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Racor installed!

U

u2slow

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I picked up my 84 C20 Burb today! I'm mostly pleased but it does have a couple of quirks.

1) It'll start great when cold. Wait for the glo plug light to go out, and fires up no problem. When I stopped for fuel, and later for a coffee, it wouldn't start for some time. The first time it had me baffled - I looked under the hood and underneath. After 20 mins or so I tried again - this time the glo plugs cycled, and it started right up. Then later after my coffee, I noticed the glo plugs didn't cycle, and it wouldn't start. I popped the hood (I was in the shade this time) and after 10 minutes, the glo plugs would cycle, and it started fine. Is there some kind of thermostat that checks the engine temp and decides if cycling the glo plugs is necessary? Can it be calibrated? How about a manual control for the glo plugs?

2) I also have a drip coming from a rectangular box on the firewall (fuel filter?) It looks like a complex piece though... what does it do exactly? Can it be replaced with one of those commercial-type spin-on units?
 
Re: hard start when warm and filter leak

There is a temp sensor that does control the temp the glow plugs cycle at. Theres a plastic little valve to drain water off on the filter that could be causing the leak, maybe its loose.
 
Re: hard start when warm and filter leak

Check to make sure its mounted properly. If not get a new one, it prolly needs one anyway.

The manual glow plugs are easy. See the thing under the hood on the drivers side with 2 electrical connections? Right in front of the washer fluid. Find the blue wire and find yourself a piece of wire. Hold one end to the plug with the blue wire and hold the other to a ground. if your GPS cycle just hook that up with a switch. Blue wire holder > switch > other side of switch to ground. manual glow plugs. I would suggest changing your glow plugs and getting AG60s before you do the manual switch!! Anything less and you will be pulling heads to get your mushroomed glow plugs out!!!
 
Re: hard start when warm and filter leak

Starting it this morning was rough though; it wouldn't stay running - just some farts and coughs. Had to start it 5 times before it stayed running. If fuel is leaking out, I guess air is getting in?

I tightened the water drain valve on the filter, and so far so good. I'll see if there's any difference tomorrow morning.

I checked out the glow plugs - the only AC/Delco number I could get the guys at the parts counter to come up with are '60G'. Are these the right ones? I picked up a momentary switch for the glow-plug override. The previous owner said he changed glow-plugs about 2 years ago (how would I tell if they're AG60's?)

Thanks for the help guys! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
Re: hard start when warm and filter leak

Get some clear line and take off the one from the top of the injector pump and see if it is leaking air. Yes AG60G. Don't leave without em!! I am yet to see someone try and beat Mr. Kennedy's record of ligting up an AG60G for 8 hours, whithout failure, putting it in a rig and years later still going!!
To tell what they are take one out and read what is stamped on the side. If I remember correctly (its been a while since I have played with glow plugs since I have 60s) a 3/8 deep socket. If you can't find whats on the side, replace em. Best to be safe and not have to pull heads to pull out mushroomed glow plugs!!
 
Re: hard start when warm and filter leak

1. There is a temp inhibit switch on the passenger side head, at the rear. It is pointing up at an angle towards the center. It has two spade terminals on it. Just wire the two wires together, and this will make the glow plugs cycle everytime the key is turned on.

2. Yes, the square filters have a history of leaking. There are several different ports inside the housing that can leak. There is a fuel heater, water in fuel sensor, fuel inlet and fuel outlet. All of these have different o-rings. There is a service bulletin GM put out that says how to plug one of the known leaks. I'll see if I can find it. A leaking filter can cause air to get into the system and cause hard starting/rough running.

You can install a spin-on filter, but you'll lose the water in fuel warning, unless you get the expensive model.

Casey
 
Re: hard start when warm and filter leak

When you say after warming up it it's hard to start.
Does the starter work fast but it won't start or do you feel the starter straining to turn?
I've had that problem and it's a GM thing, you should put a remote solenoid and get the high amps to the starter, and shielding the starter from the exhaust manifold doesn't hurt either.
IceMan
 
Re: hard start when warm and filter leak

I fixed the filter leak and hard start! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

The drain screw was loose. Once I tightened it, I haven't had a problem with it starting. I guess the air was getting in there.

Thanks for the tip on the temp-inhibit switch! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif This will come in handy when I make fuel stop - about the only time I need to make a warm start.

Now the TH400 is doing some funny-business. I've got a few things to check first (too late tonite) but if things take a turn for the worse....

Has anyone swapped from a TH400 to a SM465 in a diesel? /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
Despite tightening the vent screw, the filter base kept right on leaking. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I wasn't going to throw down $400+ for a lousy filter base so I picked up a Racor. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif Sweet unit. It even has a manual priming pump on it. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

Here it is:
pic1 pic2
 
Looks like my Racor. I love mine. But what the hell is that on your air filter? /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif
 
Mono-foam - as best as I can tell. Dunno what the previous owner was thinking. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
I was wondering about the same thing, but now that I know it's foam, could it be to muffle the vibrations and noise.
As you all know diesel engines don't have any baffles or restriction to minimize the noise from combustion.
Does it make any difference?
IceMan
 
Where did you get that? and what was the cost? Mine also sux air! Was it hard to install? /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif
 
I bought my Racor at Valley Fuel Injection (the same guys that make BD stuff). I don't know if they're the cheapest place to buy, but they had it, and since I work 2 mins down the road, I could pick it up on my lunch break.

Its the 445R model I got. Click on Diesel Spin-On in the On/Off Highway Products at this link. It was $211.18 CDN - about half of what GM wanted for the stock base. The base bolted to firewall using the stock holes (the two upper holes). I needed 2.5" long 3/8" bolts and some oversize nuts/washers to space it off the firewall about 1-1/4" (to get clearance for the evaporator housing). I just unplugged the electrical connectors from the stock filter base and taped them up for future use. (Racor carries water sensor and fuel heater add-ons I you think you need them.)

Two brass plugs come with the unit to plug off the unused inlet & outlet. I bought 5 brass fittings for the install.
- two 3/8" NPT street elbows
- one 3/8" NPT x 3/8" hose barb (for inlet)
- one 3/8" NPT male x 1/4" NPT reducer
- one 1/4" NPT x 1/4" hose barb (for outlet)

The hoses were already the right length - no cutting required. Tightened the clamps, loosened the vent screw, pumped the primer 'till fuel came out the vent, tightened the vent screw, and fired it up. I took my sweet-a$$ time and I couldn't drag it out any longer than 1-1/2 hours (including cleanup!).
 
Hey, thats a nice little fuel filter. To this day I dont know what the Previous Owner did with mine but check it out. I may remove it for the one you got. Or just keep mine. Problem is with mine I have no idea where to get the replacement filters or what the are.

INTAKE.JPG
 
The fram one might be easy to get, since the part #s on it. What did you put between the air cleaner housing and your intake tube? Looks like a piece of rubber.
 
Its actually the STOCK rubber thats already there. I just put a piece of 3" PVC pip in it to keep it from compressing.
 
I dont have a rubber piece there, I dont think im missing it. Maybe they added it in 85.
 
Your filter setups have probably been scavenged off a big diesel truck. You should be able to crossover the Fram number to other makes if need be - or just ask for that specific filter number at the parts counter. If they don't carry it in stock, they can usually order them in. If they give you the runaround, take your business to a heavy-truck parts supplier - they'll know what you're talking about.

The only "real" anvantage I see with the Racor is the see-through bowl, and the priming pump.
 
Ya, I'd like to just get the Racor one. Mine takes up too much space and I have no idea how the mechanics of it work. Like the Fram one is the main filter and Hastings one is the water seperator or what? I have no clue. I'd rather remove it and get that clean looking Racor one.
 
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