Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-29-2011, 10:22 PM
E150GT's Avatar
I'm a chicken
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Posts: 1,148
Talk to me about filtration...

I have been pouring over the interwebs about diesel filtration. There is a lot of information about this subject but a few things are unclear. The primary filter is before the injection pump and injectors and only filters out the big chunks of stuff. The secondary filter does all of the heavy work like small particles and water separation. It seems that most of the particles make it to the injectors before being cleaned out through the secondary filter. If water and contaminents are so bad for our engines why do we not see that many failures due to water? it would seem that water would be ingested before it even makes it to the filter? Also it seems other makes such as ford and dodge have much more sophisticated filters than say my OM617 and my car has survived 28 years of OE equipment, does it really mean that fine filtration isnt as necessary as widely believed to be? Would I see any beneficial gain to adding a more elaborate filter setup as Ive seen done to my engine or is it really not necessary? Thanks

__________________
1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-29-2011, 10:49 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 8,971
Quote:
Originally Posted by E150GT View Post
It seems that most of the particles make it to the injectors before being cleaned out through the secondary filter.
I think you are a bit confused with regard to the order of events.

Primary filter - fuel pump - secondary filter - injection pump - injectors.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-29-2011, 10:53 PM
E150GT's Avatar
I'm a chicken
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Posts: 1,148
Quote:
Originally Posted by tangofox007 View Post
I think you are a bit confused with regard to the order of events.

Primary filter - fuel pump - secondary filter - injection pump - injectors.
Oh really? Well that makes perfect sense.
__________________
1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-29-2011, 11:20 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 8,971
Quote:
Originally Posted by E150GT View Post
Would I see any beneficial gain to adding a more elaborate filter setup as Ive seen done to my engine or is it really not necessary?
That's a lot like asking if there is a benefit to carrying a spare tire. The vast majority of the time, there is no benefit. But it is possible that there would be a benefit to carrying two spare tires.

I installed a Stanadyne FM-10 filter (pre-fuel pump) a few years ago. I have drained water from it on a couple of occasions. I cannot claim that it has "saved the day" but it wasn't very expensive and doesn't seem to have an operational downside.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-30-2011, 03:00 PM
Diesel911's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Long Beach,CA
Posts: 50,968
Unforunatly the Fuel quality (contamination with Rust, water, or organisms growing) of Diesel Fuel varies a lot from station to station.
(Organisms can grow in your Tank all by themselves if conditions are right for that; but, you can get infected Fuel.)

More than a few Member have gone on trips outside of there area and got a bad Tank Full of Fuel. Typically at small Stations that do not do a lot of Big Rig Truck business.

How bad a problem being stopped or slowed down on the Road is depends on if you have a source of replacement Filter or Filters and if you can deal with it.

Also there is a good chance that a bad Tank of Fuel is going to continue to plug filter fast.
It has been well proven that finer Filteration of Fuel, Engine and even Hydraulic Oil decreases wear.

So in my case I decided to replace my scock Seconday Filter that filters to 10 nominal microns and replace it with a larger CAT 1R-0750; 2 absolute micron Filter.
Also there is a big difference betwen the nominal micron rating and the absolute rating. I will let those interested in that look up the difference in the rating systems for themselves.

However, if you want finer Filtration there is no kit available.
Deliveryvalve's filter mod
Lower Micron Fuel Filter Mod - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum

I also added a By-pass Oil Filter to my Car (again no kit). It has a 0.5 nominal micron Filter Element in it. Compared to the stock Oil Filters 22-27 nominal Micron Filtration.

So it is a personal decision if the Stock setup is good enough.
__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-30-2011, 03:41 PM
E150GT's Avatar
I'm a chicken
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Posts: 1,148
I do worry sometimes about the fuel quality around where I fill up. All of the truck stops are far away from where I normally am. I may try the fuel filter mod on a spare from the junkyard.
__________________
1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-30-2011, 09:24 PM
Diesel911's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Long Beach,CA
Posts: 50,968
Quote:
Originally Posted by E150GT View Post
I do worry sometimes about the fuel quality around where I fill up. All of the truck stops are far away from where I normally am. I may try the fuel filter mod on a spare from the junkyard.
When the Big Rig Truckers get a load of bad Fuel from a station they get on the CB Radio and tell the other Truckers not to buy from that Station. That is why it is best to buy at a truck stop.

Some Members have installed a Water Separator in place of or addition to the Plastic Primary Filter.
__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-31-2011, 04:53 AM
cho's Avatar
cho cho is offline
diesel power
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Europe
Posts: 934
Only issues I had with diesel OM617 setup is clogged pre-filters,... that makes me wonder if anyone tried to put 2 of them in-front of fuel pump...might come handy... and the spare is not so obligatory as it is now... just a screwdriver in the back...m?
__________________
w126 500SEC gen II euro, powered by OM617 turbo stolen from 84 300SD 2.88 diff,EGR blinded
next wish/project: w114 coupe OM603 powered
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-31-2011, 11:28 AM
Diesel911's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Long Beach,CA
Posts: 50,968
Quote:
Originally Posted by cho View Post
Only issues I had with diesel OM617 setup is clogged pre-filters,... that makes me wonder if anyone tried to put 2 of them in-front of fuel pump...might come handy... and the spare is not so obligatory as it is now... just a screwdriver in the back...m?
Clearly there is other ways. Some have put a larger Perimary Fuel Filter in place of the Plastic one.
I think one of the reasons people like the Plastic one is that you can see into them with out removing them.

I carry one extra Seconday Fuel Filter and no extra Primary Fuel Filter. I figure the Primary Fuel Filter can be removed and blown out to restore some use from it until it gets home.
Also I am a member of AAA and do not drive much beyond 15 miles from my House with the Mercedes and it is all in the City. So I actually buy another Primary Filter from any Auto Parts store.
However, the CAT 1R-0750 spin-on Filter would be hard to find so I carry an extra in the Trunk.

Also the way the CAT Filter is setup on the Stock Filter Housing I could remove the adapter and use a Stock Mercedes Fuel Filter that I believe can be bought at any Auto Parts Store.

So that is the way I deal with it.

When I first did the setup for the CAT Filter I used a WIX Filter to get the project going (the WIX does not filter as fine as the CAT). After 1.5 years I got a CAT Filter and changed to it.
I cut the WIX apart and found about 1 Teaspoon of Rust tinged Water in the Bottom of the Fuel Filter.
(The WIX and CAT Filters have no Drain on the bottom but are at least 1 quart in size so it would take a lot of water contamination for water to get pushed into the Fuel Injection Pump.)

I found no unusual solid stuff and I live near the Ocean so there could be a small issue concerning condensation in the Fuel Tank.
__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-31-2011, 11:30 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Out in the Boonies of Hot, Dry, Dusty, Windy Nevada
Posts: 9,649
I have a Racor fuel filter in place of the small plastic pre-filter on the 240D. I has a large clear bowl with a drain on the bottom. the filter element fits inside. I use a 2 micron, but also comes in a 10 micron also.

I have used this same Racor on my Datsun Diesel for the past 30 years for my primary filter. I do get the injectors redone every 100K miles. but using the same IP for the past 468K miles.

It is amazing some of the crap found in the bottom of the bowl over the years I have used these filters. the cleaner the fuel is, the less chances of potential problems.

Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2018 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page