Racor filters question

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Freespool

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Mar 1, 2018
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81
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USA
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Adventure
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Offshore 62
Hello all,

I am looking to purchase a bunch (20+) of Racor filters for my 3406 Diesel Cats. As I am looking online there are different part numbers. Before I purchase the wrong filters, is there anything I should know?

Also, do you have a recommendation of where to buy them?
 
Two things. Determine what you have now. Are they working OK? If so, duplicate. Secondly, be very careful buying online, lots of counterfeits out there. Buy only OEM. So many places to buy them, possibly Fisheries Supply out of Seattle? Very trustworthy

BTW, the Offshore owner's site is quite informative. Query that site with a few more details in hand.
 
Last edited:
Free,
Why on earth would you want 20 filters?
I’d get some spare gaskets. The O ring on the T handle and the large OD rectangular gasket. Assuming you’re filter has them.
I know the gaskets come w every filter but stuff happens. Drop a gasket into the bilge. Check the fuel level in the bowel. I will replace the small light brown gasket on the T handle. If the O ring rolls at all it could cause an air leak.

Ok I’m paranoid about air leaks but have you read the thread on it? It’s recent and a TF member said those two rubber gaskets are very troublesome. I’m just now replacing the cover/lid on mine as I couldn’t remove deposits on the O ring seat. I’m wondering if I should put on a very light coating w my finger of Never Sieze.

Comments?
 
Vaseline on the gaskets.
 
Are we starting from scratch here? Do you know what Racor filters fit your filter housing? If not I would remove your existing filter and try to get a part number on it. Or perhaps the filter housing has a model number on it? If none of this works, remove the filter and take it to your closest marine store. Most everyone will stock Racor filters. You might also check your onboard manuals and see if there is one for the filters that were installed on your boat.
 
Are you looking for Racor filter / separator elements or screw on filters that mount on the engine?

For screw on filters, I prefer Wix / Napa filters from Fleetfilter.com. They also carry other brands such as Baldwin and Luberfiner.

Ted
 
3406 should have a 2 micron secondary (1r-0749). Racors typically come in 30,10 and 2 micron. What size you should choose has a lot of variables. If you go with a 2 you will replace it a lot sooner than you would a 10 or 30. But on flip side. Your secondary will last a good bit longer. Personally if you're tanks are clean i would try to get a happy medium where you are replacing both at the same time. I would keep a handful of 2 just in case you get a bunch of trash fuel. You can throw the 2s in to trap as much as you can in the racor filter before it gets to the engine.
 
BIG CAT said:
3406 should have a 2 micron secondary (1r-0749). Racors typically come in 30,10 and 2 micron. What size you should choose has a lot of variables. If you go with a 2 you will replace it a lot sooner than you would a 10 or 30. But on flip side. Your secondary will last a good bit longer. Personally if you're tanks are clean i would try to get a happy medium where you are replacing both at the same time. I would keep a handful of 2 just in case you get a bunch of trash fuel. You can throw the 2s in to trap as much as you can in the racor filter before it gets to the engine.
Click to expand...

Exactly! I run 30’s, but keep a dozen 2’s on hand in case of a batch of bad refuel. Which micron of Racor to use can get like the which anchor is best threads........
 
3406 motor probably uses a 1000 series Racor. Element is 2020. Available in 2micron, 10 and 30mic. 3406 probably specs a 30mic for primary, with Cat filter for secondary. Many run 10mic primary to enhance life of secondary. In my experience, it does not matter much as far as secondary or primary clog rate between the 30 and the 10. Crapshoot. I have little experience running the 2mic on the several boats I run, just never use them.

But do keep on hand several secondaries. Every few to several racors you change, you will need to change the secondary. If fuel has high water content, secondaries clog pretty quick.
 
I buy Racor filters in quantity,from the US. Even incl shipping, at around half the common $80 per Racor filter sold retail here. Hopcar kindly supplied my last purchase, before that I used ebay.
Other local Aussie sources of various filters, sanely priced, include brettstruck.com.au in NSW.
There should be enough information on the filter you replace to identify what you need to buy.
 
Xsbank said:
Vaseline on the gaskets.
Click to expand...

No. Diesel fuel.

Use the micron spec the engine manufacturer tells you to and the size spec for the model of Racor you have. Ski probably is right that they are 1000's and very likely right, given his engine expertise, that they are 30 micron. But we're not there looking at them.
 
Last edited:
Thanks everyone for your responses. The reason I need so many is because I am leaving Fort Lauderdale and heading to Panama and then Costa Rica. The boat will be out of the country for the next 18 months and I will be buying fuel from a variety of different sources. You get the idea.....
 
I run 2 micron fuel filters all the time. And I get at least 500 hours from my filters. If you keep your tank clean by stopping organism growth and buy fuel from reputable dealers, you have clean fuel. People using bypass filters for cleaning engine oil maintain oil with debris under 3 microns and greatly extend the time between overhauls. The same is true for fuel. Debris in the fuel is what wears the close clearances in pumps and internal injector parts. I pay about $9 for Racor 900 elements. Same element at West Marine is $19.

If you have Racor filters and engines like my Detroits that pump much more fuel than burned and return it to the tank, you have a fuel polishing system. If you don't, the addition of an electric fuel pump gives you fuel polishing.
 
Will I have enough? I hope so. My plan is to change the filters when I change the oil. I have to change them now, which will take a total of four of them. If I have an issue with bad fuel, I have to change four filters. With the amount of fuel I plan to run through the boat, I think it will be ok.

Oh yeah, if any of you fellow boaters need a filter or two I am your guy! It's ok to have too many, right?
 
BruceK said:
I buy Racor filters in quantity,from the US. Even incl shipping, at around half the common $80 per Racor filter sold retail here. Hopcar kindly supplied my last purchase, before that I used ebay.
Other local Aussie sources of various filters, sanely priced, include brettstruck.com.au in NSW.
There should be enough information on the filter you replace to identify what you need to buy.
Click to expand...

I got my 2020's at a pretty good price here
$22 each

Filter Discounters
 
The last time I bought diesel here was in July and it was 3.29 per gallon.
 
Fuel filters bought in bulk may not be used very quickly.

Like all filters they should be stored in a vacuum bag (very light vacuum) to keep them dry and lube oil filters from rusting.
 
Lepke said:
I pay about $9 for Racor 900 elements. Same element at West Marine is $19.
Click to expand...
Although you must be a member of WestMarine Pro, the savings on most marine products is significant!
 

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Xsbank said:
Vaseline on the gaskets.
Click to expand...

Yes Vaseline. We used a silicone where I worked to assemble o rings, either will do fine.
You want them lubricated enough so that when the cap is tightened it will slide on the o ring.
If it doesn't slide then it will "bunch" or "pinch" the o ring and it won't get enough pressure on it to seal.
 
Make sure you install a nice set of vacuum gauges on your racor, be it the racor vac gauge or another type, to show the condition of your filter.I prefer the liquid filled ones as they stand up better to vibrations, and I can make my filters last and try diff microns...dot forget to treat your fuel too
 
caltexflanc said:
No. Diesel fuel.

Use the micron spec the engine manufacturer tells you to and the size spec for the model of Racor you have. Ski probably is right that they are 1000's and very likely right, given his engine expertise, that they are 30 micron. But we're not there looking at them.
Click to expand...

Yes agreed- diesel fuel on gasket surfaces as in the instructions by Racor and other filter manufacturers.
 
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