[C320-list] Diesel Filter Changing Intervals

[Jeff Smith]

Sorry - premature send.

2. The Racor manual says that you should not use the Racor pump to bleed air from anything but the Racor filter housing. I know plenty of people on this site use that pump to bleed the entire system. The next step would be to open the bleed screw on the secondary filter. Use the lift pump (or the Racor pump) until you see fuel with no bubbles come from the opening.

3. If needed, you can follow the line from the secondary filter to the injection pump. There is an 8mm (I believe) screw that holds the single line going into the injection pump. You can loosen that screw and actuate the lift pump until you get fuel with no bubbles.

If the lift pump does not have any pressure, then turn the engine over without trying to start it.

4. If you need to bleed each injector, you would take the line loose going into each injector and turn the engine over until you see it exit the line.

Before I did all of this, though, I would check to see if the engine starts. If you filled both filters with diesel before you installed them, then you may not have any air in the system, especially if you shut the fuel off before you changed each filter.

Others may do it differently (starting from the engine and working backwards). I usually work in this direction if I am trying to diagnose a problem.

Good luck,

Jeff Smith
'94, #121

________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Jeff Smith <jeffreyssmith at live.com>
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2020 10:23 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Diesel Filter Changing Intervals

Charles,

I do not know of a video, but here are the steps that I use:


  1.  Bleed the Racor first. Open the bleed screw on the top of the Racor. Unscrew the knurled knob on the top of the Racor filter housing. This becomes a pump lever that you can actuate to cause diesel to fill the new filter. You will eventually see it spill from the bleed screw.


________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Charles Holbrook <charlesholbrook at ymail.com>
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2020 6:01 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Diesel Filter Changing Intervals

Joe:
Glad to hear your thoughts on changing filters.  I did change my filters 5 years ago when I bought my 95' Cat 320 but haven't done anything since then.  I am right now in the process of reinstalling my repaired fuel tank and thought I would change my filters now.  I am a bit nervous as I have never primed a diesel and am not sure how to do it.  When I bought the boat the yard primed the engine and like an idiot I did not watch.
Does any one know of a video on how to prime my Perkins 30?
Charlie Holbrook, Port Clinton, Ohio"Nautigirl"
    On Sunday, August 9, 2020, 07:10:29 PM EDT, sail-ability at sympatico.ca <sail-ability at sympatico.ca> wrote:

 I fully agree with all previous comments. My go to protocol is to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. I was a mechanical engineer in the military and we did a study on oil changes on military engines(you can’t get a more extreme environment than what the military puts engines through) we used SOAP (spectroscopy oil analysis programme) we learned we were dumping perfectly good expensive oil!
If you’re worried about it read the manual and do what’s recommended for routine maintenance. More frequently is just a waste of time and $$$$.
JohnM
1999#574

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 9, 2020, at 8:58 AM, Dave Hupe <hoopdtwo at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> I first changed my filters right after buying our boat.  I was concerned when the previous owner informed me he had never changed them (owned I think 6 years).  However, when changing them I was surprised how clean things seemed.  I just changed my filters again after 3 seasons .... Again seemingly very clean.  In the meantime I have checked my Racor very frequently and rarely drained very minor amounts of water/slime. Since my boat is 1994 I feel I should at least fully drain and polish the fuel, but haven't "bit the bullet" on doing that yet.
> I use a 10 micron racor filter and a Perkins OEM engine filter.  Does anyone know what micron the Perkins spin on filter is?  I think I read somewhere previously it is 2 micron, but Perkins won't reply to my inquiry about this.
>
> Dave Hupe1994 C320 #32Holland, MI
>