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Fuel Filters
Depends on how big a mess you mean! First, close the valve at the fuel tank. Then drain the bowl into an old container (peanut butter or even a soda plastic bottle). Put paper towels or other catch-it stuff below, and unscrew the filter. Have somewhere to put the filter once it's off. Don't forget to check the filter inside the electric fuel pump. Many Catalinas came with the fuel pump first and then the filter. The filter should be first. Easy to repipe. You didn't mention what engine you have. If it's the M25, the secondary filter on the engine is easy since it's screwed on top up, shouldn't leak a drop. Follow the instructions on the filters, like putting oil on the seals before you replace the new ones. Bleeding is easy -I put it off too long for fear. Once you replace the filters, open the fuel tank valve. Just loosen the vent screw on the Racor first, turn on the engine key to get the electric fuel pump running (but don't turn over the engine) and this will fill up the Racor. The loosen the bleed screw on the secondary filter on the engine, until you get fuel and tighten. Finally, loosen the thumbscrew air bleed at the injectors and you're done.
Depends on how big a mess you mean! First, close the valve at the fuel tank. Then drain the bowl into an old container (peanut butter or even a soda plastic bottle). Put paper towels or other catch-it stuff below, and unscrew the filter. Have somewhere to put the filter once it's off. Don't forget to check the filter inside the electric fuel pump. Many Catalinas came with the fuel pump first and then the filter. The filter should be first. Easy to repipe. You didn't mention what engine you have. If it's the M25, the secondary filter on the engine is easy since it's screwed on top up, shouldn't leak a drop. Follow the instructions on the filters, like putting oil on the seals before you replace the new ones. Bleeding is easy -I put it off too long for fear. Once you replace the filters, open the fuel tank valve. Just loosen the vent screw on the Racor first, turn on the engine key to get the electric fuel pump running (but don't turn over the engine) and this will fill up the Racor. The loosen the bleed screw on the secondary filter on the engine, until you get fuel and tighten. Finally, loosen the thumbscrew air bleed at the injectors and you're done.
Coffee can and lots of rags.
Jim: I am not sure what boat/motor you have! Before you start you want to have a coffee can to place all of the old stuff in (old filter and the liquids). Be sure that you have some of those oil-sorb cloths under the areas that you may drip on. You also want to have some clean absorbant cleanup rags to wipe everything down. Be sure to pull back any carpeting that is in the area. You can clean up oil and diesel fuel off of wood and fiberglass much easier than any type of fabric. Don't hurry it up and have an electric fan blowing on you to keep you cool. A cold beverage and a helper around to shag you the thing that you forget also help. Changing the filters and the oil is not the most pleasant job, so I always try to do them at the same time so I do not have to do it again any too soon (once a year). The only thing that makes this easier is to have someone do it for you.
Jim: I am not sure what boat/motor you have! Before you start you want to have a coffee can to place all of the old stuff in (old filter and the liquids). Be sure that you have some of those oil-sorb cloths under the areas that you may drip on. You also want to have some clean absorbant cleanup rags to wipe everything down. Be sure to pull back any carpeting that is in the area. You can clean up oil and diesel fuel off of wood and fiberglass much easier than any type of fabric. Don't hurry it up and have an electric fan blowing on you to keep you cool. A cold beverage and a helper around to shag you the thing that you forget also help. Changing the filters and the oil is not the most pleasant job, so I always try to do them at the same time so I do not have to do it again any too soon (once a year). The only thing that makes this easier is to have someone do it for you.
Racor 500
I recently replaced the Racor 110's on my Hunter with Racor 500's for the following reasons: 1) Much easier and cleaner to change. Just unscrew the T handle on top, lift out the old paper filter cartridge, drop in the new one, screw the top back on. 2) The larger filter cartridges (500's) are cheaper than the 110's, which are half the size. Go figure. Anybody need some leftover 110 cartridges ? Also, the price of the large 500 filter system (the whole unit) is less than the beer can sized 110. 3) The larger surface area of the 500's means more time between changes, or before the filter clogs and kills the engine on those rough passages.
I recently replaced the Racor 110's on my Hunter with Racor 500's for the following reasons: 1) Much easier and cleaner to change. Just unscrew the T handle on top, lift out the old paper filter cartridge, drop in the new one, screw the top back on. 2) The larger filter cartridges (500's) are cheaper than the 110's, which are half the size. Go figure. Anybody need some leftover 110 cartridges ? Also, the price of the large 500 filter system (the whole unit) is less than the beer can sized 110. 3) The larger surface area of the 500's means more time between changes, or before the filter clogs and kills the engine on those rough passages.
Fuel filters
Loosen the filter a bit, then cover the filter with a zip lock bag. The bags are available in different sizes (quart, 2 quarts, gallon, etc.), so buy them to fit the size of filter you have. Once the filter is covered with the bag, you can still unscrew the filter/bag combo completely off. Once the filter is removed, zip the bag closed, the filter is "contained", with no mess. Also works on oil filters removed during an oil change. Messy liquids like diesel or oil can be absorbed inside the zip-lock by adding a disposable diaper to the zip-lock before covering & removing the filter.
Loosen the filter a bit, then cover the filter with a zip lock bag. The bags are available in different sizes (quart, 2 quarts, gallon, etc.), so buy them to fit the size of filter you have. Once the filter is covered with the bag, you can still unscrew the filter/bag combo completely off. Once the filter is removed, zip the bag closed, the filter is "contained", with no mess. Also works on oil filters removed during an oil change. Messy liquids like diesel or oil can be absorbed inside the zip-lock by adding a disposable diaper to the zip-lock before covering & removing the filter.
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