delphi or CAV type filter is widely available. But it wasn't on the shelves of servos where I stopped on the Stuart HW Sth of Alice. I was hunting for filters at that time.

I found the Lucas sedimenter is simple and effective especially in the field.

I did notice the racor seemed to extract more water from the fuel. Well it was trapping more water than other defenders I was travelling with. I will be interested to see if it extracts additional water after the sedimenter. Here is a web pic of what I previously fitted instead of the Lucas sedimenter.

Attachment 70604

I didn't even look at micron ratings until it blocked. That was naive, ok dumb. As I said I learned a bit from the experience.

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Originally Posted by rar110

This is a side issue in response to above.

In preparation for a big trip I did this same mod but with a Racor filter. With the change of conditions (fuel & corrugations) a lot more water & junk came through and blocked the filter. I carried a spare which also blocked. I had to clean both with petrol and reuse until Alice. I couldn't buy another filter.

The sedimenter would have trapped all or the majority of these larger particles/water and then easily cleaned. I've now refitted the sedimenter and put an in line filter after the sedimenter. I will probably refit the Racor filter after the sedimenter at some stage. That way if I can't buy a filter I can easily bipass it and concert back to normal factory set up.

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is your Landrover a puma?

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Originally Posted by sashadidi

is your Landrover a puma?

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No, 1989 Isuzu.

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Originally Posted by rar110

What prompted me was a big dose of naivity, a recommendation that it would benefit the fuel system, and a presumption that technology had generally improved on the Lucas sedimenter. I did like the Racor being a spinon type.

The Delphi or CAV type filter is widely available. But it wasn't on the shelves of servos where I stopped on the Stuart HW Sth of Alice. I was hunting for filters at that time.

I found the Lucas sedimenter is simple and effective especially in the field.

I did notice the racor seemed to extract more water from the fuel. Well it was trapping more water than other defenders I was travelling with. I will be interested to see if it extracts additional water after the sedimenter. Here is a web pic of what I previously fitted instead of the Lucas sedimenter.

Attachment 70604

I didn't even look at micron ratings until it blocked. That was naive, ok dumb. As I said I learned a bit from the experience.

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How long & K's was it left unchanged? CAV are that cheap to buy especially in bulk that it would be very easy just to buy a bunch an stuff four or five in the spares kit when heading off just incase they cant be found.

The filter head fuel lines can be changed to run the fuel directly into the bowl first then exit through the filter to the engine bay spin-on, leaving the majority of larger particles & crap in the base first. That would increase filter life quite a bit.

I have done 2k since install & run the diesel through the filter first as it is better that way to trap water but downside is every bit of crap goes to the filter first so filter life would be less than running fuel to the bowel first.

If all goes well with the flow direction I have setup now at the planned change point of 5000km since install, I will leave it. If it blocks I will swap the line flow to drop into the bowel first.