I guess we all believe that a 5 micron filter has all the 'holes' pretty exactly 5 micron in size. Well that may not be so, indeed unlikely even. The average size will be about that but some bigger and some smaller. The quality of the manufacturing process will have a great bearing on it. The filter medium is made so the 'weave' will produce the average size. I have no idea how !
With hydraulic filters and most truck air filters there is a pressure drop measuring device that indicates the gradual resistance increase as the filter gets clogged, to give the operator some indication of the condition.
So how that affects your theory I am not sure. But I suspect the big holes stay open longer and the small ones block first But my experience is that filters work OK until you get some bad fuel then block. But usually a combination of water and the crap that comes with it. So I carry a spare filter with me. If I have it I will not need it seems to work OK.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Wednesday 17th of July 2019 12:08:26 PM
Hi Jaahn,
Thanks for the reply. I too always carry a spare fuel filter together with the instructions on how to reset the warning light.
One half of me says it makes sense to let the fuel filter go until the warning light comes on which is either water or drop
in pressure because it is blocked.
the other half says dirty filter, morally wrong should replace more often. I know of Landcruiser owners who replace their
fuel filter at every oil change.
Cheers,
Larry
Dr Sable said
07:32 PM Jul 17, 2019
Good advice tx guys. One additional question, would you trust using stabilizer on old/stored fuel. Like, would it revive 1 or 2 year old stored fuel ?
Knight said
09:36 AM Jul 18, 2019
Answer: maybe.
I once made the mistake accidentally of refuelling a boat fuel tank of 160 litres capacity with 90 litres of ethanol petrol instead of my usual PULP95 after a fishing trip, and did not start the engine again (Honda 130 4-stroke) for 18 months, after having it serviced. I did put the contents of a bottle of fuel stabiliser into the tank.
The motor at idle ran apparently normally but on the water outside the 4 knot zone with open throttle the motor coughed and spluttered and soon stopped. It restarted but refused to increase revs much above idle speed. After returning to the boat ramp and winching the boat onto the trailer I took it back to the service centre. The ethanol had hardened or cracked fuel lines, or the hardened fuel lines cracked under pressure, and the fuel pump had to be replaced.
I siphoned the fuel from the boat fuel tank and used it in a Mitsubishi Magna engine that accepted ethanol with no problem.
Jaahn said
10:50 AM Jul 18, 2019
Dr Sable wrote:
Good advice tx guys. One additional question, would you trust using stabilizer on old/stored fuel. Like, would it revive 1 or 2 year old stored fuel ?
Hi Dr
Probably be OK anyway if the fuel was stored in a sealed drum or tank. After all the fuel was in the ground for thousands or millions of years But put a stablizer in and shake it a bit and add it to your tank 25% say !
The problem with ethanol fuel is another problem of incompatability with the 'rubber' and synthetic parts in the older fuel systems. Common problem back then. Your diesel will not have that problem, but you could just look at it in an open white bucket and see if it looks clear and clean like normal diesel before using it.
Hi Jaahn,
Thanks for the reply. I too always carry a spare fuel filter together with the instructions on how to reset the warning light.
One half of me says it makes sense to let the fuel filter go until the warning light comes on which is either water or drop
in pressure because it is blocked.
the other half says dirty filter, morally wrong should replace more often. I know of Landcruiser owners who replace their
fuel filter at every oil change.
Cheers,
Larry
Answer: maybe.
I once made the mistake accidentally of refuelling a boat fuel tank of 160 litres capacity with 90 litres of ethanol petrol instead of my usual PULP95 after a fishing trip, and did not start the engine again (Honda 130 4-stroke) for 18 months, after having it serviced. I did put the contents of a bottle of fuel stabiliser into the tank.
The motor at idle ran apparently normally but on the water outside the 4 knot zone with open throttle the motor coughed and spluttered and soon stopped. It restarted but refused to increase revs much above idle speed. After returning to the boat ramp and winching the boat onto the trailer I took it back to the service centre. The ethanol had hardened or cracked fuel lines, or the hardened fuel lines cracked under pressure, and the fuel pump had to be replaced.
I siphoned the fuel from the boat fuel tank and used it in a Mitsubishi Magna engine that accepted ethanol with no problem.
Hi Dr
Probably be OK anyway if the fuel was stored in a sealed drum or tank. After all the fuel was in the ground for thousands or millions of years
But put a stablizer in and shake it a bit and add it to your tank 25% say !
The problem with ethanol fuel is another problem of incompatability with the 'rubber' and synthetic parts in the older fuel systems. Common problem back then. Your diesel will not have that problem, but you could just look at it in an open white bucket and see if it looks clear and clean like normal diesel before using it.
Jaahn