Oil & Fuel How is your fuel polishing unit working for you this winter?

[5030]

My Racor is working just fine. I'm getting a tiny bit of debris in the bottom bowl, nothing in the engine mounted fuel filter and zero restriction in the engine mounted spin on filter as well. Great investment far as I'm concerned, All the late model common rail ECM equipped Kubota's now come with fuel polishing filters, not Racor however.

I've yet to change the filter cartridge but will most likely this spring.

 

[Cycledude]

I never even heard of a “fuel polishing unit”

 

[5030]

I never even heard of a “fuel polishing unit”

Put it in a search engine and get informed. In reality every marine diesel will have fuel polishing units in line with their fuel tanks and most of them are Racor's. There are a number of posters on here that have them, me included.

They are the 'first line of defense' for contaminated fuel, ie: Water in the fuel and even algae growth and they remove almost 100% of any contamination (depending on the micron pass) of the elements.

Most primary and secondary fuel filters on tractors (both modern and not modern) are 50 micron pass filters where as a fuel polishing unit can filter down to 5 microns and remove any and all contaminants from the fuel which is vitally important with modern T4 diesels with common rail ECM controlled fuel systems.

The other convenient thing about them is you can visually see (in the clear bottom bowl) just what the unit is stripping out of the fuel and drain it off very conveniently.

 

[5030]

The Racor I have also has the optional bowl heater installed though I don't have it hooked up.

 

[Wagtail]

I, too, have not heard of this "fuel polishing unit". But, then again, I employ an Australian fuel additive called "Fuel Doctor" which accomplishes the same.

Years ago the "fuel Doctor" company attempted to market their product overseas but the 'name', website and associated copyright details were immediately stolen by unscrupulous characters in North America. More's the pity for you.

N.A. customers can order "Fuel Doctor" to be shipped but the cost is prohibitive. Too bad, it's a really good product.

 

[RjCorazza]

"Fuel polishing" is more of a procedure than a thing. Most fuel polishers are a series of 2-3 inline filters starting at typically 30 microns with water separation, 10 micron particulate, followed by a 5 or 2 micron particulate filter. The micron values are varied based on fuel quality, so some systems may start at 50 microns and then down to the desired final filter.
I have 2 micron water separating Racors on my zero turns and tractor. They are very effective, easy to assess fuel quality, and easy to service.