Fuel Filter

[yellowood]

Is it necessary to replace the fuel filter on my Catalina 27 every year?

Thanks.

 

[Roger Long]

Yes.

 

[jrowan]

Or you can just wait until it clogs, right when you need the engine the most. The prudent sailor would consider that a lil too late!

 

[Faris]

Not only should you change it, I carry a spare. So many engine problems come down to simply changing the fuel filter. They're so cheap and simple to replace, that it's pretty much the first thing I do if an engine starts misbehaving. Eliminates one major cause of problems right away and for only a few dollars and 60 seconds.

Last spring up here, I saw a guy's motor die in the locks and it wouldn't start. Another guy from 3-4 boats over passed him a fuel filter and the motor was running before the gates opened.

 

[shipwreck66]

Just fill the filter with diesel before screwing it on and you shouldn't have any trouble.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Or I find this much easier: fill it with injector cleaner. Which comes in a plastic bottle from your local auto store, easy to carry around on the boat, no need to mess with diesel fuel, less smelly, works just fine when bleeding the engine and is good to boot!