[C320-list] New member/basic question

[Scott Westwood]

While talking about fuel priming.....I wanted to ask what this group thinks about this "enhancement" I heard about.
If you insert one of those squeeze bulbs (Priming bulbs) into the Diesel fuel line you can use that to get 95% (if not all) of the air out of the line.
We have a 90 year old sailor in our club that swears by it. (Still single hands his Siedleman 30) Instead of loosening injectors or using the little bitty lever pump, he inserted a squeeze priming bulb in the fuel line and he claims it speeds up his filter changes significantly.
I know it inserts another place for leaks but any experience with this out there?  Sounds too simple to not be done by everybody. 
Thanks,
Scott Westwood scottwestwood at bellsouth.net H (919)-362-8538    C (919)-618-7185

      From: Brad <bkuether at comcast.net>
 To: "C320-List at Catalina320.com" <C320-List at Catalina320.com> 
 Sent: Thursday, August 2, 2018 7:32 PM
 Subject: Re: [C320-list] New member/basic question
   
Agree with Troy this is NOT hard to do.

Changing your filters are the MOST important thing you can do, to keep your diesel running.  Mine has never given me any fits, save for a water pump, and that was just a thing, not due to lack of maintenance!

1 – CLOSE OFF THE FUEL VALVE!!!!!  Ask me why I know to say that first.  😊
2 – Put down paper towels to catch any minor spills.  I block up the weep holes as well.
3 – Either drain the racor, or find a way to drop the filter without spilling.  I have a setup with a plastic coffee can that allows me to drop it without draining.  YRMV
3 – Drain out the filter into some type of container.  I use a plastic coffee can.  See a pattern here?
4 – Remove the filter from the bowl.  Drain any remaining fuel.
5 – Wipe out the bowl.  If there is a lot of dirt, you may have to use a toothbrush or something to get all the dirt out.  Wipe it dry especially if you had to use water to clean it. 
6 – Using some of the fuel you drained, put a film on the gasket of the new filter.  Spin on the bowl. 
7 – Replace the top gasket that goes on the housing.  Put a film of fuel on that as well.  Spin it on to the specs on the filter.  (see the diagram)
8 – Clean up any residual drips or spills, I use 409 as it cuts grease.
9 – After changing the primary filter, prime using either the racor pump if you have one, or the fuel pump lift.  I do the latter.  Not sure why, maybe I like pain.  Check for leaks.  Bleed and fire it up!  

I will let someone else take you through changing the fuel filter.  I have a Yanmar 3YM30, and I know a lot of the older boats have the 3GM30F, so I don’t know exactly how they handle that.  The 3YM30 “self bleeds” and I don’t know if the procedure for the 3GM is the same. 

Good luck, have fun, and do this when it’s cool.  😊 

-Brad Kuether
SV Independence
2004 Catalina 320 #1006



Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Troy Dunn
Sent: Thursday, August 2, 2018 7:06 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] New member/basic question

Jack-

Congrats on your purchase.  Changing that fuel filter is way less
complicated than it looks and you will have plenty of access to it from the
aft berth.  There is a great video for how to change that filter here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub0zfW42mVo   If you don't have great
maintenance records for the vessel, you might want to consider changing
both the racor and the fuel filter soon.  In my experience you can skip
most of the advice about priming and simply use the racor pump to push fuel
to the injector pump and things should turn over fine.  If not...then you
can worry all the other ideas for getting the injectors primed.

The other potential item to keep an eye on for fuel leaks is the diaphragm
of the fuel lift pump.

If you have a relatively well adjusted stuffing box, you might consider
placing some paper towels in various strategic locations to see if any fuel
is dripping or seeping in any of the places mentioned in the above posts.

Good luck...hope you got it fixed.

Cheers-

Troy Dunn
S/V Wonky Dog
Hull #514

On Thu, Aug 2, 2018 at 6:22 PM, Jack Brennan <jackbrennan at bellsouth.net>
wrote:

>
> Hi Jeff:
>
> I'm fairly confident now that the fuel tank is not leaking -- I can't
> smell diesel anywhere -- but I suppose the proof will come on Monday, when
> I motor 12 miles over to the boatyard for a bottom job and new standing
> rigging.
>
> I figure that will cause any wayward fuel to move into the bilge and
> settle the issue.
>
> Daryl, I did find a smudge of fuel on the banjo itting for the secondary
> filter, so I am going to replace the washer once I get back from the
> boatyard.
>
> What a spot for that secondary filter, by the way. I'm not looking forward
> to changing it. It's hard up against the frame of the engine room.
>
>
> Jack Brennan
> 1998 Catalina 320
> Tierra Verde, Fl.
>
>
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>
>