Racor Part Number - Cummins QSC500

Sindbad

Member
Apr 11, 2010
218
North Channel
Boat Info
340 Sundancer 2006
390 Sundancer 2005
44 Sundancer 2006
Engines
8.1L Horizons (2006)
8.1L HO (2005)
Cummins QSC 500 (44 DA, 2006)
I plan to store spare set of Racor filters on board, so I consulted the Cummins Manual for correct part number.......something I thought would be straight forward. Went to local Cummins shop to purchase; part number in manual is for entire water-separating unit, not the drop in filter. When I purchased the boat last fall, I had the local diesel shop service engines and replace filters. The filter part number they installed: Racor 2040N (Cummins Manual states "1000MA"); On engine filter: FF5488 (agrees to Cummins Manual). I talked with Seaboard Marine, they suggested Racor 2020N-10. In the Manual, there is no Fleetguard part number listed. I thought this would be a simple task. Would appreciate input from others as to what Racor should be used on the Cummins QSC500 8.3L. Also, is there an authoritative reference source for locating correct filters. Thanks.
 
Cummins is not the manufacturer of the Racors. All Cummins would do is spec a micron filtration level and the brand and type is up to the user. There is much debate around whether you should use a 10 or 30 micron filter but there is no debate that the last chance filter should be a 2 micron. I believe these engine arrive with a 30 micron but that doesn’t mean a thing.

In my opinion, if you have dual racors on each engine and you run them in the “both” position then 10 micron filters are best. But I would make sure you are watching the vacuum gauge as well so you don’t cause fuel starvation.

Tony Athens is the expert on these engines and sbmar.com has this information for you to peruse.
 
You need to know what size Racor assembly you have........a 1000 housing, a 900 housing or a 500 housing.

The 1000 requires Racor # 2020
the 900 requires Racor #2040
and the 500 requires Racor #2010

More then likely you have a 500 series housing on your generator and either the 1000 or 900 housing on the mains.

Racor numbers have a suffix that designates the micron rating. You can choose a one of the following:

30 micron PM-OR
10 micron TM-OR
4 micron SM-OR

You add one of the above to the filter size number, so a 30 micron filter for a 900MA housing would be 2040PM-OR........a 10 micron filter for a 1000MA housing would be 2020TM-OR.

As far as the sized micron filter to use, this isn't the place to debate that, but if your engine mounted filters are filtering @ 2 microns, then nothing smaller than that is going to get to to the pump and injectors and filtering @ less than 30 microns may make you have to change filters more often or at an inconvenient time.....like when you are off shore in 4-6 ft seas. I also think this decision needs to take into consideration the quality of fuel you are buying. If your fuel is filtered at the pump when you buy it, then you are ahead of the game, as long as your fuel source changes filters regularly.
 
Thanks Frank! I always think I post helpful information, then you show up and fill in all the blanks I left out!

Frank is spot on here.
 
I bought filters a couple of months ago and have a bit of an update. Racor has re-designed its 900 and 1000 filter lines and changed the nomenclature. The core part number (2020, 2040) is the same but all now add an "N" plus the micron rating. So, a 900, 10 micron is now 2040N-10.
In addition to claimed internal improvements, the best part is they moved the removal bail from the sides of the filter to the center, this promises to be much less of a PITA to remove.
 
I have ran 10 microns in my Racors for 12 years now and have not had to replace them other than at annual maintenance... Your conditions may vary.
 
Cummins specs the Racor 1000 but Sea Ray installed the 900 in the 44DA

I have run both 30 and 10 micron filters, again Cummins specs the 10 micron but as Frank said there is a 2 micron on the engine so a 30 is not a bad thing.
 
Primary Filter Racor 2040N-10 or 2040N-30
Secondary Filter (on engine) Fleetguard FF5488
Thank you gentlemen. The information is quite helpful and much appreciated.

Frank
 

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