Fuel system questions

[shanagolden]

I'm in the process of replacing my fuel tank with a shiny clean new one, although work has been on hold with the snowmagedon and arctic temperatures in Boston over the last couple of weeks. The new tank came with 2 large clean-out ports that will be a huge improvement over the old one. I'm also thinking of updating the primary fuel filter with a modern racor (the original Dahl 60 works but is 29 years old). The facet fuel lift pump I think is original too. It has a paper filter cartridge that is a bear to change. You have to wiggle it for a long time to get it out - same going in -skinned knuckles and swears. So my questions are what is the best racor model fuel filter and facet lift pump to go with my old 25M engine. thanks for help and comments. This coming season I'm going to have the cleanest fuel in Boston Harbor. Shanagolden

[Dave Spencer]

Shanagolden,
I have a Racor filter mounted under the head sink.  I use R24S filters.  This is a 2 micron filter which some may think is too fine for the first filter but it has served me well for several years.  The body for this filter is the Parker / Racor R220.  It has a max flow rate of 30GPH which is far more than adequate for my M35A.
I'm sure others will chime in with their setup.
Here's a pic.

Two inspection ports in your new tank is a great idea.  I wish I had that in mine when I pulled my tank a few years ago and cleaned it with acetone as Ron Hill describes in the Tech Wiki.
Let us know how your installation goes.

[Stu Jackson]

From the "101 Topics":

Fuel Pumps 101 including Pictures of Napa Fuel Pumps   http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,2515.15.html

As far as primary filters are concerned, older boats had the Dahl, although our 1986 came with the Racor that Dave showed.  Newer filters are the Racor 500 model, my understanding is thast the housing is more expensive but the filters are less expensive.

ITWMB, and I had no trouble getting the Dahl filters, I'd keep it.  All three are more than adeaute for any engines installed in C34s.  Our engines "sip" 1/2 to 1 gallon an hour and these filters are rated for way more flow than that.

[Noah]

I had a 500 series installed in my 1990 25XP 4 mo. ago and recommend it. Drop-in cartridge filters are cheaper and easier to change.

[KWKloeber]

I'm in the process of replacing my fuel tank with a shiny clean new one, although work has been on hold with the snowmagedon and arctic temperatures in Boston over the last couple of weeks. The new tank came with 2 large clean-out ports that will be a huge improvement over the old one. I'm also thinking of updating the primary fuel filter with a modern racor (the original Dahl 60 works but is 29 years old). The facet fuel lift pump I think is original too. It has a paper filter cartridge that is a bear to change. You have to wiggle it for a long time to get it out - same going in -skinned knuckles and swears. So my questions are what is the best racor model fuel filter and facet lift pump to go with my old 25M engine. thanks for help and comments. This coming season I'm going to have the cleanest fuel in Boston Harbor. Shanagolden

I replaced the Dahl w/ a Racor 220.  Works fine for me for past 20 years - I like the spin-on cartridges.

BTW, don't let the misleading, 2-micron sales info from Racor on the cartridges fool you.  They are not 2-micron filters.  I did an extensive investigation on filter efficiency ratings from several mfgrs, and although Racor finally admitted to me that they are not really 2u by current test standards I still use them (despite the mis-truth in advertising.)

Ken K

[Ron Hill]

Guys : If you are going to redo the fuel system here's an idea :

We all know the fuel filters are backwards in the fuel system.  The course filter should be first (from the tank) and the fine filter second just before the fuel goes into the injection pump.
Solution - remove the engine mounted filter (only held by 2 bolts) and remount it just before the Racor.

It's getting busy under the head sink, but it can and has been done!!  
Also instead of leaving the engine mounted courser filter to be changed every 5 years because the finer Racor is first, you could reverse that to leaving the the more expensive Racor to a 5 year change!  You'd still need to periodically drain any water from the Racor, as the Spin-On engine filter doesn't separate the water from fuel.  

A thought

[KWKloeber]

Guys : If you are going to redo the fuel system here's an idea :

We all know the fuel filters are backwards in the fuel system.  The course filter should be first (from the tank) and the fine filter second just before the fuel goes into the injection pump.
Solution - remove the engine mounted filter (only held by 2 bolts) and remount it just before the Racor.

It's getting busy under the head sink, but it can and has been done!!   

A thought

There's a couple ways of looking at this......

First,  a filter's efficiency depends (in part)  on the surface of the media developing a 'filter cake'.". So it makes no sense to mount any filter on a vibrating engine. 

The Universal filter could be thought of as 'last resort'  protection, such that if the Racor or Drahl blows out, is when that kicks in.   So in that light the secondary filter might be changed only every 3-5 times that the primary is changed.

Kk