What are you all using to prime your fuel system on the C7?

I have no pump, Anyome add a primer pump?



Thanks

Tboh,

I don't have a priming pump on my Cat either. I just fill the new filter with clean fuel and carefully install it. A little tedious, but that's what my shops did with the O-T-R trucks.

I don't have one either. I saw this question posted on the other forum and someone said it's not needed with electric fuel pumps. Is this true?

I'm still piecing the details together. Looks like there is an electric 'lift pump', fuel pump to feed the engine fuel when primed.

Seems there is only the 105-2508 primer pump that goes on the 2 micron fuel filter housing to draw fuel into new filters or remove air if the rig was to suck air instead of fuel..

I'm going to get the pump and a gasket, and pop that sucker on there.

Chassis builders buy the engines and can spec them with or without a primimg pump.

We elected to remote mount a Parker Racor 30 micron fuel filter with water seperator bowl. The filter comes with a priming pump. A lot of manufacturers of Motorhomes use them instead of the CAT engine primer. You can also remote mount the CAT filter to a more convinient location also. This is mounted before the primary CAT 5 micron and extends filter life.

How does the Racor help when changing the secondary filter? I called Racor and was told the Racor would only prime the primary filter, not the secondary.

quote:

Originally posted by Richard and Babs and a Bob Tail Cat:
Chassis builders buy the engines and can spec them with or without a primimg pump.

We elected to remote mount a Parker Racor 30 micron fuel filter with water seperator bowl. The filter comes with a priming pump. A lot of manufacturers of Motorhomes use them instead of the CAT engine primer. You can also remote mount the CAT filter to a more convinient location also. This is mounted before the primary CAT 5 micron and extends filter life.

Check with the Racor to be sure. It primes the same as the CAT pump so I would say yes. It will push fuel through the system and back through the return line to the fuel tank.

It has a relief valve on the housing to allow air to escape on its filter and we left the CAT filter a bit loose until the pump purged the air out and then tightened the filter to seal it. Engine always started without even a stumble.

Just curious, roughly how many activations of the primer pump are required to fill both the primary and secondary filter. I may have to mount mine in an awkward place.

Just finished my 4th filter change (M3 Maint) and have not found it necessary to have an additional fuel pump. I prime the filters by carefully pouring diesel fuel (fresh) into the outer holes of the new filter until full, then install on the engine. Start engine and allow to run for a few minutes to purge any air in the system and to check for leaks.

This procedure insures that the new fuel is "filtered" and there is minimal air introduced into the fuel system.

quote:

Originally posted by Chief:
Just finished my 4th filter change (M3 Maint) and have not found it necessary to have an additional fuel pump. I prime the filters by carefully pouring diesel fuel (fresh) into the outer holes of the new filter until full, then install on the engine. Start engine and allow to run for a few minutes to purge any air in the system and to check for leaks.

This procedure insures that the new fuel is "filtered" and there is minimal air introduced into the fuel system.

Same here. Never had a problem...I have a plug I use for the center hole in the new filter which makes it easy to pour the clean fuel into the outer holes. However, if you ever got caught on the roadside with a plugged filter and wanted to put a new one on, how would you prefill the new filter? I don't carry a small can of fuel with me and I'm surely not planning to siphon some from the tank.

I have done it that way also for the last three years, but unfortunately, my 2003 Freightliner XC chassis was one of the one's built during the 3 year period when they only put on a single 2 micron filter. It typically always plugs up every 3000 to 6000 miles. It typically happens on the road at the most inopportune times - I have changed it in rest areas, flying J's etc - always a messy job. I bought the parts to add a second filter with a primer pump so hopefully I can use a 20 micron primary and a 2 micron secondary and get to 10,000 to 12,000 miles between changes (will change filters at oil change time). That's why I was wondering how many activations of the primer pump it takes to fill both - anyone know?

I've read another source who stated about 70 strokes of the primer pump. That should go much faster than filling the filter with fuel.

Best Regards!

quote:

However, if you ever got caught on the roadside with a plugged filter and wanted to put a new one on, how would you prefill the new filter?

smlranger, I do carry a small (quart) metal can filled with fuel just for that reason. I refill it with fresh fuel when I service the MH.

Racor took about 20 and the primary about 10. The priming pump is nice as you do not carry seperate containers of fuel to prefill the filters. Racor Filter

Our current one is a Parker air purge system that has a screen and site glass before the filter with electronic water sensor.

Just wanted to let everyone know that filling the fuel filter up before installing is a big no no. Caterpillar does not recommend this at all. If you fill the filter you have bypassed the filter. I know you only putting a quart of fuel in the filter. But that is enough to damage your injectors. The fuel filter is a 2 micron. Anything you get from a fueling station is not filtered any better than about 10-15 micron at the very best. Much of it is much worse. So that "clean" you pour into the filter fuel is heavily contaminated. Engine oil is the same it is not recommended to fill the filter before installing.