Water Separating Fuel Filter on a Yanmar 40hp (Racor)

[dirtchickn]

I was looking a used sailboats yesterday with a broker and on 2 of them (Catalinas) the Racor filter was under the aft cabin bunk and in a locker that seemed hard to access.

I questioned the broker about being able to change it if it clogged and he said the following.....

1. It won't clog often (lol)
2. B/C it is a 30 micron filter as recommended by Yanmar
3. b/c the fuel pump is weak on Yanmars
4. and that it could not be in in the engine compartment on the bulkhead (where i assumed it ought to be) b/c it had to be lower than the engine?

So, I ask those wiser than me.... WHY?

And yes, I said assumed.

Thanks, Rico

[DeepFrz]

Find a new broker.

[Calif.Ted]

I've had a couple Catalina's, both with filter placement as described, one with a Perkins. The most direct and level route from tank to engine would seem to be the reason. I changed filters on a '06 Jeanneau the other day that had filters in similar place. I'm under the impression that is a common placement on production boats built since the 90's or so. I've had a little crud show up in the separator in boats with ancient fuel but I've never had one clog, let alone clog when I felt compelled to change while underway.
And yes, a Yanmar fuel pump does LOOK small and dainty compared to others but it does the job intended.

[sailah]

My filters never clog. Because I polish my fuel and change the filters regularly. Wouldn't stop me from buying a boat. They aren't hard to relocate if you wanted to.

It doesn't have to be lower than the tank but it helps. My polisher filters are about level with tank top so not much lift. For some reason they won't pull a prime. Once the first filter is full of fuel it works fine.

[zeehag]

find new broker. my racor 500 fg is in engine compartment, barely, and below level of fuel pick up and perfect.
ps brokers usually know nothing about boats. any one can sell used cars and used boats without knowledge of the item being sold.

[Tom_F]

I have an '04 Yanmar-powered Jeanneau SO 40.3 and the Racor filter is in the same location you describe, although access on the Jeanneau isn't too bad. No issues so far, although we've only owned the boat for a little less than a year. For us, the filter is right near the fuel tank so placement makes sense. Good luck.

[yachtgemini]

Fuel filters can cause no problems for years and years with clean fuel and good maintenance practices. Therefore a difficult placement may seem like most boat related compromises a sensible thing at the time.

However, the Patron Saint of boaters called Murphy seems to pop up at the most unexpected and often dangerous moment. I could tell you lots of stories about very rough conditions having stirred the muck up the bottom of the tank. Usually, the muck arrives from the local marina rather than some exotic location and settles very nicely until that rough day when you really need that motor. If you sail often or long enough you will get caught out.

Now preventative maintenance does go a long way to preventing problems ( the hint is in the name) and in my opinion, one of the top 5 must do jobs on the boat.

However, I think it is inexcusable to have difficult access to such an essential elements of the boats systems. In addition, carry lots of spare filters and learn how to change it so it becomes near automatic. The Yanmar lift pump is good but I also have an inline electric fuel pump to help prime the filter or to give me a few minutes of extra operation in extremis conditions.

Ross

[djanis]

YES!!!!!!!

[captstu]

I would be VERY concerned about placing the fuel filter below the tank. A leak in the filter should suck air in but not leak fuel out.

Even a tiny leak moves your entire fuel load to your bilge giving you a fire hazard and a smell that never leaves your boat.

When I change filters, I pull the stuiff from the fuel drain on the bottom of the bowl into a clear empty soda bottle. Let it settle and pour the clear stuff back into the new filter to prime it.

On long trips where fuel source may be suspect, I carry about a pint of fresh fuel for priming when necessary.

check the bowl often, if it has water in it, clean it out of the tank before the dreaded black sludge grows.

[Lepke]

In a well thought out engine room, the primaries are usually below the day tank or at least below the usual level of built in tanks so that when the filters are changed, gravity fills the housing.
If you add a vacuum gauge after the primary, the gauge will indicate when the filters are nearing their end of use.
Your broker is probably equally skilled at selling used cars or shoes.

[Scout 30]

When changing a filter you don't have to spill much fuel for it to smell like diesel. The last place I'd want that is under a bunk.

[a64pilot]

Mine are well above the tank, and I want it that way.
Reason is if I ever have a leak, it will draw in air, if it were below the fuel level and I had a leak, then it would leak until the fuel level became level with the leak, filling the bilge with fuel.
You also do not want a fuel pump before the filters for the same reason, you want the filters in a vacuum so that any leak just draws in air and does not spray fuel.

Brokers are not mechanics or designers, they are sales people.
Ever met a car sales person that understood the engine or transmission of the cars they were selling? I never have.

[Jd1]

My Catalina has three fuel filters. The Racor at the problem location (30 micron), a tiny 60 micron filter just in front of the fuel pump and the filter on the engine itself (don't know micron rating).
The cubby hole where the filter is located is indeed a pain in the behind to access. It doesn't need changing often (thank God, it's worth it's weight in gold at close to $60 CAD) but that hole also has the raw water filter and the shaft packing nut in it. I HATE to have to access that location and usually procrastinate. The bunk is my primary sleeping area and has all kinds of blankets, pillows, bedding etc etc. It is at least an hours worth of overhead to access that end of things by the time you have removed the bedding, taken out at least one section of the mattress out of the room etc etc and then later reversed the procedure.
The 'why' .... just a standard boat compromise and I love the large sleeping area!

[SV Bacchus]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

When changing a filter you don't have to spill much fuel for it to smell like diesel. The last place I'd want that is under a bunk.

This was my first thought as well Scout, why put the filter under a bunk?

And spill you will, even if it's just a few drops.

I would be smelling Diesel all night.

[Lancerbye]

Anything bigger than a 10 micron filter as a primary filter is basically a waste of a filter. 10 micron for a primary and 2 or 5 micron as the secondary or engine mounted. Otherwise you will be changing the secondary often. As others have stated, under the bunk is a poor location. Should be above the tank also.