Racor filters
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon Pics |
2003-10-24 67007
I use a Parker/Racor fuel filtering funnel when pouring diesel fuel in my tractor to keep moisture out and it drives me nuts that it doesn't drain all the way. It leaves a good 1/8" of fuel in the bottom of the filter no matter what I do. It's apparent from the design that it will never drain all the way and the problem is so obvious I can't believe they screwed this up.
Anyone else use one of these? Mine is the large size, and if the small one doesn't have this problem I'll get a small one instead.
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Racor filters
Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee Pics |
2003-10-24 67022
Where did you buy your filter funnel Ken. I have been looking for one but have not found any locally or on the internet for a sane price. I have the filter on my fuel tank but another sure does not hurt. ....
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Racor filters
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon Pics |
2003-10-24 67026
Why from Mr. Funnel, where else :)
Seriously. See link. ....
Link: Mr. Funnel
 
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Racor filters
BountyHunter
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 33 SE Mich Pics |
2003-11-14 68760
The documentation on their website says that this small amount of fuel in the bottom is normal and you just have to dump it out. ....
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Racor filters
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon Pics |
2003-11-14 68767
I didn't see that. It may be normal but it's normal for a flawed design and it didn't have to be that way. From a design standpoint all they had to do was recess the filter another 1/8" toward the spout to fix the problem. Oh well, I still like the funnel but this was just bad design. ....
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Racor filters
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon Pics |
2003-11-14 68770
This problem is not that big a deal, but I had a thought about how to fix it. I think if I mixed up some epoxy (is epoxy fuel safe?), poured it into the bottom of the funnel and let it pool around the base of the filter (which sticks up out of the center of the funnel) it would act as sort of a leveling compound and fill in the space that causes wasted fuel. ....
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Racor filters
BountyHunter
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 33 SE Mich Pics |
2003-11-17 68968
This was taken from the FAQ section
Q. What do I do with the stuff left in the sump at the bottom of the funnel after refueling?
A. This technology requires the sump to help separate the contamination from the fuel so it can't be eliminated. You can pour it back into the gas can you were using or have a separate container to place it into. When the container gets full you can run it back through the funnel and you will never waste a drop of useable fuel ....
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Racor filters
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon Pics |
2003-11-17 68972
Thanks for the info BountyHunter. I still don't see how this sump is required. Do you have one of these funnels to look at? There is a large filter element sticking up out of the center of the funnel. If you fill the funnel to the brim with straight water, covering the filter element completely, no water will come through the funnel. I don't understand how the presence or absence of the sump would make a bit of difference. Out of curiosity I may plug it up anyway to see what happens. When I don't understand something like this it drives me crazy. Maybe I've already reached that destination :) ....
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Racor filters
TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley |
2003-11-18 68996
I haven't quite got a pic in mind of the filter but I wonder if it works like a sediment bowl to separate large pieces of sediment and water. I think some filter elements may stop water and others won't so a bowl would be needed. If that's what it is, it seems a little generous of them to call a sediment bowl a technology.
Myself, I have a hand pump that fits on standard fuel jugs. The inlet tube doesn't go quite to the bottom so the pump doesn't pick up condensation and sediment. Every year or so I use what the pump won't pick up for parts cleaning or just dump it in the furnace oil tank. There hasn't been enough condensation or sediment to bother the furnace filter. ....
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Racor filters
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon Pics |
2003-11-18 69013
I suppose it's purpose could be used to allow sediment to settle out, but it's a funnel. It seems that the volume of fuel passing through and the swirling action of fuel being poured into the funnel and draining out of it would stir up enough sediment to make the small "sump" not very useful. But what the heck do I know? ....
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Racor filters
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada Pics |
2003-11-18 69020
Sounds more like a convenient line to cover a minor manufacturing and/or design error.
If the filter doesn't allow water or debris to pass through what possible reason would there be for a 'sump'.
As for the 'pour it back into your fuel container' advice, that just seems DUMB, if you catch some debris or water why for goodness sakes would you put it back in with the rest of your fuel supply? So that when someone forgets to use the funnel it can get into your tank? Yeah, OK.
We just catch the debris with a coffee filter, then drain the water seperators regularly, the fuel drained from the seperators is 'fire starter' in the shop furnace, along with the used coffee filters.
Best of luck. ....
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Racor filters
kubotajoe
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 6 New Hampshire |
2003-11-23 69384
Chief asked where to get the water separating funnels.
The cheapest place I have found is:
www.lakeandair.com
Do a search on their site for funnel.
Joe in NH ....
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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee Pics |
2003-11-23 69416
kubotajoe, those are definitely much better prices and the best I have seen yet. Thanks for posting the link! ....
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Racor filters
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon Pics |
2003-12-10 70748
[This was a reply to a post that was apparently deleted by the original poster]
Maybe, but the fact that they can't or won't explain why this sump is required (other than to say "it's normal") is a red flag to me. It's a filter in a funnel, and the fact that they recommend dumping the leftover fuel back in the fuel can seems to point to a design flaw. If only water or other bad stuff was left over after being filtered out why on earth would you dump it back in the can? I'd be interested in knowing alternate theories.
Maybe I'm getting crotchety, but I've been around long enough to be skeptical of anything that doesn't make sense and can't or won't be explained. ....
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Racor filters
Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee Pics |
2003-12-10 70750
Are you getting "crothety" and stirring up trouble again Ken? ;-) Stir away. Time for some Christmas spirt! Merry Christmas to one and all! May Santa have the 3 pt. hitch impliment or other tractor goodies sitting under the tree for you! ....
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Racor filters
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon Pics |
2003-12-10 70752
I guess I admitted to being crotchety, but I'm really curious if there's a good engineering reason for the sump in a racor filter funnel. I don't mean to dump on it though - I like the product, use it all the time, and would buy another if mine were lost or damaged.
....
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