[C320-list] Changing Racor Filter

[Warren Updike]

Opinions on changing filters are like the nose: everyone has one.  

I had to re-read Herb's part about the fuel cutoff valve a couple of times to realize that as a "cutoff valve" he turns it on to stop the fuel.  In my mind, I turn the valve off to stop the fuel.  Either way, you don't want fuel to flow in the line when opening the Racor unit.

I don't concern myself with the screw-on bottom until I get the filter off.  To do that, I first loosen the filter slightly but not enough to leak.  Then, I place a small plastic tub under the filter, unscrew it and drop it into the tub.  Dump the rest of the fuel, top and bottom, and remove the bottom part.  Be sure to clean well the bottom part.  Take the black "O" ring out from the bottom part, wet it well with fuel, replace it and screw onto the new filter hand tight.  Be sure you can remove the bottom by hand at this point.  Wet out the new seal with fuel, fill the new cartridge nearly to the top with fuel and screw it into place, also hand tight.  Open the fuel line shutoff.  (Filling the new cartridge with fuel means that much less fuel to pump from the tank, and much less fuel to dispose of.)

My engine is a Perkins M30 so the bleeding procedure may be different; but, if you have the hand pump on the Racor, I can bleed the entire line to the secondary filter from the Racor.  As Herb described, loosen the bleed screw on the secondary (on Perkins it is a hex bolt; you can tell if this is the right one because a couple of threads down there is a hole through the screw.  When you can see the hole, it's unscrewed enough.)  Of course, use plenty of rags or absorbant towels.  Pump the Racor pump until only solid stream of fuel comes from the bleed screw, and close it.  I have never had to bleed the HP pump using this procedure, and I've never bothered with the lift pump as it has it's own set of issues.

Warren & Pattie Updike
C320, #62, 1994, "Warr De Mar"
Frog Mortar Creek, Middle River
Chesapeake Bay