I've been reading all the posts about changing the Racor. Tomorrow is the day!!!!! All the posts say to turn off fuel at the tank. Is there a valve on the fuel feed line or what is it that I need to look for? Thanks in advance!
The valve is on the tank at the very top of the fuel pick up tube. You access it by opening the beckson plate located at the forward end of the port cockpit seat locker or by removing the the port wall of the aft berth. An alternative method is to use vice grips as a clamp on the fuel line. Suggest using something ( leather, rags, etc) between the vice grips and the fuel line to prevent damaging the line. This is not a good method if your lines are starting to get old, may end up cracking them. A third, but messier method is to make a wooden plug, remove the line from the racor and plug it while you are changing the filter.
Which ever method you use, you will spill fuel. I always throw a couple days worth of newspapers into the space under the sink to catch what ever drops.
Wow, no one has added a petcock type arrangement yet?
I did. A few years back when I had to replace the fuel tank, it came with a new set of barbed connectors already screwed into the tank. Problem was, the dimension of the connector base was different from my old one, so I couldn't re-use the petcock from the old tank, which screwed into the tank top and had a barbed fitting for the fuel line, and couldn't easily find a new one. So rather than spending a lot of time running around trying to find one, I just bought an in line petcock and installed it a foot away from the Racor. Makes it easier to turn the fuel on and off right under the sink, as a bonus.
Ed
It's really easy to open and close the petcock at the tank. Going in through the beckson plate in the lazzerette was no big deal on my boat.
I have an inline petcock, will most likely install it next time I do a filter change. But getting to the Beckson's a good excuse to clean out the port locker... :D
We changed our filter element without closing the fuel line at the tank. We didn't get any fuel flowing until we turned the key and energized the fuel pump.
Thanks for the responses!
I have a valve at the Racor. It's screwed into the inlet side of the body, makes it very easy to turn off the fuel. In fact it got me in trouble one day motoring out, forgot to open it. went almost to the end of our channel on what fuel in in the bowl, went dead right at buoy 39. I knew right away what the problem was. Opened the valve turned on the key and in about three minutes the system was primed and the engine started. Now that valve is on my underway check list.
Ralph
Ciao Bella
I added a valve at the Racor, like Ralph.
Craig
What size fitting?
Any recommendation for an injector cleaning solution to fill my filter bowl with?
Lance : it's a SIMPLE matter to add in a ball valve in the fuel line just before the Racor filter. Then you don't have to screw around with the butterfly valve on the top of the tank !!
I've written this so many times I'm surprised you missed it. One of the best cleaner /additives is PS Service diesel additive sold at WallMart.
Sorry, but it gets frustrating writting up all this stuff to have people not read it, or not remember it, or not look it up.
Sorry it's been 103 degrees today with a heat index of 123. Have a happy day!!
A few thoughts
Thanks Ron. I understand your frustration. We have a TON of info on the site and sometimes one may not use the exact search terms. I try and search before I ask.
WOW!! I'm feeling froggy enough from the recent success of my Racor filter change that I too may try the installation of this new fangled in line petcock valve. :D
BTW.. What diameter is the fuel line inlet to the Racor?
Once again Ralph... I'm going to have to come over to your boat to see what you've been up to. :abd:
Quote from: Kevin Henderson on July 23, 2011, 08:57:14 AM
BTW.. What diameter is the fuel line inlet to the Racor?
3/8" supply, 5/16" return and a few very small lines between the injectors (1/4"?)
Kevin : The fuel line inlet is a barbed fitting for a 3/8" fuel hose. I believe that the fitting that screws into the Racor is a 3/8" NPT tapered thread.
What you can do is make a clamp out of a needle nose pliers and clamp off the fuel line (use a couple of thin wood strips to protect the fuel hose). Then remove the barbed fitting from the Racor, screw in the threaded ball valve fitting into the Racor and then the old fitting gets screwed into the other end of the ball valve. Reconnect the fuel hose, bleed the system and you're good to go!
I like to use non harding Permatex rather than Teflon tape on the threads, but that's your choice.
A few thoughts
Some Racors use tapered NPT and some use a straight fitting with an O-ring. Sorry, I can't remember which. Mine used the o-ring fittings.
Check out this site: http://fittingsforracor.com/default.asp
Criag
Interesting fuel filter change. My Racor doesn't have a 1/4 or 3/8ths fitting so the shut off valve project is shelved for a bit. Changed the filter easily enough. I thought I bled the filter enough by turning the knurled knob on top of the filter. Motor started up fine after allowing the pump to run a bit. I ran it for 10 minutes. shut her down. Next morning we went for a sail. Motored out of the slip and shut down -- no worries. Great day long sail. Started motor. Lowered sails. Started back in. Motor died. Hummm. Turned nob on top of filter to bleed. Wouldn't start. Traced fuel line, found the knurled knob on top of the motor (I guess this is the one I should have been bleeding through the whole time...) and opened it 1/4 turn and bled system. Motor started fine.
I'm glad I followed the advice of only change one at a time so you know which system you screwed up. Now I know how to PROPERLY Bleed the system! Glad I read about this on the site or I wouldn't have thought to look further down the fuel delivery process. I may have read it wrong; but, I'll remember it for life!
Lance,
Glad everything turned out fine. I too wondered about bleeding utilizing the valve on top of the filter. One day when Ralph was aboard Pau Hana he distinctly pointed out the bleed valve to be used that is mounted on the engine. Your experience has even more so solidified the fact. :abd:
Now on to the secondary filter!!!! Thanks so much to yous guys (Gender neutral statement...). I couldn't have done it so smoothly without you. :thumb:
Thanks, Lance, glad it worked for you. I added "...or the knob..." on the Racor to the Bleeding 101 topic: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6377.0.html (http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6377.0.html)
You need do NOTHING at the Racor except taking the filter off and replacing it.
The KNOB, as you say, is ON THE ENGINE, just like Bleeding 101 says.
Good for you.
Kevin : Let's recheck the fuel line sizes.
The main lines from the tank to the Racor/fuel pump/engine fuel filter/injection pump/ are all 3/8" diameter.
The fuel return is 1/4" diameter.
The lines from the aft most injector to where the fuel return line connects (and between injectors for the M25 only) are 1/8" or 3/16" lines.