Racor 500 Filter

Gunni

.
Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Unfortunately, I believe you are going to have to pull the tank, cut some access ports, clean the bio-growth and install plates:
http://www.downwindmarine.com/SeaBuilt-Tank-Access-Plates-p-91002326.html

An installed drop tube with fitting to fit an oil extractor would allow you to periodically remove tank bottoms (water). Pumps emulsify water, so it would be best to have the pump AFTER the filter. Draw the fuel with water into the filter and let it do it’s job. My tank has a drain plug at the low point, which could be fitted with a petcock for draining tank bottoms.

Believe those Catalina tanks are baffled and that bio growth will dog you until it is scrubbed out. Biobor really does seem to prevent it, but it won’t dissolve it.
 
Last edited:
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
My Racor 110A was mounted in the worst location possible right from the factory ......... right over a run of wires and hoses. Near impossible to change the filter element without many, many rags and poly sheet to protect what's underneath. Finally got around to re-locating the filter further back in an aft compartment as shown:

Fuel Filter and Lift pump R.jpg


Only 1/2" under the filter now but unscrew the nuts holding the filter in place and work with the filter sitting in your lap. Double nuts (shown) were only temporary - nylock nuts now hold the filter body in place.
 
Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
A comment on OEM location for parts like this...
Production boat building is all about speed (i.e. labor cost) and systems engineering that is "good enough" for maybe a decade.
Never be afraid to upgrade these systems and even change some parts locations. There are often better ways to do this stuff, but you will need to invest your time and energy to figure them out.
Lucky you- there are lots of other owners to share their solutions on great sites like this. :)
You are preaching to the wrong group. C310 owners make modifications all the time.
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
It's highly likely that the tank on the 310 is the same as most of the Catalina's. Inaccessible beyond "you can see it" and not a likely candidate for access ports.
 
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KZW

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May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
It's highly likely that the tank on the 310 is the same as most of the Catalina's. Inaccessible beyond "you can see it" and not a likely candidate for access ports.
Quite true!
 
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