Hi. It is a bummer when your out enjoying you boat and the engine suddenly starts to speed up. It coughs. Then goes dead. You reach for the key to restart it, but all that happens is the starter grinds away. STOP. You can cause more damage. It’s your fuel system. Your filters have been doing such a good job that now they are filled with the stuff you do not want in your engine.
To begin fixing the problem we need to have a common language
OP OBSERVATIONS: “It seems to me that the original secondary fuel filter doesn't have a see-through globe.”
The engine manufacturers put a fuel filter on the engine. Why? Because they knew that we would not know to add one and they would be blamed for the engine not working.
It usually is a small thing. It is called the primary engine fuel filter. It is normally made of metal. It takes a specific filter based on what the engineer at the factory decided would work best. Read the manual they printed to help you. It will specify a micron rating. Usually a 10 micron filter. (But not always. Read the manual and get the filter spec designed for your engine. It does not need to have the name of your engine manufacturer on it, though they would like you to buy their label. It helps their retirement fund.)
To meet ABYC standards it is made of metal.
ABYC standards for inboard fuel filter installations for gasoline or diesel engines require that filters installed within the engine space must be able to pass a two and one-half minute heat test as defined by ANSI/UL 1105. Gasoline and diesel filters that meet this requirement are generally equipped with a metal bowl. Filters with plastic sight bowls must be equipped with a metal heat shield to pass the test.
This primary usually runs clean if you add a secondary “water separater/filter” between the fuel tank and the engine. You will need to discover your own fuel filter change cycle.
@Rich Stidger’s suggestion of once every 4 years may work for you. Note that he is changing his secondary filter every 2 years. So a 2:1 frequency. I like to use an hour of running schedule. And the 2:1 schedule works for me.
Here is the Secondary I had...
And the replacement I installed in the my engine compartment.
I inspect the Secondary before I start the engine. Log the hours and change the filter when the vacuum gauge indicates the engine fuel pump is pulling too hard to get fuel.
So where are we.
- Primary filter on engine
- Filter housing to meet ABYC standards - metal heat shielding in engine compartment
- Secondary filter/water separater between engine and fuel tank
- Change filters on a schedule
- A vacuum gauge can help indicate filter clogging before engine stops from fuel starvation.
OP Conclusion:
If I'm right, I'm thinking that while debugging and servicing the engine, I should change that filter housing for a better one. And while I'm at it, I could probably setup a dual-filter arrangement.
You are headed in a good direction but suggest care is warranted.
You will be debugging the fuel tank and the fuel lines from the tank to the engine filter. Messy but not too technical. Just be sure to clean all of the lines and any fitting. The "fuel Bug" as they are called produce black bits (looks like Coffee Grounds) and a gelatin goo (that looks like a tiny jelly fish). This stuff gets into the filter and the right angle fittings clogging up the free flow of your fuel. A good blast of air or a plastic pick can get it all out and tossed. The tank may be a bit more of a messy job.
Or you can try the chemical destroy and filter method. That is what I employed. I used the recipe suggested in Practical Sailor magazine to add to the fuel. And I bought a bunch of 30 Micron filters for my Racor500 filter. I filled the tank and went cruising. As soon as signs of fuel starvation began to occur I stopped and changed the filter.
Here is what my clogged filter looked like.
I cleaned up my tank with the additives and now have fuel flowing with no problems.
Good luck. If I can do it any one can.
