[C320-list] Perkins M30 Secondary Fuel Filter Mystery

[Warren Updike]

I, too, have a Perkins M30. I think that the return line enters the fuel tank at the top so there is no way fuel would return, via that line, unless under pressure. I can't imagine how you could routinely loose the prime without fuel showing up somewhere. Do let us know where this goes.

Warren and Pattie Updike
1994 C320 "Warr de Mar" #62

-----Original Message-----
From: Donald Poole [mailto:dpoole15 at gmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2014 12:20 PM
To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Perkins M30 Secondary Fuel Filter Mystery

I have discovered that after sitting overnight fuel is draining out of the
secondary filter housing ( evidenced by removing the bleed plug and seeing
no fuel - took a while and a lot of starting attempts and bleeding to find
this). This requires bleeding air from the fuel system every morning before
starting the engine. Of course before I discovered this I put my batteries
and starter motor through quite a workout. Now at least I know what I have
to do after my coffee each morning; although eventually I will wear out the
bleed bolt and washer so I really have to solve this. Also getting tired of
playing in diesel fuel every morning. There is no evidence of any fuel
leakage externally so I have assumed that the disappearing fuel is draining
back to the tank via the return line but I don't know why. Has anyone
experienced this and found a way to stop it? Could the fuel be going
somewhere else?