Filter Head Information

[RedTruck]

Short Version:

The Racor filter head and late model 7.3 IDI filter head are in fact the same head.

Long Version:

I have been perusing this sight as well as the other sight now for about 3 or 4 years. In all that time I can't for the life of me remember seeing this stated. It seems like it should be common knowledge. I bought a Racor kit a while back and had it on my rig last summer. Last winter I tried to find a filter for it...I spend 4 hours on the phone with Parker/Racor/Distributors only to find out that Racor (according to personnel at Racor) was no longer making that filter. I even stopped by a Ford dealership and asked them. They said they couldn't get a filter for the Racor filter head anymore. So I stopped in to the local bone yard last week and picked up a '93 filter head assembly, then swung by a local jobber and picked up a filter/separator for it. When I got home I popped the hood and was getting ready to disassembly everything to get the old racor unit off when I got to looking. It's the same thing! The filter screwed right on.

Sooo...if any of you fellas are having problems finding the racor filter. Just go to your favorite jobber and get a filter/separater for a '93.

Paul

 

[Agnem]

And I'm pretty sure the water filter head I bought from a Peterbuilt dealer looked just like the fuel filter head on a 6.9.

 

[85hauler]

One of my trucks has a Racor on it and a 7.3 filter doesn't fit it.

 

[RedTruck]

Racor must have made a couple of different units then. Where are you finding filters? I could find a few places that had them, but it seemed like they weren't getting any more in.

Are you sure they don't fit? The filter from the 7.3 idi worked on mine not the 7.3 di.

Paul

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Look at Racors' site. They have dozens of different filter heads and many filters to fit each head.

 

[sle2115]

The racor filter most have on their 6.9 will not fit a 7.3 head. It is made to screw onto the 6.9 filter head, which is a smaller inlet size. If that were the case, there would be no reason to switch the 6.9 filter head to a 7.3, as many, myself included have done.

The filter that many have recommended is not a filter head anyway, it is just the filter, made like a 7.3, with a water bowl, that threads on your 6.9 head, eliminating the firewall mounted water separator.

It is possible that if you bought a complete filter head setup that they would in fact interchange, as it seems you have discovered, but most just bought the filter and water sep bowl.

 

[Agnem]

...there would be no reason to switch the 6.9 filter head to a 7.3, as many, myself included have done.

I can still think of one reason. The integrated heating element.

 

[RedTruck]

I know that Racor makes a lot of filtration items. I did not know that they made a filter/separator that used the existing 6.9 filter head. I see now that they do. I have what Mel is talking about.

That's a bummer...a lot of time wasted chasing my tail. I should have just posted here and had you fellas set me straight.

Sorry for the confusion.

Paul

 

[towcat]

paul-
don't kick yourself that hard. Often the process you learn to use to uncover information is a good "tool" to sharpen. Also, when someone does their own homework and then comes here to ask questions, they already have some much needed background under their belt not to mention a opportunity to suprise with some new ideas every now and then too

 

[sle2115]

I can still think of one reason. The integrated heating element.

The racor unit is available with a similar heating unit...so, no reason to change!

Not to mention, I am not so sure that the 7.3 is the best setup heating unit wise. I went through quite a few looking for one that hadn't leaked around the fitting and that is a common problem from what I have read. Even then, I still like mine!

 

[sle2115]

Paul, better to ask then to find out the hard way, as I did!!!