There have been some discussions of fuel tanks, filters, etc., in recent months, and since I recently had a problem with mine I read all the posts I could find going back several years. All very good advice and helped me service mine.
So, I am going to post my experience with the H 29.5 w/2GM20F engine.
Had the boat a couple of years and the engine ran fine until a two days ago. Engine began losing power and then recovering and finally as we motored into port it would not run above 1200 RPM. Fuel filter change needed!
I did not know where the fuel tank was located and did not know if there was an in-line (Primary) filter installed. I did know where the engine (Secondary) fuel filter was located because I had recently replaced the seawater impeller and the molded line from pump to heat exchanger. There were spare filters on board from PO.
Following the fuel lines from the engine aft below the aft bunk I did find a Racor 110A filter. The lines led aft thru the bulkhead at the rear of the bunk. I removed two vertical strips of teak (six screws each) and removed a small panel and found access to the fuel tank on the port side and the holding tank starboard. Photo is looking aft so fuel tank is on right side of pic.
Two lines attach to the tank at the top, fwd inboard corner. the supply line has a shutoff valve, the return line does not. I closed the s/o valve and then drained the Racor filter into a shallow pan. Just an inch between bottom of filter and hull. Drained a little water and a lot of crud as expected. Attempted to spin filter housing off to replace filter element. Not budging. Had to hold top of filter w/ pipe wrench and use long ⅝" box wrench to spin housing off filter.
What a mess! I have never seen a fuel filter so full of crud as this one. I have no idea how the engine ran as well as it did. The filter element was stuck in the housing. A slim punch inserted thru the drain plug hole pushed the filter element out. I cleaned the housing and installed the new element. There is an o-ring that fits in a groove in the bottom of the element. I lubed the o-ring and element base with engine oil and filled the filter with fuel. I replaced the o-ring in the filter body and reinstalled and opened the s/o valve.
I replaced the secondary filter element filling it w/fuel, too. Engine started and ran fine w/o having to bleed lines, etc.
So, I am going to post my experience with the H 29.5 w/2GM20F engine.
Had the boat a couple of years and the engine ran fine until a two days ago. Engine began losing power and then recovering and finally as we motored into port it would not run above 1200 RPM. Fuel filter change needed!
I did not know where the fuel tank was located and did not know if there was an in-line (Primary) filter installed. I did know where the engine (Secondary) fuel filter was located because I had recently replaced the seawater impeller and the molded line from pump to heat exchanger. There were spare filters on board from PO.
Following the fuel lines from the engine aft below the aft bunk I did find a Racor 110A filter. The lines led aft thru the bulkhead at the rear of the bunk. I removed two vertical strips of teak (six screws each) and removed a small panel and found access to the fuel tank on the port side and the holding tank starboard. Photo is looking aft so fuel tank is on right side of pic.
Two lines attach to the tank at the top, fwd inboard corner. the supply line has a shutoff valve, the return line does not. I closed the s/o valve and then drained the Racor filter into a shallow pan. Just an inch between bottom of filter and hull. Drained a little water and a lot of crud as expected. Attempted to spin filter housing off to replace filter element. Not budging. Had to hold top of filter w/ pipe wrench and use long ⅝" box wrench to spin housing off filter.
What a mess! I have never seen a fuel filter so full of crud as this one. I have no idea how the engine ran as well as it did. The filter element was stuck in the housing. A slim punch inserted thru the drain plug hole pushed the filter element out. I cleaned the housing and installed the new element. There is an o-ring that fits in a groove in the bottom of the element. I lubed the o-ring and element base with engine oil and filled the filter with fuel. I replaced the o-ring in the filter body and reinstalled and opened the s/o valve.
I replaced the secondary filter element filling it w/fuel, too. Engine started and ran fine w/o having to bleed lines, etc.
?