Middle of Nowhere: pre filtration of fuel

[inthejungle]

A few years ago some buddies of mine help me from LeTourneau setup a HJ60 and take it to Liberia.

We have had the truck over here in Liberia for 3 years or so. Recently we have moved away from the city with decent diesel to getting diesel shipped 15 hours up to us in 55 gallon drums. When we ship it up we ship enough to last a while and it can sit there for 6 months or so.

The truck is currently setup with a primary DAHL fuel water separator, and a stock secondary. We have had one or two times that the truck won't start because of a clogged filter. We change the filters every three months to try to avoid this.

My primary concern is trying to filter the fuel from the drums into the tank.


I am wondering if anyone can suggest where I might find


1- some sort of strainer for visible junk in the fuel that could be put in the stock fuel spout?

2- Is the Mr. Funnel or Racor fuel funnel the best for pre filtration? Any other ways of pre filtering this junk anyone can think of?


3- Anything else I might have missed and should try?


ITJ

 

[cruiser_guy]

I feel your pain. We were just across the border in Sierra Leone. Before my BJ60 arrived the mission had a Ford F350 (terrible choice of a vehicle for Africa but it's not my problem). We learned that the fuel, even in the city or dispensed from a "modern" pump, can be filthy. The tank has been out of the Ford 6 times in two years to clean it! I have used the largest size "Mr. Funnel" since the day my truck arrived and it has never been stopped due to dirty fuel. I have plugged the Mr. Funnel in 20 gallons due to dirt and debris in the fuel. I rinse it out and keep going. I keep a 1 gallon jerry can in the truck for the leftover dirty diesel when filling.

You will get dirty looks and complaints from the gas station attendants but then I simply offer to fill up myself and they usually don't mind.

When we drove up to Germany in the spring I used the Mr. Funnel until we were into Morocco and I was reasonably sure the fuel was clean. When we return in a few weeks we'll be doing the "Mr. Funnel" thing again.

The largest Mr Funnel will almost keep up with the standard gas pump flow once the foam on the diesel surface dissipates.

Get a Mr. Funnel and a 3' length of hose to fit the end of the funnel (the funnel will NOT fit the filler spount without being too tipped over to use. You may also want a 1 gallon scrap/dirty fuel container for the residue (great to start fires with).

Here's my thread on the subject https://forum.ih8mud.com/diesel-tech-24-volts-systems/527868-african-diesel.html

 

[inthejungle]

Thanks for your quick response, I guess a Mr. Funnel it is. That fuel that you are getting over there seems just like what I am getting here. Your description of truck's running but not well is so very true. All the diesels here are barely hanging on, I would really like to keep the truck running for many years to come.

When your fuel filters do get junked up, as mine have on occasion. I have had a really hard time bleeding the system myself. Any thoughts on how to bleed an HJ alone?

I have the dahl fuel water separator, then in the pump, into the primary.


I drain the dahl, install new filter and fill with fuel. I then change the primary, filling it with fuel. Man when this HJ gets air in it, it is not easy to get her going again.

What your thoughts?

 

[cruiser_guy]

Change the filters when the truck is warm. It's really a two person job. One of the people doesn't need to be too mechanical.
Change filters, open the bleeder nearest the filter first and pump till there are no air bubbles.
If you're lucky, and you haven't left it open too long it might fire up, even if it is a little rough. If not, crack the injector lines, one at a time till only fuel comes out. It'll eventually start
Once it's running go for a spin to work out the remaining air before allowing it to cool all the way.

 

[keving]

Does the HJ have a bleeder on the injection pump like the 3B inline pumps have? I find this benificial to bleeding. Once everything is bled up to there, I often don't have to crack the lines and if I do, its only for a very short time then if will fire up.

 

[cruiser_guy]

You will find that with the Mr. Funnel your regular fuel filters should last much longer. I replace mine on the normal service schedule. They have NEVER been clogged to the point of being even noticeable on performance. You will of course now have dirt in the tank which will continue to present problems until the dirt is eventually flushed out and into your regular fuel filter.

 

[hj 60]

The fuel filter only filters to 10 micron and 7 micron is the killer particle.

This is a 1 micron filter that is really fast 30 liters max:
http://www.monopoel.de/catalog/filtration-filterbeutelfiltervlies-c-45_130.html

This is for used sunflower oil but also oke for you guys:

If you can barely start just make sure the water separator is not blocked, and pump and release air a few times, start and the best is if someone pushes the pressure pump because then a bad idling will become better running with every push on the pump.
So if it idles badly push the pump until it is rock hard by the running engine, that rock hard state is not possible by hand priming.

I don't prime after filter change, just start it,

 

[John Galt]

"The fuel filter only filters to 10 micron"

That's not how filter ratings work.

The hanging filter will be stretched and will pass much larger particles than the rating.