Help on Racor Operation

[Neil McDonald]

The 3GMF Yanmar on my Hunter 35 is fitted with Racor Spin-On filter to remove water and solids in the fuel and comes complete with a glass inspection bowl and base mounted bleed screw. No integral pump. Seems to work fine but routine checks are almost impossible. I can not get my head anywhere near the bowl to inspect contents and, because the unit is mounted above the fuel tank, nothing comes out when I open the bleed screw. I would really like to be able to place a glass under the bleed screw and run a little fuel into it to see if there is any sign of water. The only solution that I can think of is to change the position of the priming bulb, which I have installed in the fuel line downstream of the Racor to avoid having to use the lever on the fuel pump to bleed air on the low pressure side of the fuel system. If I move the bulb upstream of the Racor, I presumably could open the bleed screw in the Racor base and pump a little fuel out with the bulb.Any other solutions out there?

 

[Ross]

Relocate the filter to a better location.

Just because some fool put it where you can't see it doesn't mean you have to leave it there.

 

[NYSail]

Well Put!

Well Put Ross. I have moved all sorts of things to convenient places that function better including my Racor. I think too many people get stuck in the "it was there so it must be true" kind of metality

 

[Stu Jackson]

You could consider installing

an electric fuel pump, like this one: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=2515.0Your idea about relocating the filter is good. I found the pump on the filter assembly to be impossible on my fingers, and pretty useless. If all you want to do is drain the water, open and/or remove the top nut, then open the bottom, Gravity will do the work. That's why there's that top nut, and why it's called the "vent."

 

[Dan Johnson]

Stu...

Thank you for that link to the NAPA fuel pump info. I'm planning to install a squeeze bulb between the Racor and the lift pump as the Racor is mounted at the back of my engine compartment where it's not easy to work the piston pump but easy to get at from the aft compartment to change the filter. If that doesn't work as planned I'm going to consider the "electronic" pump.Two questions: does the electronic pump run the whole time the engine is running? or, Do you use it just to bleed and prime the fuel system?A point should be noted that if you put a pump ahead of the Racor (tank-side), you risk over-pressurizing the filter's see-thru bowl and blowing out the small O-ring seal between it and the filter cannister itself. I've seen it happen.

 

[kaptaindave]

A few quick comments

I would 1) move the filter to where it makes sense, 2) mount any secondary fuel pump AFTER the filter (so you don't pressure the filter and so you don't treat the pumps screen protector as a filter.I would NOT under any circumstances add a hand primer to the fuel line. Not only does this go against the ABYC standards (since the primer cannot maintain its integrity if subject to two minutes of an open flame like all items an engine room) but it is not necessary. Yes, that stupid little lever is a joke but you should be able to use your engine's decompression level to allow you to turn your engine over via the starter in 30 second bursts with 30 second intervals of rest. That is what the decompression lever is for! Hope this helps.

 

[Rick9619]

Racor problems

Neil, I concur with the others here that you should move it. Tis really not that hard. If you havent checked it in a while, you may have to back the bleed screw off quite a bit before you will get the goo out of the bowl. Loosen the vent screw if you want. I personally dont but I check the bowls often so dont usually get build up. I cut up a plastic cup to fit under mine but my 336 is a different animal. After checking them, I bleed the system with my oil boy. I just unhook the feed line that goes to the mechanical pump and suck all the air out. Then reconnect and loosen bleed screw on secondary filter (downstream of the mechanical pump). And bingo! As Ross put it so well. The techy who put it there probably doesnt own a sailboat or has never had unexpected silence in the fog, in the channel, in the friggin dark. 10 micron for you primary, and 2 for the secondary. Electric pumps and bulbs.... eyewash and as stated, "illegal". IMHO of course. Would rather save money for the Akite.Cheers

 

[Stu Jackson]

Dan...glad it helped.

Two questions: does the electronic pump run the whole time the engine is running? or, Do you use it just to bleed and prime the fuel system?Yes, it does on our boat(s). The diesel fuel return takes care of any unburned fuel. You could wire it to run just when you want it to if the pump on the engine is OK to serve fuel to the diesel. Our tanks on our C34s are higher than the engines. Not so on C36s or maybe C30s. Some have also wired a disconnect switch right at the pump or in the engine compartment to be able to leave the key in the cockpit in the ON position and bleed the engine via the fuel filter while maintain the ability to turn the pump off without going back up to the cockpit. (M25 series engines).A point should be noted that if you put a pump ahead of the Racor (tank-side), you risk over-pressurizing the filter's see-thru bowl and blowing out the small O-ring seal between it and the filter cannister itself. I've seen it happen. One shouldn't do that anyway because the old pumps had a small filter in the bottom that got clogged. The Racor should always go first. Most Catalinas were piped incorrectly and it was a basic first fix for all skippers. Mine was piped that way and all other C34s started out that way - I never heard of that because the pump doesn't put out a lot of pressure, but if you say so, who am I to argue. Just another reason to FIX it if it's in wrong.

 

[Randy Trautman]

Moving the Filters?

I also have a 35 that I just bought. It has two filters in the engine compartment that are impossible to work on and prevents all access to the starboard side of the engine. I've been thinking about moving them to the cockpit locker near the fuel tank. I'd build some kind of cover to prevent damage.Any reasons why you wouldn't do this? Seems like it would be safer from a fire standpoint. If you have done this, I'd love to see a picture.Thanks,Randy

 

[Dan Johnson]

Thanks, Stu...

I was considering the electric pump in lieu of the squeeze bulb I was planning to put into the line between the Racor and lift pump. I asked the question to determine if fuel was passing through the pump with the engine running and the pump turned off. I was primarily interested in using it to prime and bleed the system. I may consider paralleling the bulb with the pump and use a push button it that's a problem.I believe the O-ring I saw blow out may not have been seated properly to begin with after a filter change. It was being hand pumped to fill the filter and bowl when it happened (no electric pump). It did create a minor waterfall of diesel until the tank valve was turned off to cut the flow.I'll have to take a look at my friend's C34 to see how it's plumbed and if it was fixed by a PO. That's a good point to know.