What have a Liebherr excavator of the A/R series, a MAN truck 20.225 and a Mercedes-Benz coach O550 Integro in common? A certain fuel spin-on filter: the KC 102. What is so special about the filter that is listed for an amazing 736 applications in the catalogue? And why is it so often used in combination with the KC 102/1 in MAN vehicles?
GENUINE TEAM WORK: ONE PROVIDES THE HEATING – AND THE OTHER TAKES CARE OF THE WATER
The two filters share the task of fuel filtration in commercial vehicles. One of the filters is equipped with a heating element that prevents the dreaded paraffin separation of the diesel fuel. However, the heating element requires space. The designers decided therefore to delegate the water separation and drainage – to the KC 102, which comes without heating as standard. Both fuel spin-on filters work therefore in parallel, side-by-side in a screw-on housing. Compared with an assembly in series, this offers two advantages – first, a slightly reduced flow resistance … and second, and more important: even if one filter fails completely, the engine is still supplied via the second filter.
Perfect team work: the KC 102/1 and the KC 102 work together as KKC 109/1 – at one screw-on housing. The small difference: the KC 102/1 (left) has no water drain plug. Otherwise, the filters are of the same design.
CLEVER: THE PTC HEATING IN THE KC 102/1
The problem of paraffin separation is well-known: at temperatures below zero centigrade, paraffin crystals are formed in the diesel fuel – the fuel converts into gel and flocculates. The flocculate is carried to the fuel filter, where it clogs its surface and blocks the filter. The fuel can no longer flow to the injection pump, the engine is no longer supplied … and stops running.
There are indeed modern diesel fuels for winter use that are cold-resistant; for instance, the winter diesel available in Germany remains liquid down to about -23 °C thanks to special additives. However, to assure vehicle operation also at extremely low temperatures, fuel filters with heating elements are increasingly used. PTC heating elements are the safe and modern solution for fuel heating. The abbreviation PTC stands for “Positive Temperature Coefficient”. These have the characteristic that the electric resistance of the heating element increases with rising temperature. As the current decreases disproportional when a set temperature limit is reached, there is no danger of overheating. This makes heating units with PTC elements especially safe.
The heating element from below: view of the fuel heater with PTC element.
ALSO SUITABLE FOR BIO
Both filters are resistant to so called biodiesel, or to be more precise: FAME (RME) according to EN14214. FAME stands here for fatty acid methyl ester – which are compounds of a fatty acid and methyl alcohol.
LEAKPROOF INSIDE AND OUTSIDE
To improve sealing between dirty and clean side the KC 102 has an outer sealing ring and an additional inner sealing ring, which sits directly at the thread between screw-on housing and filter end-plate.
The combination: inner and outer sealing ring for optimum seal between dirty and clean side.
WATER SEPARATION
In order to protect the injector nozzles from damage by water (such as cavitation), the filters are not only equipped with water separation at the dirty side, but have also an additional water uptake volume of 80 cm³ – this provides sufficient reserves to last until the next water drainage.
REPLACEMENT AND SERVICE
The filter duo KC 102/1 and KC 102 is used in many MAN vehicles. In addition, the KC 102 is used in other commercial vehicles such as HGV’s from ERF, tractors from Fendt, excavators and wheel loaders from Liebherr as well as coaches and trucks from Mercedes-Benz. In order to ensure perfect working of the filter, regular replacement at the specified intervals is recommended by the vehicle and engine manufacturers.