My new Racor install

[dodge man]

Here are a couple of pics of my Racor fuel filter install on my BX2350. Others have posted much nicer installs. I'm not ashamed of my install but its just not as clean and nice as others.

I simply bolted the Racor to a piece of flat steel I had that came pre drilled with all the holes you see in the photo. I then bolted this to holes that were already in the frame of the tractor. The hole toward the loader arm already had a bolt through it that I removed and installed a longer bolt. I then removed the fuel line from the filter up near the engine and rerouted it to the new Racor. It was pretty much the correct length already. I just had to cut a few zip ties and install new ones. I then installed a new piece of fuel line from the Racor to the fuel filter near the engine and was good to go.

The bad part of my install is that the new filter is after the pump. In theory this can stir the water and fuel up and not allow the water to separate as well. The good is it took less fuel line for the lift pump to move fuel through. I feel the flow level of a Bx fuel system is slow enough to allow the water to separate out. The alternate method is to run fuel line from before the lift pump forward to the Racor then from the Racor back to the lift pump which then has to pump the fuel back forward to the main injection pump. This adds what appears to be 10 to 12 feet of additional fuel line. Its not the cost of this that bothered me but the added length that the pump had to handle. The truth is, either method of plumbing the filter is probably fine and much better than the factory system.

I looked long and hard at other places to mount the filter but there just aren't any that are lower than the fuel tank.

 

[Scooby074]

Dave, nice job.

You touched on the fuel emulsion concern, how much of that plays out in practice remains to be seen. One thing though, your filter looks awful close to the axle and wheel. Id be a bit concerned about ground debris and/or stuff thrown off the tire hitting it. You might want to consider moving it back a bit, use the loader bolts for mounting.

 

[dodge man]

I actually think its might not be any more exposed to debris, its fairly close to the axle which may protect it some. I'm pretty sure anywhere on the front frame rail is somewhat vunerable to debris hitting it. Its a pretty solid unit so I think it would take a pretty hard hit to damage it. I also found out it didn't come with the drain valve tightened. I installed the filter last Saturday and we had a pretty good amount of snow that night. The next day I was plowing and I noticed a huge fuel leak. I turned out just to be the drain had worked itself loose.

 

[dwk121]

Dave I haven't plumbed mine yet but I think looking at a couple of trucks at work today I would say on all of them the primary filter was before the transfer pump. If you watch Paul Shorts vid on YouTube of his install and watch what comes out of that filter, which would be going into the lift pump you might change your in the future. Nice job, maybe add a shield to protect plastic bowl and you good to go. Thanks for the pics.

 

[WaxMan]

dodge man I often make things more then once before I get it right, its just part of doing stuff.
Not that you asked, and you don't have to do it because I said it but.

Look at this picture, see the two top bolts of the fel mount to frame, see the space between the two bolts.
It looks like that space between the two bolts was meant to have your filter between them.

Use the same bracket that you have now, hog out the holes to the fel size bolts, use a couple of washers to space it away for the filter bolt heads and move it back there. Paint only the bracket orange and you'll have one nice looking install. :thumbsup:
I wouldn't worry about the shield, that looks like one rugged filter.

 

[dodge man]

Waxman I looked at that, I don't think there is quite enough room there. I will look at it though I can easily change my install.

 

[like2wheel]

The alternate method is to run fuel line from before the lift pump forward to the Racor then from the Racor back to the lift pump which then has to pump the fuel back forward to the main injection pump. This adds what appears to be 10 to 12 feet of additional fuel line.

Not trying to nit-pick, but just so others know; I bought 6' when I did mine, & had about a foot left over.

 

[dodge man]

I went ahead and added the fuel line to put my Racor before the lift pump. It took about 8 feet of line, maybe a little more. I'm not sure it will make that much difference but someone posted the cost of a new lift pump at something like $120. That seems crazy, it ought to cost about $25 but I thought I'd better protect it.

 

[Scooby074]

I went ahead and added the fuel line to put my Racor before the lift pump. It took about 8 feet of line, maybe a little more. I'm not sure it will make that much difference but someone posted the cost of a new lift pump at something like $120. That seems crazy, it ought to cost about $25 but I thought I'd better protect it.

Good decision! :thumbsup:

 

[dodge man]

I'm reviving my old thread. My original install was not good I had to change it. The problem didn't pop up until I mowed with it. The wheel turned all the way to the left was hitting the filter. On flat ground it wasn't a problem but it the front axle was tipped up at all it hit. It actually unscrewed the filter and dumped fuel all over the yard.

In an above post Waxman suggested moving it back to the FEL bolts. I loved the idea and did it. Guess what, the tire hit it there also. I ended up using the original bracket and added to more that extended up a few inches and bolted the Racor setup to that. If you look at Scooby074 pics its in a similar location but mine is mounted higher. It seems like looking at Scobby's photo I had mine in the same place the second time around and my tire hit it but maybe his is a little higher or tucked in tighter than I had mine.

 

[Coyote machine]

Any pics to show new location? My 225HP 4 stroke Yamaha marine outboard has a similar setup, and the filter is after the tank and prior to any pumps, FWIW. And the outboard engine manufacturers are adamant about not having any flow restrictions to the engine. Granted it's gas vs. diesel, but it's still all about keeping water and particulate matter out.:thumbsup:

 

[dodge man]

I need to get a couple of pics but its similar to Scoobys photos. I do have my filter plumbed before any of the pumps.

 

[Coyote machine]

Here are a couple of pics of my Racor fuel filter install on my BX2350.
<Snip>
The bad part of my install is that the new filter is after the pump. In theory this can stir the water and fuel up and not allow the water to separate as well. The good is...

I'm confused, did you move the new Racor in your later install to before the pumps, but after the fuel tank? If so, I missed where you might have said so?:confused2:

 

[Scooby074]

I need to get a couple of pics but its similar to Scoobys photos. I do have my filter plumbed before any of the pumps.

Too bad your original location didnt work. I see it now that yours was too close to the axle. I should have mentioned it. When I did mine, I was shooting to get it as close as possible to the operators station floorboards.

Now that its squared away, enjoy your filter:thumbsup:

 

[CHDinCT]

I'm reviving my old thread. My original install was not good I had to change it. The problem didn't pop up until I mowed with it. The wheel turned all the way to the left was hitting the filter. On flat ground it wasn't a problem but it the front axle was tipped up at all it hit. It actually unscrewed the filter and dumped fuel all over the yard.

In an above post Waxman suggested moving it back to the FEL bolts. I loved the idea and did it. Guess what, the tire hit it there also. I ended up using the original bracket and added to more that extended up a few inches and bolted the Racor setup to that. If you look at Scooby074 pics its in a similar location but mine is mounted higher. It seems like looking at Scobby's photo I had mine in the same place the second time around and my tire hit it but maybe his is a little higher or tucked in tighter than I had mine.

I think you just solved a mystery for me. I also did a Racor install similar to Scooby's. When I settled on the placement using the FEL bolts, I checked to ensure the tire wasn't hitting it. Looked good in my garage when the install was complete. Not a week later I see the filter pushed upward and the bolts bent up. Couldn't figure out what happened. Now I think I know. Must have hit the tire when the left tire was pivoted up in full left turn. Right now it's being held by two zip ties until I can re-make the bracket. Going to go higher and further back toward the FEL mounts this time. I'm lucky nothing but the bolts broke/bent. Thanks for posting your issue.

Here's a pic of the initial installation.

 

[dodge man]

Scooby, it didn't seem to mater where I mounted it in that area, the tire was going to hit it. I'm sure you tire comes close to where yours is. I would check mine and the tire wouldn't hit it but when I actually started mowing with it rubbing occurred.

As far where the pump is mounted before or after the fuel pump, it has more to do with how the fuel lines are routed than the physical location. I have fuel lines running forward and then back again to make it so its plumbed before the fuel pump. Its a lot of extra fuel line but it seems to work fine.

 

[dodge man]

CHDinCT, that looks similar to my second try. My tire was hitting the black drain valve on the bottom of the Racor. My bracket isn't as well made so it just bent quite a bit but I also feel lucky I didn't break the Racor mount. When mowing you end up turning hard a lot and the tractor is moving around a lot and it ends up being a lot different than when testing it out on flat ground.

 

[Scooby074]

Scooby, it didn't seem to mater where I mounted it in that area, the tire was going to hit it. I'm sure you tire comes close to where yours is. I would check mine and the tire wouldn't hit it but when I actually started mowing with it rubbing occurred.

As far where the pump is mounted before or after the fuel pump, it has more to do with how the fuel lines are routed than the physical location. I have fuel lines running forward and then back again to make it so its plumbed before the fuel pump. Its a lot of extra fuel line but it seems to work fine.

Dave, mines in there as tight as possible to the loader mounts/floorboards.

Ive tested it at full lock and with the wheel as elevated as possible (driven up a car ramp) with no contact. I havent come close to the filter yet, with lots of mowing and about 30h of use, but you got me a bit worried lol. Im going to really try to make it contact now!!

 

[Coyote machine]

Scooby, it didn't seem to mater where I mounted it in that area, the tire was going to hit it. I'm sure you tire comes close to where yours is. I would check mine and the tire wouldn't hit it but when I actually started mowing with it rubbing occurred.

As far where the pump is mounted before or after the fuel pump, it has more to do with how the fuel lines are routed than the physical location. I have fuel lines running forward and then back again to make it so its plumbed before the fuel pump. Its a lot of extra fuel line but it seems to work fine.

What I've been trying to understand is whether your fuel filter/Raycor unit is plumbed between the tank and where the fuel pumps are; not so much as where the filter is physically located on the tractor's chassis/frame. This is because of what you mentioned about the pump(s) possibly agitating the fuel before the Raycor could filter out the maximum amount of water and particles, if the fuel was being pushed vs. being pulled through the filter. It would seem you have added fuel line length to allow the pump(s) to pull the fuel toward the injection pump and away from the fuel tank, correct?

 

[dodge man]

I'll explain how it's plumbed and that should answer the question. From the factory a few inches from the fuel tank there is the small filter and then the factory lift pump which is about the size of a fuel filter. I removed the rear filter and ran fuel line up to the inlet of the Racor then the outlet of the Racor back to the inlet side of the lift pump. This plumbs the Racor before the small lift pump. The lift pump then leads to another small factory filter and then the main injection pump.