Changing out fuel filter

Tim R. · Jan 6, 2012

Brian, I think most of the Racor products have instructions printed right on the side of the cartridge. I replaced my Racor R12T last night on my heater.

I drained the bowl, which has a valve to drain off water and nastys. I also poke a small hole in the cartridge(not in the instructions) to allow all the fuel to drain out. Some housings have a vent to do this. I unscrew the bowl from the cartridge and the cartridge from the housing. Apply a little oil to the red O-ring and screw the bowl onto the new cartridge. Apply oil to the new gasket and screw the cartridge onto the housing. I usually tighten by feel. After many years of changing oil and fuel filters, I have never had a leak.

Yous should only lose the amount of fuel that the filter and housing and bowl can hold. So have a container at least that big. I am surprised that your bowl has no drain.

My heater is self bleeding so I do not need to pre-fill the bowl like the Racor instructions say to do.

thinwater · Jan 6, 2012

I've got the same Raycor on my twin Yamaha 9.9s

Had the same filter on my Nissan 18 before that.

As for removing the filter, there MUST be a fuel cut off valve. If there is not, add one now; you can slip it into the hose quickly.

If you have a primer bulb, just take the hose lose from the engine barb and pump a few times until gas comes. The filter self-vents quite well and the remaining air will go through the carb. It just isn't a probelm.

Do orient the primer bulb so it flows upwards; it will pass the air more quickly.

thinwater · Jan 7, 2012

Actually, with a 9.9 and gasoline...

Brian D said:
Thanks, guy. Yes, I have shut-off valves on my fuel lines. I should take care of that today. I am sure it is much needed.

... I've gone for as long as 5 years. As long as you don't get phase separation....
http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2010/04/epa-memo-on-e-10-and-phase-separation.html

If you get even one slug of water the filter can be ruined in minutes, so keep a spare on the boat. Been there, done that.

RichH · Jan 8, 2012

thinwater said:
If you get even one slug of water the filter can be ruined in minutes, so keep a spare on the boat. Been there, done that.

Not quite ruined in minutes but definitely water will be the 'destroyer' of such filter media over time ... hence the usual mantra of 'routine maintenance change-out' .. typically at least every 6-12 months; if visible water is present then the sooner the better.

Such filter media used in 'quality' fuel filters is made typically of cellulose fibers which are encapsulated in an epoxide. Such encapsulations are never 'perfect' and cellulose in contact with water will soon 'digest', become 'softened' and then you risk a pleat or filter media failure. When such failure occurs you will get outstanding service life from such a filter ... because it's no longer is capturing very much.
Monitoring a fuel filter with a gage is the ONLY way to observe 'filter breakthrough' as if the pressure/vacuum gage values are 'decreasing' then 'surer than hell' the filter has failed; with no gauge you simply never know. FWIW/BTW ... such gage readings should be monitored and recorded with the engine drawing maximum fuel (at near engine 'wide open throttle' or operating under load at near max. rpm.)

;-)

thinwater · Jan 8, 2012

Actually, the gasoline elements will swell and plug...

RichH said:
Not quite ruined in minutes but definitely water will be the 'destroyer' of such filter media over time ... hence the usual mantra of 'routine maintenance change-out' .. typically at least every 6-12 months; if visible water is present then the sooner the better.

Such filter media used in 'quality' fuel filters is made typically of cellulose fibers which are encapsulated in an epoxide. Such encapsulations are never 'perfect' and cellulose in contact with water will soon 'digest', become 'softened' and then you risk a pleat or filter media failure. When such failure occurs you will get outstanding service life from such a filter ... because it's no longer is capturing very much.
Monitoring a fuel filter with a gage is the ONLY way to observe 'filter breakthrough' as if the pressure/vacuum gage values are 'decreasing' then 'surer than hell' the filter has failed; with no gauge you simply never know. FWIW/BTW ... such gage readings should be monitored and recorded with the engine drawing maximum fuel (at near engine 'wide open throttle' or operating under load at near max. rpm.)

;-)

... within minutes with separated e10 gasoline. I've done it twice and I am certain it was just that fast. A change in the weather caused e10 that had saturated in the summer to separate. I had been checking the bowl every trip, but skipped one. Both times it caught me the same distance from the dock, about one carb bowl and one fuel line volume out.
http://www.epa.gov/oms/regs/fuels/rfg/waterphs.pdf

This is a different effect than what you see with emulsified water in a #2 filter. I have expereince with both.

JerryA · Jan 8, 2012

Which Prop

Brian,

Sorry to change the original topic of your post, but which prop did you get with your Yamaha? Dual Thrust?

JerryA

RichH · Jan 8, 2012

Big difference between diesel fuel with free water and phase separated E10 (gasoline + EtOH) as many of these epoxides are chemically incompatible with EtOH .... and thats why most present day GASOLINE filters are not used interchangeably with Diesel fuel filters.