How to clean a Racor 500 housing?

[mestrezat]

I installed one of the 500 series filtration units earlier this year. We took some good bashing getting from Fiji to Tonga and it left some black residue on the fuel turbine fins on the unit. How do I get it off?
I've opened the bottom screw and turned on the small pump motor I use to bleed the system and the stuff stays on the turbine fins.
Any suggestions short of taking the entire thing apart?

[DeepFrz]

Take a look at Maine Sail's web site for a detailed how to.
Compass Marine "How To" Articles Photo Gallery by Compass Marine at pbase.com

[David M]

That's a great source for the members Deep, definitely worth a bookmark. Thanks!

I fixed the spelling of Racor, which is why you see the "edited".

[rebel heart]

I've just taken mine apart and cleaned them with a paper towel, then put them back together. Am I missing something here?

[mestrezat]

By "taking it apart", did you just take out the filter or did you totally dismantle the entire unit(take off the bottom cup assemble). If you took it apart, was it difficult? Need to replace seals?

[DeepFrz]

I've just taken mine apart and cleaned them with a paper towel, then put them back together. Am I missing something here?

I don't know. Take a look at the instructions and see.

[David M]

You can get a rebuild kit for the 500. If it has been a long time or you do not know when it was last rebuilt it is probably a good idea to get new seals.

[mestrezat]

Just put it in a couple of months ago.

[Stray-Cat]

I have pulled mine apart half a dozen times over the last 12 years , unscrewed the turbine ,washed it out with warm soapy water and dried with paper towels
I have never replaced a gasket, they remove in one piece

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by mestrezat

By "taking it apart", did you just take out the filter or did you totally dismantle the entire unit(take off the bottom cup assemble). If you took it apart, was it difficult? Need to replace seals?

Yeah pretty much. I'm not the most mechanical guy so I just kind of made a note of what went wear. I know I got the fuel bowls off (they unscrewed, if I remember) and the little wingnuts on the bottom. With the bowls off do you think you'd have enough room to hand clean the rest or do you want to keep disassembling? It's been a while since I did it, fortunately my fuel has been pretty clean and I've been staying on top of things.

[John A]

I took my unit apart and cleaned it every year before I left Trinadad for the next sailing season.
Knowing that I was delivering clean fuel to the injectors ment that I had one less thing to worry about.

[roverhi]

I took mine apart because it was totally gunned up. No problems putting it back together.