CAT Fuel Filter Tests Results

[Georgeseq]

DBW's "before and after" CAT fuel filter tests are complete. The CAT filter provides 90%+ filtration efficiencies in the +5 micron range, double that of the OEM fuel filter. The results are impressive indeed. DBW and crew will be posting the results asap. One superb fuel filter.. George Morrison, STLE CLS

[ October 04, 2002, 19:05: Message edited by: Georgeseq ]

[TEXAS_TDI]

So would that translate to 40k mile fuel filter changes? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Georgeseq]

Chris, what the CAT fuel filter cleanliness translates into is greatly increased fuel injector/fuel system life and optimum performance. Given the amount of dirt some of these fuels contain, fuel filter life may or may not be able to be extended.. Geoff has recently posted what a fuel injector nozzle can look like after 100,000 miles; it just did not end up that way overnight but was deteriorating gradually. I have seen some injectors running a 20/18/16 fuel fail in less than 30,000 miles. Correspondingly, I have been through more than a few teardowns caused by an injector spraying liquid causing cylinder washdown and requiring rebuild.
George Morrison, STLE CLS

[solstar]

Great filter results but will it fit a 1.9 TDI? do they make one that will fit? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[BKmetz]

TDIBeliever got me straight on what I was doing wrong when I was trying to post the results earlier. So I left the cut & paste of the test results and posted the pics. The testing was done on my Passat.

Here is a fuel analysis of the pump diesel. This is generic Amoco #2 from my local Amoco station. Sample bottle was triple rinsed first before the sample was collected.

Judgment of condition: Normal

Fuel Test
Customer: AV Lubricants
Date: 10/4/02

Unit ID: Amoco #2 Before Cat Filter
Sample Date:
Fuel Type: Diesel Fuel
Lab No: 64969
Testing: Advanced Fuel test
Cetane Index (D-976) 44.48 Acceptable (Min. 40)
Water (D-1796) 68ppm Acceptable (Max 500ppm)
ISO Cleanliness Code: 19/17/13 Acceptable (Max. 20/19/15)
API Gravity (D-287) 33.6 (Typically in the 30's)
Distillation (D-86)
IBP 366F Acceptable (Min. 300 F)
5% 407F
50% 508F
90% 600F Acceptable (540-640 F)
Endpoint: 643F
Return 98.3%
Micro-Organism: Not Requested

Remarks: Tests performed indicate fuel meets spec for No 2 diesel. No corrective action indicated at this time. Resample at normal interval.

Particles Per Gallon of Fuel
>2um 17,448,850
>5um 3,569,255
>15um 174,110

>2 limit 10000
>5 limit 5000
>15 limit 320

>2 actual 4610
>5 actual 943
>15 actual 46

>10 154
>20 16
>25 7
>50 0
>100 0





Here are the numbers with the fuel sample taken after the Cat fuel filter was installed. The engine was allowed to run for about 30 minutes before the sample was taken.

Judgment of condition: Normal
Fuel Test
Customer: AV Lubricants
Date: 10/4/02
Unit ID: Amoco #2 After Cat Filter
Sample Date:
Fuel Type: Diesel Fuel
Lab No: 64970
Testing: Particle Count and Water in ppm only Cetane Index (D-976): Not Requested (Min. 40)
Water (D-1796): 60ppm Acceptable (Max 500ppm)
ISO Cleanliness Code: 15/13/11 Acceptable (Max. 20/19/15)
API Gravity (D-287) Not Requested (Typically in the 30's)
Distillation (D-86)
IBP Not Requested (Min. 300 F)
5% F
50% F
90% F Not Requested (540-640 F)
Endpoint F
Return
Micro-Organism Not Requested

Remarks->> Tests performed indicate fuel is fit for use but ASTM fuel testing was not performed. No corrective action indicated at this time.
Resample at normal interval.

Particles Per Gallon of Fuel
>2um 1,040,875
>5um 295,230
>15um 52,990

>2 limit 10000
>5 limit 5000
>15 limit 320

>2 actual 275
>5 actual 78
>15 actual 14

>10 29
>20 9
>25 5
>50 0
>100 0





I refilled my car from the same Amoco station last Wednesday morning. AFAIK the station did not have any diesel fuel deliveries when I filled up before the Cat filter was installed. I left the car running while I filled up to get the fresh dirty fuel mixed with the few gallons of Cat filtered fuel as well as I could. I put 17.5 gallons of diesel in my car that morning. I always do the vent trick when I fill up. A fuel sample from the Baldwin filter was taken and mailed off Wednesday afternoon. I should have the results sometime Monday and will post those results here Monday evening.

OK, here is the fuel analysis with the Baldwin filter. I did a cut and paste and posted a picture of the results.

Judgment of condition: Normal

Fuel Test
Customer: AV Lubricants
Attn: George Morrison
Date: 10/8/02
Unit ID: Diesel Fuel (After Baldwin Filter)
Sample Date:
Fuel Type: Diesel Fuel
Lab No: 65196
Testing: Testing for Particle Count and Water by Karl Fischer only
Cetane Index: (D-976) Not Requested (Min. 40)
Water: (D-1796) 59ppm Acceptable (Max 500ppm)
ISO Cleanliness Code: 15/13/11 Acceptable (Max . 20/19/15)
API Gravity: (D-287) Not Requested (Typically in the 30's)
Distillation: (D-86)
IBP: F Not Requested (Min. 300 F)
5% F
50% F
90% F Not Requested (540-640 F)
Endpoint: F
Return:
Micro-Organism: Not Requested
Remarks->>> Tests performed indicate fuel is fit for use. ASTM testing was NOT performed,however.

Particles Per Gallon of Fuel
>2um 862,980
>5um 249,810
>15um 56,775

>2 limit 10000
>5 limit 5000
>15 limit 320

>2 actual 228
>5 actual 66
>15 actual 15

>10 29
>20 7
>25 3
>50 0
>100 0





Brian, 97 Passat TDI

Post edited to fix picture links.

[LanduytG]

Hope to have the Racor results later this week. With all the dirty fuel showing up here I am even more interested in the results. With the crap I pulled out of the fuel bowl on the Racor last week I am sure my fuel supplier is dirty.

Greg

[BUGBOY]

I 2nd Solstar's question,

Great filter results but will it fit a 1.9 TDI? do they make one that will fit?

Will They???

[spoilsport]

Be patient.

[dieseldorf]

Originally posted by Georgeseq:
Chris, what the CAT fuel filter cleanliness translates into is greatly increased fuel injector/fuel system life and optimum performance.
George Morrison, STLE CLS

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">George, these developments are very exciting and I hope there is much more to come. Your comment above concerning "optimum performance " intrigues me. With hyper-clean fuel, can we or should we anticipate a change in the performance from our TDIs even with the low cetane/hi aromatics fuel we consume?

thanks and anxiously awaiting your response.

[dqa]

solstar and BUGBOY, this has been an ongoing project over several threads. Short answer is this CAT filter and Baldwin substitute are the smallest available. Apparently fit well in the Passat, but are tight in the A4's.

In all cases, a special plate is needed to replace the OEM fitting where the hoses attach. Drivbiwire is working to have these produced, but the best location in the engine compartment hasn't been determined yet.

Further info:
CAT Filter suction test Verses OEM and Baldwin

Fuel quality

BP Diesel Supreme Analysis: Not Supreme!!

Fuel quality results from the Fuel station and Post filter on the car

[dqa]

Two questions:
1. Why are only 2/3 of the "big chunks" in the 15 micron range being filtered, while over 90% of the 2 and 5 um range particles are taken care of?

2. Is there actual filtering of water taking place, or is the decrease from 68 to 60 within the margin of error?

[Boundless]

Here is the CAT site with interesting info on the 1R-0750 filter: dead link

edited to remove dead link

[Drivbiwire]

Good question about why we are still seeing 15 micron particles. The TDI Injection pump has a large reservoir of internal fuel. This fuel is continiously cycled through the pump and back to the filter. BKmetzs car was driven for about 1/2 hour but in all probability no all of the contaminants that were residing in the tank were purged 100%. I would be willing to wager that the longer the filter is run on the car the less likely you will find any significant number of larger particles in the fuel sample. Think of it this way we were relying on dilution of the fuel to get as accurate reading as possible.

The key numbers to look at are the 2-5 micron range. 10 Microns is also worth noting but the longer a high efficiency filter is used the lower the particle count will be in that size range.

DB

[GANZGUT]

Originally posted by Drivbiwire:
BKmetzs car was driven for about 1/2 hour but in all probability no all of the contaminants that were residing in the tank were purged 100%. I would be willing to wager that the longer the filter is run on the car the less likely you will find any significant number of larger particles in the fuel sample. Think of it this way we were relying on dilution of the fuel to get as accurate reading as possible.

The key numbers to look at are the 2-5 micron range. 10 Microns is also worth noting but the longer a high efficiency filter is used the lower the particle count will be in that size range.

DB

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Pete, I see you've apparently taken the plunge and made that move west, as I have. Keep me posted on this adaptor/Cat filter business. I need to change mine in the Passat soon. Just checking in after a several month absence.

-Ganzgut

[dqa]

Originally posted by Drivbiwire:
I would be willing to wager that the longer the filter is run on the car the less likely you will find any significant number of larger particles in the fuel sample.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is a good point, but I'm not clear on why the rates are different for larger sizes.

I would expect that if you got 90% of the small particles after a half hour, then maybe you could get 90% of the remainder in another few hours, so close to 99% (this is just for the sake of argument - who knows what the actual time or percent would be). But if the same rates apply to the 15 um particles, you'd only get another 70% on top of the first 70%. If this is true, then in the time it took to achieve 99% reduction of small particals, you'd get only a 91% reduction of 15 um.

These numbers are quite good. But I'm still curious why there's a lower filtration efficiency for 15 microns than for the 2 and 5.