[C320-list] Fuel filter bleeding

[Jeffrey Hare]

Well, I guess the best logical explanation we seem to be getting here is "my
guy says so" which doesn't do much to appease the engineer in me. :)  

Perhaps we should find another person at the Yanmar factory and ask them
too.  The Yanmar factory guy we asked last year at the C320 regatta said
Yanmar switched to using 2 micron filters.  10 years ago they probably WERE
installing 10 or 15 micron filtration systems on the engine.  I don't
question whether our local diesel goddesses are capable and amazing
mechanics, just whether they are fully current with Yanmar's current
recommendations? 

I guess since Yanmar factory ships our engines today with 2 (or 3?) micron
engine filters installed, that tells me anyway that they want 2 micron
filtration protection for their injectors. I guess however you get that
level of filtration, by the time the fuel gets to the injectors, is probably
just fine.

Here's the reasoning I'm following anyway:
=========================================
Since the engine mounted filter is so physically small and has so little
filtration surface area, that I just consider it a "last chance" filter.
It'll clog pretty quickly if I get really bad fuel or stir up the gunk on
the bottom of the tank.  If I use the large surface area of the Racor as my
main filter and separator, I'll never have to change the engine filter in an
emergency, just the primary. 

If you think about it, if you get dirty fuel, it's going to have more
suspended fine material than big stuff, so the big stuff probably won't clog
the larger Racor before the fine material clogs the engine mounted filter.
My goal was to avoid ever having to change both filters underway if I got a
clog.  The engine is going to be HOT and changing the engine mounted filter
in rolling seas on a hot engine isn't my idea of joy. I'd rather just
quickly change the Racor, bleed a little air from the secondary and be back
topside as quick as possible (retaining my lunch preferably). :)

All that said, I have a single 2micron filter on my tractor's yanmar diesel
engine fuel line that's about the same size as our 3GM engine filter. It
hasn't clogged up in almost 9 years (550 very dusty engine hours).  So, in
the end, maybe it's not that critical.  (Hmm... Maybe it's time to change
that one...)

Good luck with whatever choices you make!

Cheers!
-Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Kurt Budelmann
Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 9:57 AM
To: C320-List
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Fuel filter bleeding

FWIW, my Yanmar dealer, Inland Marine Diesel recommended against using the 2

micron primary filter and instead recommended the 30 micron filter, R15p.

__
Kurt Budelmann
Everwind, Catalina 320, #1035


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Thompson" <sthompson at toad.net>
To: "C320-List" <c320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 9:49 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Fuel filter bleeding


> All excellent advice.  In steps 2 and 3 I find it very handy to use an oil

> filter wrench of some sort on the Racor cartridge.
>
> The Racor filter element should come with a new gasket.  I forget if it 
> also includes a new O-ring for the bowl.  When you are removing the filter

> element from the Racor in step 2, pay careful attention to the orientation

> of the gasket on top.  It has a top and a bottom and is not symmetrical. 
> If you reinstall the new one upside down then it will leak.  By looking at

> the old one when you remove it you can learn which is the top.  I need to 
> write this down in my service notes, but somehow never have.
>
> At the beginning of step 9, do not start the engine while the bleed screws

> are still open.  They need to be closed first.
>
> I usually replace the Yanmar secondary filter on the engine at the same 
> time as the Racor.  It's cheap and I'm bleeding the system anyway, so why 
> not.  You have to pump more fuel during the bleeding process this way, but

> with the little pump on the Racor that's easy.  Plus the lifting and 
> tapping in step 6 seems to be unnecessary when you do both at once.
>
>
> Jeffrey Hare wrote:
>> Hi Crosby,
>>
>> If the clear bowl does not have any water or sediment, then there's 
>> simply
>> no reason to bleed it from the bottom of the filter.  That's just how you
>> drain excess water from the separator should it collect any.  And if you 
>> are
>> just draining the water/sediment from the bowl, you want to leave the 
>> fuel
>> tank stopcock open.  Then there will be no need to bleed anything after
>> doing this, as you've not introduced any air into the system.
>>
>> When changing the Racor filter, that's a different story.  You should do
>> this with a full fuel tank so that you have an easier time with the 
>> bleeding
>> process.
>>
>> 1) In this case, you would shut off the fuel tank stopcock.
>>
>> 2) Unscrew the Racor filter (leaving the plastic bowl in place at this
>> point).  Many people use large ziplock bags slipped up around the filter 
>> to
>> keep any diesel from spilling into the bilge.
>>
>> 3) Unscrew the bowl from the bottom of the Racor, clean it and put it 
>> back
>> on the new filter, reinstall the new one not too tight.
>>
>> 4) Reopen the fuel stopcock.
>>
>> 5) Loosen the flat white plastic cap flush on the top of the filter and 
>> this
>> should allow fuel to free-flow and fill the filter and bowl.  When you 
>> get
>> clean fuel with no bubbles out of the top of the filter vent, tighten the
>> cap up and move on to the next step.  (replacing the engine mounted 
>> filter,
>> or just bleeding the line)
>>
>> 6) On the top of the engine-mounted fuel filter, there should be a bleed
>> screw. If done properly, this should be the only other place you need to
>> bleed air from.  I suggest following the fuel hose from the Racor and
>> lifting it and tapping on it to move any bubbles that may be in the line 
>> to
>> work their way up to the secondary filter on the engine.  7) Once you're 
>> pretty sure any major bubbles have moved along, loosen the
>> bleed screw on the top of the engine mounted filter, and slip a ziplock 
>> bag
>> around it.
>>
>> 8) There is a white plastic knob on the top of the Racor.  It is a manual
>> fuel pump and works much better than the fuel lifter lever on the engine.
>> Unscrew this and gently/slowly pump this until you get no bubbles out of 
>> the
>> engine filter's bleed screw.
>>
>> 9) Run the engine for at least 15 minutes and if possible put it in gear
>> after the engine is warm.  If it stalls, then you didn't get all the air 
>> out
>> and you'll likely need to bleed one more place (but not at the 
>> injectors).
>> Find the high pressure fuel pump where the thin metal fuel tubes exit to
>> feed the injectors.  This unit has a bleed screw and just loosening this
>> screw should vent the remaining air. You could try pumping the racor pump
>> again to be sure you get just fuel, no bubbles or foam.
>>
>> There are more clearly written procedures for this elsewhere, but I 
>> didn't
>> have them on hand.
>>
>> By the way, You should be using an R15S filter 2 micron (not an R15P) for
>> both the Racor and the engine mounted filter.  That's what the Yanmar 
>> Techs
>> and our local Yanmar Dealer/installer recommend.  It's just silly to use 
>> a
>> fine engine mounted filter preceeded by a 10, 15 or 20 micron filter on 
>> the
>> Racor, because now you're practically guaranteed to need to change both
>> filters every time you change a clogged or dirty Racor.
>>
>> The engine mounted filter is really just a trap for anything that gets by
>> the racor during filter changes.
>>
>> -Jeff H.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
>> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Crosby Roper
>> Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 12:56 PM
>> To: c320-list at catalina320.com
>> Subject: [C320-list] Fuel filter bleeding
>>
>> Hi all,
>>  I need some advice on bleeding the primary fule filter (Racor RP15) on 
>> my
>> yanmar Y3M30. The clear jar at the bottom does not reveal any water or
>> sediment, but I have not done it before and it's well overdue. Two basic
>> questions
>>  1) Do I leave the stopcock from the fuel tank open or closed when 
>> bleeding
>> from the bottom of the filter?
>>  2) Will I need to bleed air from the system after I do this, and if so 
>> can I
>> stop bleeding at the secondary filter or do I need to bleed all the way 
>> to
>> the injectors.
>>  Any advice is appreciated (unless its bad....)
>>  Crosby Roper
>> Tehtys Hull # 1504
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> Explore the seven wonders of the world
>> http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=7+wonders+world&mkt=en-US&form=QBRE
>>
>>
>