davco filter--how quickly should it be getting dirty?

[jeffw]

Hi:

 

I've got a Davco filter in our 2007 (780 D12). The filter was changed less than 5000 miles ago, and the fuel level in the housing is already more than half. Is this typical or did I get some bad fuel?

 

 

 

[SuiteSuccess]

Mine will last usually a year and probably more but I change it at yearly oil changes. We don't full time but 5000 miles is a very short time. Think you have some bad fuel. Take a flashlight (tie around your wrist so it won't drop) and look into both fuel tanks. You should see through to the bottom with maybe a little black streak of "grunge" on the very bottom. If you can't see through then fuel is suspect. BTW the black streak is some breakdown from hoses and the little streak is pretty normal. If you have a lot of grunge then tanks may need cleaning (polishing is the term you will see used). The Davco also has a ball and spring on the tank feed side connection but don't know if that could cause what you are seeing. Usually problems with it means fuel drains back from the Davco and you get no starts.

[Imurphy907]

From Davco's instructions.

 

"Change the filter only when the fuel reaches the black band on the filter wrap. As the fuel rises inside the filter cover, the vapor pressure relief valve on the cap equalizes pressure and allows more of the filter media to be used.

The color of the fuel and the filter media is not an indication of when to change the filter as there is still unused media under the filter wrap."

[SuiteSuccess]

From Davco's instructions.

 

"Change the filter only when the fuel reaches the black band on the filter wrap. As the fuel rises inside the filter cover, the vapor pressure relief valve on the cap equalizes pressure and allows more of the filter media to be used.

The color of the fuel and the filter media is not an indication of when to change the filter as there is still unused media under the filter wrap."

You are correct but as the filter media is "used " by trapping contaminants you will see the fuel level in the bowl rise. After changing my filters the fuel usually is level with the bottom of the black ring at the bottom of his photo. From Jeff's photo his fuel level is 3/4 the way up his cover. So if his level started at the black twist ring and is now that high, makes me think his filter has collected a lot of contaminants in 5000 miles. He still has some filtering left but will need changed soon. See page 2 at this link.

 

http://www.davco.com/forms/tech/F1271.pdf

[Jaydrvr]

Just as a point of reference, I generally get about 20,000 miles out of a filter..

Jay

[MrSeas]

That Donaldson part # equates to a 7 micron filter. That's a pretty "fine" (small micron) mesh type filter.

Are all of you guys with the different Volvo motors running such a small micron type filter?

Some folks may be seeing different results because they might be using "courser" ( larger micron) filter types.

Just a thought.....apples to apples!

 

On edit.... It seems as if your final fuel filter is a 7 micron type. Usual thinking is to start with a larger micron filter and work your way to a smaller micron and change the filters at required intervals.

For example your Davco may have a 50-25 micron filter to capture the larger contaminants including any water that may be present. Next filter may be in the 25-10 micron range with the final filter in the smaller 10-5 micro range.

Volvos usually have multiple filters to accomplish this " step down" filtration.

My Cummins ISX on the other hand requires a 50-25 micron Davco filter sending the fuel to a 10 micron spin on engine filter. Various combinations of different sized micron filters could show different results. Out West there are lots of fuel stations using "biofuels" to supplement their diesel fuels. Running a "smaller" micron filter has caused me to “shorten”  my change interval on my Davco filter. 

[SuiteSuccess]

I use Fleetguard FF 5369 which is 25 micron in the Davco 382. That may explain things MrSeas. Good pickup but he has D12 like mine so maybe wrong initial filter in Davco? Will see if I can find Donaldson recommendations for D12.

[Refuzn-To-Grow-Up]

MrSeas wrote: "That Donaldson part # equates to a 7 micron filter. That's a pretty "fine" (small micron) mesh type filter.

Are all of you guys with the different Volvo motors running such a small micron type filter?"

 

Refuzin-To-Grow-Up responded with: I have a 2008, 780, D16, Volvo engine and I just had my filter changed by the Volvo dealer. They installed a Donaldson P550463 . . . and I have no idea what micron filtration that equates to!

 

Mr. Seas??

 

BTW - For those of you who attended the WC-HDT Rally, I did not have an opportunity to clean up the "Big Boy" before the rally (shameful, I know). I clayed the paint, power buffed it and waxed it. It is now too pretty to take out to the desert and get it dusty.

 

I am astounded at the durability of the Volvo paint!

[rickeieio]

Microns.........they seem so small. I have some farm equipment that uses a 2 micron filter. Filter set includes a pre-filter and then a primary, for about $120. I go through 2 sets in 200 hours of operation.

 

Our older equipment gets the filters changed every few years, when the mood strikes.

 

Both of my trucks have Davcos, and in 9 years, I've only needed to change each one once, with in the past year. That's about 20,000 miles on each truck.

[SuiteSuccess]

From what I can find the Donaldson P550467 is their "best" filter for the Davco 382 in the Volvo D12. They have a "good" (25 microns), "better" (10 microns), "best" (7 microns). At 7 microns as the first in line from the fuel tank may explain why the filter media is getting used up quickly. My Fleetguard would only be a good, lol. Question would be since the D12 has spin ons also is this overkill first in line.

[MrSeas]

P550463 = 12 micron filter

[jeffw]

I dropped my mechanic a note, and he said:

 

"That filter is a 7 micron. That is what Volvo calls for. We often, and on our trucks that have a Davco fuel
filter, use a 15 micron filter P/N P550757. You may have some crap in your tanks also. Either way, the 15 micron
filter will last longer."

 

Is this the only fuel filter? MrSeas mentioned a spin-on filter on his ISX, but as near as I can tell on the D12 it's the only fuel filter.

[MrSeas]

Look at the passenger side of your engine towards the rear and you should see your "spin on" fuel filters.

Might have 1, 2, or 3 installed there.

[SuiteSuccess]

Jeff,

 

There is a spin on "primary" filter on the D12. The Davco is technically a "secondary". You can google the Volvo Engine maintenance manual for the VNL and it has pictures of locations. If I recall the primary spin on is lower right passengers side.

[SuiteSuccess]

Here is the manual. Look at page 25 & 28.

http://www.dmbruss.com/images/Schematics/OM_PV776_20154722_lores.pdf

[jeffw]

I found the spin-on filter, it's also 5 micron.

 

I took a quick look in the tanks, and while the driver's side tank looks clean, the passenger side one looked a little hazy. I'll look with a better flashlight today.

 

Should I be running a coarser filter (12-15 micron) as the pre-filter? Having to change this every 5,000 miles will get old quick.

[SuiteSuccess]

Jeff,

 

My Davco filter is 25 micron down to a 7 micron for the spin on. Won't hurt to try a larger one in the Davco. If you dig into Donaldson's site in their filter catalog they actually list a good, better, best filter with parts numbers for the Volvo. You are running "the best", maybe try "the better".

https://www.donaldson.com/content/dam/donaldson/engine-hydraulics-bulk/literature/north-america/engine-liquid/Fuel/F111295-ENG/Fuel-Filters-for-DAVCO-Fuel-Processors.pdf

Look on the upper right.

[Refuzn-To-Grow-Up]

As a self-admitted tool-aholic who loves numbers, I did a little research (hopefully correct).

 

7 microns is equal to .0003 inches.

 

The thickness of a piece of an ordinary piece of paper is equal to .0040 inches.

 

Therefore, 7 microns is 13 times (.0040 divided by .0003) smaller than the thickness of a piece of paper.

 

So, if I understand a 7 micron filter, it will only permit particles that are 13 times smaller than a piece of paper to pass through it.

 

I have a headache and am going to lie down.

 

I had another thought (always a bad thing). How large does a particle have to be to clog up an injector, which I am guessing is why the fuel is being filtered?

[jeffw]

Thanks!

[jeffw]

I finally had time to mess with the truck this weekend. I pulled out the 5 micron filter and replaced it with a 15 micron filter.

 

I was really worried about not being able to start the truck after opening the fuel system, but it started right back up.

 

There were lots of black flecks in the diesel I drained out. Have I got stuff growing in there?

 

[Star Dreamer]

I can't help you on the question about the black particles but it is a good chance you have some algae in fuel. Maybe run some additive and see if that helps.

 

I do question the use of the 15 micron filter in the Davco and here is my reasoning. You said your primary spin on filter was a 5 micron. Your Davco filter was a 7 micron according to others in earlier posts. You have now changed it to a 15 micron which should make the Davco filter last longer BUT now your spin on filter will not last as long.as it now capturing particles from 15 microns to 5 microns vs 7 microns to 5 microns. How do you know when the spin filter is getting close to needing to be changed? I am guessing you do not have any way until it starts restricting the fuel flow. At least with the Davco you have an early warning as you can see how close it is getting and even it it is at the change line, the manual says to change it at the next service which means you have some reserve..

 

I keep a spare Davco filter in my truck along with the wrench, bucket and a gallon of diesel to change out the Davco if I have to on the road. Our truck does not have a spin on filter but I imagine it must be a pain to have to crawl under the truck and change it from underneath if you need to, assuming you can figure out why the truck is not running right and the spin on filter needs changing.

 

I do agree that maybe the 7 micron Davco filter was a little too close to the primary at 5 microns, so I probably would have tried the 10 micron Davco filter first before the 15 micron. But since it not hard to change the filter and they are not very costly, I would probably just keep the best one in it just in case I go some bad fuel.

 

We had a Chevy dually that the fuel kept eating injectors in so we started filtering our fuel thru a 2 micron filter and I think we clogged that up after about 150 gallons The Filters were cheap compared to injectors. Injectors for that truck were about $4-5K

 

Dave

[jeffw]

Some good points to consider. Thanks.

 

1 thing I was pondering...the spin-on filter is at least 2x the size of the davco (maybe a bit more) so it should have more filter area available before it plugs.

 

I'll likely only do about 10-15k miles a year, but will be in for service annually.

 

I'll keep an eye on the davco and see how the 15 micron looks. I'm going to try to drain it periodically now that I know how to do it and see if I'm continuing to get black stuff in it.

 

-j

[SuiteSuccess]

Jeff,

 

My first filter change of the Davco had a drain bowl full of slime. I use this routinely now and no problems since. Shock, then maintenance. Can be bought at NAPA and sometimes Walmart. Powerservices also makes a product to break it up and allow it to be combusted but I've not tried it. Was afraid of clogging injectors. I put no other additives, but sitting in hot, humid weather without diesel turnover in the tanks can promote biologic growth. OBTW when you change the Davco filter use a rag on a stick to clean out the drain bowl.

http://powerservice.com/psp_product/bio-kleen-diesel-fuel-biocide/

 

http://powerservice.com/psp_product/clear-diesel-fuel-tank-cleaner/

[Broncohauler]

When you touch the black specks how dose it feel?

Slimy which would be the beginning of algae or hard like hose particles which is normal and your fuel lines breaking down?

When your truck gets to 1,000,000 mile mark it's a good idea to think about new fuel lines I know I need to change mine

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

When you touch the black specks how dose it feel?

Slimy which would be the beginning of algae or hard like hose particles which is normal and your fuel lines breaking down?

When your truck gets to 1,000,000 mile mark it's a good idea to think about new fuel lines I know I need to change mine

What about an age limit? Our truck has what I assume are factory fuel lines from 1998, so the hoses are probably 1997 vintage or older. This truck doesn't have a Davco unit that you can see into, and beyond cutting a filter apart there is no way to monitor what's happening. Until the engine stumbles....

From my crawling around under the truck and checking stuff I've noticed that the lines are pliable still.