Author Topic: Cat fuel filter on 1.9TD (Read 6159 times)

farkman · « **on:** June 25, 2004, 09:42:17 am »

Hey guys

I would like to install one of those Cat filters on my car. I was thinking about using a 3.5"x 3.5"x 3/4" thick piece of aluminum. Then drilling three holes in it for the fuel lines and tapping the holes for NPT fittings. To start the fuel supply port would have a 1/4" female-female fitting threaded into the aluminum base plate. The a tee fitting threaded onto the female fitting. And two hose barbs for both sides of the tee. Then for the other two ports just having 90 degree elbows threaded into the base plate, and hose barbs threaded into the elbows. Then securing the lines with clamps. As for the threads that hold the filter on. Drilling the base plate about 1/2" deep and screwing in a piece of threaded aluminum pipe with the same threads as the filter.

Do you guys think that this would work? And does anybody know what kind of threads are on the Cat filter.

Thanks

type53b_gtd · « **Reply #1 on:** June 25, 2004, 09:47:01 am »

I'm not sure what the benefit would be to installing a different filter, but it would seem to me that it would be much easier to acquire a filter mount from either a wrecker that deals in large trucks, or to get one from a hydraulic/farm equipment supply store.

The Biodiesel guys have got the supplemental filter thing down pat, so maybe one of them will chime in here...

farkman · « **Reply #2 on:** June 25, 2004, 10:39:04 am »

I want a different filter on my car because the stock one only filters in the 7-15 micron range, I think. The Cat filter is a 2 micron filter. Also my car has died a few times on the road because the plastic piece on the fuel inlet line that contacts the filter body sometimes wiggles a bit and starts drawing in air. So I have to stop and fill up the filter with some of the fuel additive stuff I have so I can get going. I would rather make this myself too, I think it would pretty cool. Plus the cost for the materials would only be about $20-25. I wouldn't mind running biodiesel though, but from what I have read, the 1994 Golf's didn't come with fuel lines that are safe for biodiesel.

type53b_gtd · « **Reply #3 on:** June 25, 2004, 10:42:08 am »

Yes, sorry - a momentary lapse of reason on my part - I was thinking SVO, but my fingers heard biodiesel.

Blades · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2004, 08:43:15 pm »

Not safe for biodiesel

Very Safe.

Use an older VW Diesel fuel filter (without the white plastic piece hole).

Remove the plastic piece and just connect those two hoses together.

Note: Just don't use a pen like gropar did :shock:

Spike_TDI · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2004, 10:43:56 pm »

I to am going to use the CAT filter on my car, the extra protection is worth the hassle.

QuickTD · « **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2004, 11:22:29 pm »

Although the CAT name and the yellow paint is pretty cool, the cat filter may not be the best thing to use as an only filter. The 2 micron cat filter is normally installed as a "finishing" filter. It is installed inline after a water trap/primary filter. Although it may well hold a lot of water, it is not equipped with a drain valve and is not really designed for use as a water separater.

The cummins filter designed for the N14 and other Celect electronic fuel system equipped engines is designed to be the only filter in the system. It has a 2 micron absolute rating, is equipped with a water drain and coalescing media for separating water. It is as cheap or cheaper ($10-15CDN) and more widely available than the cat filter. I've been using these for years. I've installed them on every diesel I've ever owned. So far over a million km of testing, no pump failures, no problems. There are generic filter heads available with 1/2"NPT ports at your local heavy truck supply for about $15CDN. You'll have to provide your own bracket and reducer fittings.

Edit - part # for this filter is Cummins 3308638 though I normally use the baldwin BF1212. If you want more media there is a longer, high capacity version available, BF1259. Complete dimensions are available at http://www.baldwinfilter.com

Spike_TDI · « **Reply #7 on:** June 26, 2004, 12:06:16 am »

Thanks for the info on the N14 filter. I was planing on running a DAHL before the CAT filter. But now I can run a single filter instead.

farkman · « **Reply #8 on:** June 28, 2004, 08:16:02 am »

Thanks for the responses guys

Blade: I read on TDIclub that the fuel lines on our cars are not safe for biodiesel and that over time the line will harden. How does your system work? Does fuel go from the fuel tank to the filter then to the aluminum tank and finally the injection pump. By the way, what is the aluminum tank for?

QuickTD: Thanks for your help. I'll look for one of those cummins filter and see hot it works out.

Blades · « **Reply #9 on:** June 28, 2004, 01:24:49 pm »

That's TDQuebec's car on tdiclub. He's running a setup extremely similar to Smog's 99.5 Jetta TDI.

I'll soon have the same setup in a 1.6D mk2

That big aluminium tank on the right is filled with vegtable oil filtered at 5 microns and has coolant lines in it, heating the system.

28L of filtered waste vegtable oil.

the lines go to the F-150 splitter valve (F-150 have 2 diesel tank)

and a set of line from the vegetal tank to the splitter valve.

Start and stop engine on diesel, run on veggie oil once it's hot.

Battery was relocated in the trunk (use gauge 0/1 cable or get cables from the scrapyard from a BMW E30 and up (battery located in the trunk)

Get the tining up to 1.00 instead of 0.8 (1.9TD stock timing value) for maximun efficiency.

I followed that car for about 400km yesterday. No smell. For 950km, used 57L of veggie oil.

Blades · « **Reply #10 on:** June 28, 2004, 01:27:11 pm »

Quote from: "farkman"

Blades: I read on TDIclub that the fuel lines on our cars are not safe for biodiesel and that over time the line will harden.

Lot of bull*** on TDIclub in my opinion. I only read and post in the Quebec section.

There's more info in that small portion alone than the rest of TDIclub.