[C320-list] ENGINE FUEL PRIME

[John morrison]

Thanks to all who contributed to this discussion. I was in the process of changing the secondary filter on the engine when I discovered that the air bleed screw was loose; I’m sure I tightened it!! Anyhow with new filter and new crush and nylon washers all’s good.
What a great forum.
JohnMorrison
1999#574
> On May 15, 2022, at 10:32 AM, Jeff Smith <svsailmates512 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Ron,
> 
> Good question. I do occasionally switch just to ensure the mechanism still
> works, then I switch back to the primary.
> 
> I also switch when I change my filters annually. I go from one to the other
> and then only change the one filter.
> 
> Jeff
> #121
> 
> On Fri, May 13, 2022 at 5:36 PM RONALD HODEL <ronandgail2 at me.com> wrote:
> 
>> Jeff,
>> How long can diesel remain in the unused filter that is sitting in waiting?
>> Ron Hodel
>> 1070 Lokomaikai
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On May 13, 2022, at 8:35 AM, Jeff Smith <svsailmates512 at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> I can confirm the vacuum gauge is nice. My boat has a dual Racer
>> system. If I notice my vacuum getting into the red, I immediately switch to
>> the secondary Racor. My boat also has the shut-off prior to the Racor. One
>> thing I added was an electric fuel pump between the fuel tank and the
>> Razor. I did this to assist with bleeding the fuel system after filter
>> changes. It is better than using either the Razor plunger or the lift pump
>> to bleed the system.
>>> 
>>> Jeff Smith
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On May 13, 2022, at 11:21 AM, RONALD HODEL <ronandgail2 at me.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> I love all the advice and ideas. One thing I did was put a fuel shut
>> off valve right before the racor filter. That way I don’t have to dive down
>> to the fuel tank to turn off the fuel before changing the racor filter. (It
>> just may be that I learned that the hard way).
>>>> 
>>>> Ron Hodel
>>>> 1070 Lokomaikai
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>> 
>>>>>> On May 13, 2022, at 7:14 AM, Jeff Hare <Catalina at thehares.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Troy,
>>>>> 
>>>>> That's a really good list.  There's an alternative to #2 which we did
>> for 20 years in Woodbine.
>>>>> 
>>>>> We always ran an R15S filter in the primary Racor and the Yanmar
>> recommended 10u(?) engine mounted filter and changed the Racor every year.
>>>>> 
>>>>> The R15S is a 2u filter. If you end up with a clogged filter, you can
>> be fairly certain that you only need to change the Racor to get running
>> again.  The engine mounted filter is intended to be a safety for anything
>> that slips by the primary Racor during fuel line servicing or primary
>> filter change that would be damaging to the injectors. The tech from Mac
>> Boring and our local Yanmar dealer/installer/mechanic at Merri-Mar both
>> explained the same thing to me independently back when we bought our boat.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Instead, if you follow the old-timer's advice of going with 15u or 30u
>> filters in the Racor, followed by the stock Yanmar engine filter, you can
>> be fairly certain that if you ever get a clogged filter, you'll have to
>> change both the engine and the Racor filters. Filters don't tend to clog at
>> the dock, so that's a lot more work underway and probably in unkind
>> conditions. You could also find that the engine filter (having so much less
>> surface area) will get fully clogged well before the Racor and you still
>> wouldn't know for sure whether you needed to change the Racor as well or
>> not.
>>>>> 
>>>>> The R15S filter allows a much higher fuel flow rate than the fuel pump
>> can move anyway, so there's little concern of starving the system. Using
>> this approach, we changed the Racor every season and only changed the
>> engine mounted filter every 3 or 4 years and the one we removed appeared
>> just as clean as the one we removed. The Racor was always discolored when
>> changed. In a large Diesel that moves a ton of fuel, this could be more of
>> an issue.
>>>>> 
>>>>> We also installed a shutoff valve at the outflow side of the Racor so
>> that we could isolate the Racor when changing it and minimize the chance of
>> getting debris in the line during the change and make it far easier to
>> bleed. Anything that did get in the line during that would either be
>> stopped by the engine filter or is small enough to safely pass.
>>>>> 
>>>>> That's worked flawlessly for us for 20 years owning Woodbine.
>>>>> 
>>>>> One thing we had considered was putting an inline vacuum gauge between
>> the Racor and the fuel pump to get a better sense of when the filter needed
>> to be changed, but a bright flashlight through the clear bowl has worked
>> well enough (but decidedly unscientific). Just something I never got around
>> to and never actually needed.
>>>>> 
>>>>> -Jeff Hare
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf
>> Of Troy Dunn
>>>>> Sent: Monday, May 9, 2022 7:45 PM
>>>>> To: C320-List at catalina320.com
>>>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] ENGINE FUEL PRIME
>>>>> 
>>>>> John-
>>>>> 
>>>>> Free advice in no particular order.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 1) There are copper crush washers between all the banjo fittings.
>> These
>>>>> are super cheap and throw away.   Attempting to reuse and/or tighten
>> them
>>>>> down rarely works out, or if it does only for a little while.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 2) Change the smaller filter on the engine once a year.   Is it 100%
>>>>> necessary, no but it's super cheap and super easy.  Do not attempt to
>> reuse
>>>>> the oring.   Seat the filter by hand then just gently put the oring and
>>>>> filter housing in place, tighten that little band by hand and then
>> gently (very gently) tap the band home with a flathead acrewdriver.  You
>> just need to snug it up, do not over tighten.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 3) bleed seal is a nylon like material.   It is reusable so long as you
>>>>> simply get it snug and then gently 'nip' it a fraction of a turn like
>> maybe a tenth of a turn.  Overtightening will turn that seal into a once
>> and done
>>>>> as well.   Definitely replace it this time since you probably don’t
>> know
>>>>> how it was abused in the past.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 4)I’m a tad concerned that you are losing as much prime as you are and
>> that you aren’t finding diesel somewhere on your engine or in your engines
>>>>> special little self contained bilge area.   The fact that you hear air
>>>>> escaping is not a good sign.   Are you sure it isn’t the diesel return
>> line
>>>>> you hear?   Probably not since you are saying the noise is on the
>> starboard
>>>>> side.    The fuel filter is a good candidate for leaks but generally it
>>>>> will be very ‘oily’ with diesel and should drip noticeable.   Another
>> item
>>>>> that can leak is the fuel lift pump.   There are two possible
>> mechanisms at
>>>>> play.    There is a diaphragm that can leak at the seal.    Check that
>> for
>>>>> sure.  It’s  easy to simply replace the lift pump.  The lift pump
>> diaphragm can also fail and that can be bad news because it could
>> potentially be
>>>>> leaking fuel into your engine.   I think you can check the oil to see
>> if it
>>>>> looks funny.  If it does look funny,  I’d get a real diesel mechanic
>> involved.  You can easily replace the lift pump and contaminated oil but I
>> have no idea how one 'rinses' out the engine of fuel contaminated dirty oil…
>>>>> 
>>>>> Good Luck
>>>>> 
>>>>> Troy Dunn
>>>>> Hull #514
>>>>> 
>>> 
>>