Stanadyne FM100 fuel management system upgrade

My box filter was working fine but I had some small drips from the water drain, the water in fuel sensor lost its mind, and in general I dispise its very existance. While I had the fuel system torn down doing a new injection pump, I seized this moment to upgrade the filter system to protect my new $500 investment.

I ordered the FM100 filter head with 3/8" NPT fittings from the DieselStore. I also got a 6" long 2 micron filter along with the highest output 24v heater. When I add a another saddle tank and 6 port selector valve, I will add another FM100 150 or 30 micron filter back by the SECM box. For now it will just be the 2 micron.

The bolt holes for the original bracket line right up but the filter hits the wiring underneath it. I added a 3/4" spacer made of some high density plastic that I "borrowed" from the machine shop. Just as a reference to people searching, the inlet that comes from the fuel pump is 3/8" ID line and the outlet going to the IP is 1/4" ID line. I used 90 degree elbows to keep things tidy.

I went with single crimp stainless clamps on all my connections. Yes, you have to cut them to remove them but that is the great thing. I shouldn't have to remove or keep retightening them. All parts purchased through McMaster Carr. Click...add to cart...shows up in 3 days.

For the heater, I automatically assumed the stock heater was 24v but it is 12v. Woops! I used the stock heater pigtail to trigger a relay which I pulled a feed off of the 24v bus bar with an inline fuse. Should have no gel issue up here in Maine...yes sah

I went with the Stanadyne setup because it is about half of what a Raycor would go for. I just helped my buddy put a Racor in his sail boat and I was not pleased with the quality versus cost. I believe the words I used were, "this thing sucks." It leaked fuel right off the bat from the fuel drain and the filter could not be removed by hand because the robot puts them on too tight from the factory. Not cool for $250. My setup was no more than $150 out the door with all my fittings and accessories.

I have Stanadyne gen 2 filter housings and filters(6) for sale. Guess I need to get a classified up.

I've got to do this mod on my 1028.Is it easy to bleed this setup

truck1 said:

I've got to do this mod on my 1028.Is it easy to bleed this setup

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I will say that the bleeder on the box filter is better because it has a nipple. Yes, I said nipple. This one just has a plug. Since my entire system needed bleeding, I pulled the outlet hose and stuck it in a bottle instead of using the bleeder. I have no feedback for you. I'm sure it makes a mess just like all the others.

What did you do with the water in fuel sensor/circuit?

You can add a fuel in water sensor to the FM100 filter bases. Looks like he added it to his.

I left it out, it adds more to the cost. I'd rather just drain it manually by hand then rely on the sensor.

Looks good man and hard to tell from just the photos, but I gotta' ask--- and not being elitist or anything, is the unit's housing steel or some kind of ABS plastic?

As far as bleeding that setup without a mess, how about installing a 3/8ths 90 degree petcock with hose on the other outlet side of the header. I just ordered the same system except with a 150 M prefilter and see through bowl. I'm going to try that for a bleeder.

Unit is some type of composite, not steel. You get what you pay for. In the FM100's defense, so far have had no luck with steel Racor's twice the price. They seem to be no better at sealing the filter element than a plastic unit.

I really wanted to add a petcock assembly to make bleeding easier but on McMaster Carr the proper unit would have been $75 to $100 just for the petcock. You can go cheaper but they are not fuel rated and do not have a nipple which just makes a huge mess. At that point, you may as well just use the one built in the housing.

Honestly, for the low miles I do...this is not a problem. I bled mine in no time and did not make too big of a mess. Fill the filter element, spin it on, disconnect IP, open bleeder, do a couple of cranking sessions, close bleeder, crank a few more times, connect IP, fires right up. I don't understand how people have such problems bleeding these things. A small tupperware container under the unit keeps it from spilling on the valve cover and wire harness. This is the only advantage to keeping the stock base unit, cleaner bleeds.

There you are for all of you filter elitists

The FM100 filter setup I have is made of aluminum. The ring that locks the filter in place is plastic. You can get a priming plunger to go in the top if you like. Better yet, pull off the top and pour diesel in there to fill it up.

Just a quick question about these. I got the filter head (FM100?) from gimpyrobb for my M1009. Is there wiring in place in my truck to run one of Standyne's heaters, or would I need to wire it myself?

Your factory filter base has a heater on it. You would probably need to scavenge the plug and adapt it to the Stanadyne heater.

The factory CUCV heater is 12v so if you buy the 12v FM100 heater it is plug and play...as long as you follow Recovery's directions. I bought the 24v flavor so I used the 12v stock feed to trigger a relay which takes power off the 24v bus.

Confused

Is the heater necessary? We rarely get below freezing, but it would suck if I took the truck up to the mountains to snowshoe, then find it doesn't want to start when I get back.

EDIT to add: We had fuel heat on the C-141s, to prevent waxy fuel from clogging the filter. But it had to be pretty cold before we turned it on.

Finally, installed one of these on the bambalance. I went sans heater as it's rarely below 40 here and then always warms up in the day. I found a fuel rated valve on Ebay and installed it on the extra outlet fitting to assist in clean bleeding. Now I'm looking to put some type of device to ensure it stays closed unless I need to open it. I put the filter on empty and was able to bleed it out very quickly. All in all, a nice install.

Recovry4x4 said:

I found a fuel rated valve on Ebay and installed it on the extra outlet fitting to assist in clean bleeding. Now I'm looking to put some type of device to ensure it stays closed unless I need to open it.

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Hey recovery,
I have had that exact valve on my filter head for bleeding and have never had an issue with it coming open. Currently 7k miles including quite a bit of off roading.

joliver said:

Hey recovery,
I have had that exact valve on my filter head for bleeding and have never had an issue with it coming open. Currently 7k miles including quite a bit of off roading.

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That's assurring! Thanks!

I've got most of the parts gathered for my install. I have some spacers to move the filter head off the firewall, but they're two inches long so I may need to find something shorter. I plan to connect the vacuum pump to the petcock on the extra output boss and pull fuel up through (if it can be pulled through the mechanical fuel pump).

Looks very good!