Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

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Salty
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Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by Salty »

I had an interesting conversation at fish expo at the John Deere display about Fuel filters before the one on the engine. The reps strongly recommended at least 20 and preferably 30 microns. That the two and ten micron ones I have been using at different times were two small and would starve and wear the fuel pump.

Any other opinions out there?
lone eagle
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by lone eagle »

I am probably as surprised as you at that recommendation... I use larger size spin-ons ; 20 mics primary and 10 mic on the secondary. I have a 4-71 with fuel pressure guage in the wheelhouse, so is different tech.
lone eagle
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by lone eagle »

Reread your post Salty.... you were talking about 'before the filter on the engine' . I missed that. and should add that my secondary is also on the pressure side of the pump
JKD
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by JKD »

Salty and I both have 6068 engines in our boats. I was involved with the same John Deere engine conversation at the Expo that Salty refers to - the recommendation was for 30 micron elements in the Racor filter canister rather than something like 10 or 2 micron. Salty and I looked at each other in surprise. I have been using 10 micron elements in my Racor and hadn't ever heard any other size recommendation (either larger or smaller). The Deere rep called over both the owner and head mechanic of "Sause Towing" from the Portland area and they emphatically agreed that 30 micron filters was what they use on all of their 6068 JD gensets on all of their tugs. They said they had less wear evidence in their fuel pumps after 30,000-plus hours of operation.

I guess I still have some "old fart" reservations about this recommendation until I have some qualified assurance from Racor-Parker that a 30 micron element will stop water infilatration. Despite my best efforts to keep my fuel tanks full, clean, and free of condensation - over time I still get water collected in the bottom of my Racor 900 canister.
lone eagle
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by lone eagle »

Racor states that its' 30 micron filter is 99percent efficient at water removal.
Once and Future
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by Once and Future »

I have one question. How many microns is the filter element that is right on the engine on a 6068? So long as the Racor is not fewer microns, I don't see how it could starve the fuel pump, given the Racor's much greater surface area. In other words, the filter on the engine is the bottleneck in the system.

Some other points: 1) If the fuel pump were starving for fuel, I don't think your engine is going to be running properly.

2) I don't think the fellows giving this advice have thought out the scenario of having to change filters and bleed injectors on a smallish boat dead in the water and crosswise to the swells if an engine filter does plug. (The example the one guy gave was on gensets, after all.) And I don't think they are familiar with how often we change our Racors in order to avoid that scenario.

3) The previous owner on my boat had a vacuum gauge installed on one of the Racors. Presumably this would show if it was plugging. Mine has never registered a problem. Don't know if that means the gauge is not working properly or my filters are never plugging. But if anyone was concerned, they could install one of these.

4) If it takes 30,000 hours for the wear to show up, I think you're seeing pretty good service either way.

Having said all that, I am not an expert, and am open to being corrected.
JKD
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by JKD »

lone eagle - I found the same information from Racor on the efficiency of the 30 micron filter at removing water.

Once and Future - Thanks, those are all good points. I am not an expert, either. I am dealing with some lingering skepticism about the underlying recommendation. The engine's logbook reflects that the previous owner of my boat had a fuel pump failure on the 6068 engine at least once since replacing the original 6-71 with the JD in the mid-90s. I plan to have a conversation with him about what may have caused the pump failure and then make my mind up if I will be changing the micron-size of my Racor filter elements.
Once and Future
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by Once and Future »

OK, I promise to shut up a while after this because I have been posting too much. BUT, I am currently in a discussion with my engineer daughter as to whether a water molecule is .02 or .002 microns in diameter. At any rate, we are taking water out in the sediment bowl, not with the paper filter element.

I knew something was wrong because the water filter I have been playing with for my drinking water is .5 microns, and obviously passes water. However, the surface tension of water may have something to do with how small a hole it passes through, but still...

Anyway, it's not really water that is wearing out injection pumps, is it?
Kelper
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by Kelper »

Keep me updated guys on if you decide to change your filters. I bought a boat with a Lugger 6068, that has 19k hours on it. I've got 3 big racor filters between my engine and the tank. I'll have to check to see what microns the filters are. Changing the filters are on my list of about 100 things to do on the boat before fishing in march.
Trnaround
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by Trnaround »

I have a Cummins with a Raycor filter before the engine and a spin on 10 micron just before the injectors. I had been running 20 micron filters at the Raycor until one time I guess I didn't have my glasses on and bought 2 micron filters. After about 100 hours I had a near shut down with a plugged Raycor. I went back to the 20's and have run 30's when I could't get 20's and have had no problems. I do however change the 10 and the Raycor every time I change the oil now. I am surprised that they are saying the 2 microns are wearing the fuel pump but if you think about it there has to be a lot of strain on the pump if you are plugged enough to shut the engine down but before that it has to be straining the pump far before it does shut down. If you are monitoring the pressure in the filter with gauges and are replacing the filters frequently it doesn't seem like it would harm the pump though. Anyway I thought I would chirp in here, I have been running 20's and 30's with less problems than the 2's.
entropy1
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by entropy1 »

The Deere dealer here in Kodiak is having folks install a water block filter after the racors and before the fuel pump. Anything similar in southeast? I think this is mainly for electronic controlled engines.
lone eagle
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by lone eagle »

I was led to believe that filters should be on the suction side of the pump. Otherwise the pump action would disperse water droplets and lower the filter efficiency. Well that might have been a bunch of something ....So long as the secondary filter is in line somewhere then injectors and injector pumps should be happy
Salty
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Re: Fuel filters for John Deere 6068

Post by Salty »

Thanks to all of you, particularly Joe who was in on the discussion. I am thinking I will make sure I have at least a 10 micron filter in the Racor and continue to change that filter every oil change. I change the JD fuel filter on the engine every season.
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