Fuel Pump Filter?

Apr 5, 2019
44
Catalina 310 323 Brooklyn, NY
I found an 80 micron fuel filter rolling around the engine pan after I purchased my 310.
There is also a new one in the Universal spare parts kit. There is a SB regarding this filter as well, mostly driven from the pump manufacturers I understand. I have a Racor primary and Universal secondary filter of course. I'm trying to solve the mystery of where the old filter came from? Should be inline just prior to the Lift Pump correct?
Below is a pic of my pump, and the reference filter. The SB is on the Westerbeke site.
 

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Feb 6, 1998
11,665
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
The pump filter looks to be missing on your pump... It would look like this if it was installed.
 
Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
Mainesail showed you where it should go. But in my experience it didn't fit and that is why you don't have one on your pump. I tried putting one on the factory lift pump and it rubbed on the heat exchanger. Also, since it is past the Racor (that typically has a 10 or 30 micron element) what is the purpose of an 80 micron filter. I guess it is a redundancy in case the Racor were to fail.

Good luck,

Jesse
 
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Feb 8, 2014
1,300
Columbia 36 Muskegon
If the fuel pump is downstream from one or both of the larger filters I don't see why you would need that small filter on the pump. Especially since it's 80 micron and the Racor is probably 10 micron. The 80 micron filter wouldn't have anything to filter out.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,665
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
It is there because during spin-on or Racor filter changes some crud can sometimes get into the system. This is simply to catch that. We've also seen filter changes go too long in-between change outs and "growth" form on the wrong side of the element.

If the 80 micron does not fit under the pump you can simply put a couple of male adapters on each side and insert it into the fuel line..
 
Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
It is there because during spin-on or Racor filter changes some crud can sometimes get into the system. This is simply to catch that. We've also seen filter changes go too long in-between change outs and "growth" form on the wrong side of the element.

If the 80 micron does not fit under the pump you can simply put a couple of male adapters on each side and insert it into the fuel line..
Honestly I had an issue with the whole setup of the fuel pump. I ended up ditching the cheap lift pumps and getting a Wahlbro. I had to mount it on the bulkhead instead of the engine but the quality is a world apart. Do you have much experience with the Wahlbro pumps?
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Im using a cheap ($20) turbine pump with no problems on one of my dual filters. Like shown here it has a external filter. I like the facet because the filter is internal - no problem with it either.

Are you running 2 micron filters ?? they kill pumps.
 
Apr 5, 2019
44
Catalina 310 323 Brooklyn, NY
My Racor is 30 micron but I'm switching to Universal recommendation of 10 micron.
2 micron should not be used.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,665
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Honestly I had an issue with the whole setup of the fuel pump. I ended up ditching the cheap lift pumps and getting a Wahlbro. I had to mount it on the bulkhead instead of the engine but the quality is a world apart. Do you have much experience with the Wahlbro pumps?
Walbro makes excellent pumps as does Facet. I have a Walbro on our fuel polishing system, for the volume, and the original facet cube pump on the engine. The Facet cube on our engine has in excess of 4000 hours with not so much as a hiccup. We have cube style Facets out there, on some commercial boats, with 15,000 + hours on them and the old style round pumps out there, many of which are now exceeding 40 years old.

One of our portable fuel transfer/water extraction/tank cleaning pumps is using a "round style" Facet pump a customer threw away because "It leaked". It just had a bad filter gasket and a partially clogged internal filter.

That pump has been used in many 24 hour straight use situations, on customers boats, for over 10 years now. The pump itself came off a 1981 Cape Dory and is 38 years old.

Catalina shipped many boats with 2 micron filters and these can certainly shorten the life of a Facet pump by making it work harder than it should.

This photo was in 2012 and this customer had completely lost his fuel fill o-ring. The result was a lot of water in the fuel tank. The pump removed the water and then ran for an additional 4 days straight turning over what was in the tank. That little gold pump is today, connected to a much larger Racor, with cheaper elements, but is still going strong. The whole thing has been built from discarded parts customers no longer wanted. I have no complaint other than the slow volume turn over of the Facet pumps.

In almost every case of a Facet pump replacement we've done, a 2 micron filter was involved...

 

KZW

.
May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
OK, I will bite; why shouldn't a 2-micron be used?
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Too small of a filter size and causes the pump to work harder than necessary to pull fuel through. Premature pump failure ensues.

Greg
 
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Mar 30, 2007
67
Catalina 310 Manalapan, NJ
I was perusing Catalina Direct web site and I was surprised to see that the secondary fuel filter (Universal filter 48076) is not required. This filter is often sold with the fuel lift pump Here is what they say:

"This pump was used on engines listed below (and the boats that we are aware used these engines... There could be other combinations as well):
•M-25XPB (Catalina 28 MkII, Catalina 30 MkIII, Catalina 310)
•M-35B (Catalina 34 MkII, Catalina 350, Catalina 36 MkII)
Notes:
1) Pump comes with an 80 micron filter which is not needed as long as your boat has the fuel filter / water separator installed, standard equipment on Catalinas, between the fuel tank and this replacement pump."

Not a real big deal but it will save me $37 per year.

Jeff
s/v Still Crazy
 
Nov 16, 2012
1,037
Catalina 310, 2000, #31 31 Santa Cruz
I was perusing Catalina Direct web site and I was surprised to see that the secondary fuel filter (Universal filter 48076) is not required. This filter is often sold with the fuel lift pump Here is what they say:

"This pump was used on engines listed below (and the boats that we are aware used these engines... There could be other combinations as well):
•M-25XPB (Catalina 28 MkII, Catalina 30 MkIII, Catalina 310)
•M-35B (Catalina 34 MkII, Catalina 350, Catalina 36 MkII)
Notes:
1) Pump comes with an 80 micron filter which is not needed as long as your boat has the fuel filter / water separator installed, standard equipment on Catalinas, between the fuel tank and this replacement pump."

Not a real big deal but it will save me $37 per year.

Jeff
s/v Still Crazy
Seems like cheap insurance to me. Probably never need it, but if crap gets loose when changing the Racor that’s $37 well spent.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Jeff you are correct. It could save you $37 per year. Or $17.50 a year if you change it every 2 years. That is a bucket of fried chicken at KFC.

Why would you even buy one?

It is the last line of defense to plugging up your High Pressure pump and injectors. Do "fuel/water separator's" ever fail? yes. Does a 30 micron filter stop all the stuff in the fuel? 96% of the time.

These are a couple of reasons for a filter that costs a bucket of fried chicken a year. Besides it may help to lower your cholesterol.
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Why change it?? I’d still use the filter, as it keeps the warrantee on the pump valid and might pick up crap from primary filter changes. But only Chang it if you feel there is a fuel flow issue.

Also that pump filter is not s the secondary - the secondary is on your engine.

Also go and get yourself a $20 vacuum gauge and put it on your primary, and only change that filter as needed. You’ll save tons of cash to buy more beer
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Also go and get yourself a $20 vacuum gauge and put it on your primary, and only change that filter as needed. You’ll save tons of cash to buy more beer
:plus:
Oh such wisdom deserves a reward.:beer: