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Gardner Fuel Filter


jonesthenuke

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I recently bought 10 L21765 filters from "Gardner Enthusiast", thinking it would be more convenient and perhaps cheaper to get a batch in.

 

When I fitted the first one I found it very difficult to obtain a leak free seal on the filter housing as the gasket ring supplied is too large (mine measure 3.1" diameter when the housing groove is 3.00"). The gasket looks like cheap cardboard so I trimmed around the edge with scissors and then fitted with some silicone sealant. This works, sort of, as I am left with a very minor seepage of fuel when running.
I have emailed the supplier to see what they think of this problem.
I am going to try a suitably sized O ring next time.
Has anyone had the same problem? Is there a source of better filters?
Thanks
Chris
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Have had the same oversize problem with the gasket fitting two usually solves the problem with leakage. Sometimes the retaining nut bottoms out before the housing is completely down

If the boxes are marked Gardner with the correct part number on then they are genuine parts made for Gardner parts

 

Fleet guard do an aftermarket equivalent and it comes with a rubber gasket. I get mine from a local commercial vehicle factors

 

Steve

Edited by Split Pin
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Sometimes the retaining nut bottoms out before the housing is completely down

 

 

Steve

Thanks Steve, that's a good point, there is a Dowty seal fitted under the cap nut so this should space it out but I must admit I did not check that the nut was not bottomed.

 

Thanks

 

Chris

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  • 1 month later...

Problem solved. Fitted an O ring instead of the paper/cardboard(?) gasket supplied with the filter and now it's no problem at all.

I used 69 mm by 3.5 mm cross section nitrile ring.

 

Gardner Enthusiast seemed to think there had been no problem with the seals they have supplied.

 

Chris

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  • 4 months later...

The fuel leakage from the second filter on Gardner's seems to be a common problem judging by the You Tube clips which often show a receptacle to catch leaking fuel and my 3LW is no exception. I noted Chris's suggestion regarding Nitrile O rings instead of the current inadequate cardboard filter and have some of these on order. This is where I could do with some help as this is the first Gardner I have owned - following removal of the chamber and discarding the old filter, cleaning the surfaces and fitting the the O ring (sealant ?) how is the (horizontal) filter chamber refilled ? Are the charging levers involved perhaps ?

The handbook I have is not particularly helpful on this so any step by step guidance would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Mike

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The body on mine had a few small shallow marks so I took the filter off and skimmed it in a lathe simply because I have the tackle to do this I am sure it would have been OK as it was. If the filter body sealing surfaces are flat then you should not need to do this but an alternative is fine wet/dry on a flat surface e.g a piece of glass.

 

When you fit with an O ring do not apply sealant, you should not need any. Also fit a bonded rubber washer (Dowty seal) under the cap nut. Use a nitrile, Viton or silicone O ring as you want something with good long term resistance to the diesel. Do not tighten the assembly too much, you want to nip up the O ring rather than squash it.

 

Do you have an original drain valve with the angled stem with hexgonal head? These seem to cause problems when old. The drain valve in mine only sealed when screwed up very tight. On dismantling I found the conical face of the threaded steam very worn (with a distinct step on it) so I re-cut that in the lathe as well. Then refitted the valve, again with a Dowty seal.

 

When you want to refill, operate the hand lever on the fuel lift pump (assuming you have a lift pump rather than a high level day tank). Air will be purged to the return line to the tank (loosen the return line and you will see when fuel emerges rather than air and then tighten again). No need to use the levers on the injection pump at all.

 

Should work fine. My filter has been absolutely leak free since I did this.

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Thanks for that information, the drain point is a simple hexagon form 'bolt' not a valve and I do have the lift pump which you refer to and not a day tank. You mention the 'hand lever on the fuel lift pump', is that the spring loaded lever on the first filter or should I be looking for something else ?

Thank you very much for taking the trouble to reply, it is much appreciated. I will sort out which is the return line although there is what appears to be a 'bleed' screw on the top of the casing.

Mike

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Do you have a photo? We may be discussing different parts. I am describing the standard Gardner filter (they called it the second filter) mounted next to the thermostat housing on the end of the engine at cylinder head level.

 

The fuel pump should be mounted below the fuel injection pump/governor assembly. Usually its a AMAL pump with a small brass spring loaded priming lever, not much more than one inch long (I guess).

 

See here for a photo of a pump http://amalcarb.co.uk/other-amal-products/amal-fuel-pumps/gardner-fuel-pump/amal-fuel-pump.html

 

And here for a video showing pump priming at about 3 minutes in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOa7FguoNR8

 

Do you have any Gardner manuals? If so we could be sure of discussing the same parts.

 

Edited to add video link

Edited by jonesthenuke
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20141015_181332_zps4izvzody.jpg

 

Your secondary filter bell housing will look similar to this below the copper piping (probably not identical as this is a 2L2).

The copper pipe heading off to the right and then u-bending back is the fuel return pipe in normal installations.

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That's making sense and I am clear on the spring loaded pump with the priming lever and the video clip from Ivor clearly shows this in use (and we are looking at the correct items(s) here, the bell shaped second filter but mine doesn't have a drain tap which I guess could be a weakness. Matty has helpfully provided a photo of the 2L2 set-up which is very similar in design to my 3LW and has explained which line is which. Just one more question before I leave you in peace - there is a bolt head to the left of the vertical fuel line in the photo from Matty, is that the filter bleed screw or do I bleed at the return union joint ?

Again my thanks for the inputs (it's a bit more advanced than my old JP2 !).

Ivor I have a manual for the 3LW but the illustrations are very poor and the instructions not a lot better. I think it's a copy of a copy etc.

Regards

Mike

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Thanks for the contributions, I hope this post enables you to contact me Ivor. It is always a learning curve with a 'new' engine. It is also a confidence thing as well. The boat is currently in Crick marina having a new stove fitted but I will back on the mooring at Yelvertoft next week when I will give it a go. As I mentioned in an earlier post I have seen You Tube films showing Gardner engines with a tub or other receptacle under this filter to collect the leaks but to me it doesn't look great.

Again my thanks

Mike

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