Old type fuel filter

[Jack]

I vaguely remembered my dad telling me about the old Cat diesels using a "stacked washer" type fuel filter that could be cleaned and returned to service. I looked in my old diesel 50 book and there they were. I am planning to run heated Waste Veg Oil in a D2 5U engine. WVO as a reputation for softening and clogging the filters of organic material. I believe I can make a filter plate to adapt a metalic filter (book calls it a strainer) to the D2. Can these filters be found anywhere? Did they work? Should I really be pondering this at all?

I have stacked filters on pony motors and larger ones on Herculese JXDs. I liked them just fine on gasoline. I would like to hear your learned opinions. Thanx,

Jack

[ccjersey]

I saw the same type filter on a Belarus tractor hydraulic system, I believe. The only problem was when removing the stack, you released the trash into the housing. It would work better if you had a standard removable cannister that held the stack so the dirt came off with the filter and didn't get into the line like on the Belarus. Maybe it would work ok since the CAT does flow the clean fuel up out the top of the housing so any loose crap would not get in the injection pump and could be drained out the bottom of the housing.

[KidNV]

Jack, you will find them on most OLD D4s(RD4s). They are re-useable brass and usually dont go bad..

[Jack]

Thanks to both. I'll check on the Belarus because that would be a new off-the-shelf part, but I'd rather have the old Cat part. Old Cat at it's worst is probably better than the central Europe pieces at their best.

The gasoline filters I spoke of were made by Zenith. That ring any bells? Did Cat use Zenith filters in the diesel? Would a gasoline filter pass diesel OK? A JXD working hard uses a bunch more gallons than a D2 would. I have a couple filters off JXDs.

Jack

[7upuller]

Jack,

I just bought three stacked filters from Jim Zimmerman about two months ago. My RD-4 had me puzzled. Could not build fuel pressure. Sent out transfer pump to John Matta to rebuild it. After install, , no pressure. Top of tower had stacked filters that where clean. Pulled side cover off and found someone robbed three staked filters out of second chamber. What they did though was put bolts with fender washers back on sealing off flow. After Zimmerman sent me the filters, , Fuel was flowing.

[Jack]

Yeah, those machine bolts don't pass much oil, but I bet what got through was clean! Who is Jim Zimmerman? Are we talking about wrecking yard parts here? Does he use some other handle on this board, or is he a local supplier down there, or what?

[Al Letts]

Jack

Jim Zimmerman is a sort of collector of wayward CATs for the purposes of parts and limited rebuilds also re-sale. He has quite a collection. Business model using phone contact or snail mail only. No internet connection. Here is the Contact information. JIm Zimmerman, 3128 Mitchell Line Street; Orchard, Iowa 50460, Tele 641-982-4207, Hours M-F 8AM->5 PM. Hope this helps.

Alan

[Jack]

Thanks, Al. I'll jot that down on low-tech fibrous celulose medium with my low-tech wood and graphite composit recording tool. You know, the kind of stuff we used when we used a telephone for talking.

Hope to have my project running next time you get to Oregon, if you don't hurry too much!

Jack

[Chris B. Weilep]

Hi

I tried a filter similar to what you are discussing and it plugged up way too fast. So here is what I did come up with.

I have been burning waste vegetable oil from the local resturant in my machines for a couple of years. I use an inner air filter off a D-8H, (That's just what I happened to have when I got the idea, and it is only open on one end, and has a lip and holes convienient to mounting on the barrel half). I cut a plastic barrel in half, drilled holes in the bottom to mount the filter and cut out a hole for the oil to go through so I can pour several gallons of oil at a time into it and go do something else while it is filtering.I then set it into a tank that I cut a circle in the top so the filter will fit down through. The oil goes through the filter in reverse of the air flow, but that does not matter. As long as it passes the micron fibers of the filters it will go through an injector. And an inner air filter from a big machine like a D-8 is always clean if the outer filter has been replaced like it should be.

I learned to keep the top covered when it was not in use to keep the air from drying the veg oil to a sticky state on the inside of the filter to make it last longer. I also pressure washed and then boiled the filters out once to get the grease out when they clogged up after many gallons were filtered. It worked once, but by the second time the filter fell apart and I had to get another one. Cost of the filters is about $50 each. and one will do several hundred gallons if you keep the system covered when not in use. Also you need to keep the cooking oil in the sun, or a warm shop), for a few days to allow the heavier particles to settle out . If you just use the clearer oil, the filters will last a lot longer. I burn the heavier creamy oil in my wood burner in the shop. Start a small wood fire and that will ignite the oil. Nothing goes to waste.

This learning process took a couple of years of hit and miss. As of now I have a good system that works well if you have the time to dump 20 gallons in and walk away from it and do it again tomorrow, or when ever you can. It's a slow process, but it works beautifully. The cooking oil part works out to almost free fuel for your machines.

I tried different blends and have settled on 60% diesel and 40% Veg oil, (You can use a higher oil blend in the hot part of summer, but this works year around). The diesel exhaust smell goes away and it smells like you are at the fish fry on Saturday night, but the power is as good or better than the straight diesel. I also use an old D-8 Fuel tank and a TD-30 Tank I mounted on legs for storeage and have a transfer pump I scrounged to pump it into a tank after it is filtered.

I can provide take som pics to show the process if anyone is interested.

I hope this helps anyone who is thinking about using Waste Veg oil for a partial fuel.

Chris B. Weilep

[Al Letts]

Jack,

I have a few spare NOS jobs somewhere in the barn. I'll try to get a number off them. I also have a parts manual for the D@ and perhaps I can locate it there as well.

We might be out your way middle of next year (07). If so we'll call and plan a stop in. We will definately be taking in the river gorge scenery again.

Al