What size Racors??

[Lake Erie Boater]

Diesel gang (or maybe just the CAT gang):

I need to order spare Racor fuel filters for the mains and genset (see signature for year, size, etc)

I think the Racors are 500's??

The dealer changed all of them out last fall as part of the closing of the sale of the boat. Per their work order, they installed 2010TM's (I think that means Ten Micron).

I could not find anything in the owner's manual or CAT manuals that tell me if they should be 2, 10, or 30 micron units.

Did the dealer do it right?? What are you guys/girls using??? and lastly, where have you found good pricing on them. I plan to buy a case so I have spares/year end maintenance, etc.??

Thanks in advance.

[ImpulseIII]

I use 10 micron in the Racors. The Caterpillar secondary filters are 2 micron I believe. They are not really that expensive.

[fwebster]

The high efficiency Cat Spin on filter is a 2 micron filter....and I think that is the only one they offer now.

The Racor if it is a 500MA should take a 2010PMOR; if it is a 900MA, then 2040PMOR, the PMOR filters are 30 micron and they are adequate for pleasure boat use.

[quality time]

I just got a case of 10 microns off of Ebay last night for $86 shipped. They are around $12 each in West Marine.

[tobnpr]

Lots of opinions on the filter size to use. And you're right, CAT does not specify. I called CAT customer service, and still did not get a definitive answer. The finer the primary filter, the less that's going to get through to the 2 micron secondary. I run 10 micron in the Racors.

When my mechanics did my annual service last fall, they suggested using 2 micron for my Westerbeke as there are two engine mounted filters that are a pain to change out. They said using the 2 micron as the primary should eliminate me having to change those for a long time.

My motors are about the same size as yours- and I have 900's. 500's have a 60 gph flow rate, is that enough?

[ImpulseIII]

I would think that the smaller the filter element, the more frequently you would need to change the filter. What your Mechanic recommends seems to be counter productive. What am I missing?

[fwebster]

He is trying to reduce the frequency of having to change the Westerbeke engine mounted filters buy reducing the trap size of his Racor thus increasing the frequency of chaning the filter that is easiest to get to.

[ImpulseIII]

Oh..That makes sense, I read it wrong...Must be the "mad cow"!!

[brimanst]

I asked the same question and decided to continue the size that I pulled out of the there, 2 micron. I figured if I had to change the filters more, then so be it, but the engines had 1300 hours on them, so why change something that works. I have been on the boat for 3 months now, and have not had to change them once, even with 3 fill ups in the Bahamas. I figure I am lucky, but I would rather be lucky than good. I agree that it is easier to change out the Racors, since then no priming is necessary.

briman