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Easier fuel line bleeding

Dan Morehouse

Member III
We replaced fuel filters for the first time on my recently purchased E-38 a couple weeks ago. The engine mounted filter housing has a bleed valve on the top which requires climbing into the starboard lazarette to access...after unloading everything IN the lazarette and lifting out the big slide panel between the lazarette & the engine compartment. While bleeding the line, it requires heroic effort to reduce (not eliminate) the amount of fuel dribbling down the housing, coating everything in its path on its way to fouling the most inaccessible part of the bilge. The spectre of doing this someday under duress in a seaway in foul weather is appalling. Question: why couldn't a line be fabricated to run from the port for the bleed valve to a location near the front of the engine with a small petcock on the discharge end? It seems this would enable one to bleed the system quickly and easily without opening the lazarette, soiling the bilge, or contorting oneself while rain runs down the back of one's pants. What am I missing?

Dan Morehouse
E-38 "Next Exit"
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
AFAIK, by the mid-80's the Universal's have the bleed valve located at the return line point on the high pressure pump. That's the situation with my M25XP. There is no external escape of diesel when priming.

Which model engine do you have?

Hmmm... upon reflection, perhaps I just do not understand your problem!
Can you post a picture?
(I have been known to hold the digi camera inside a narrow-access compartment with one hand to get the best look...)
:)

Loren
 

Dan Morehouse

Member III
Loren,
Engine model is a 5432. Boat is 1981. The engine operator's manual & shop manuals are with the boat; all they show at the injector pump is a bleed screw...but the fitting you describe IS present. It has a small thumb wheel and appears to be connected to the return lines from the injectors. We wondered if that was its purpose, but aren't that familiar with diesels; maybe we bled the lines more conventionally because actually seeing air spitting out with fuel appealed to our need for visual confirmation. There is an electric fuel pump; maybe next round we ought to simply run the pump for several minutes and see if that suffices to chase all the air out the return lines & into the tank. Is it likely that the thumb wheel just operates a needle valve inside the body of the fitting? And if so, is there any consequence to the valve being open or closed while the engine runs?

Dan Morehouse
1981 E-38 "Next Exit"
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Dan, If I understand it right, the valve with the thumb wheel is for by-passing the high pressure pump, and returning the diesel directly to the tank thru the fuel return hose. I bleed our Universal with this, letting the Facet electric lift pump fill the filters and purge air out of the system. Engine then starts and runs normally for me.
I do know a mechanic that cracks open each injector pipe to let air out, and sez that what he does is the old time-honored method. He agrees that the little bleed valve on my Universal is a newer improvement.... He also likes the newer engines that even self bleed.
BTW, if you open that little valve when the engine is running, it should stop running due to starvation.

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=2998&referrerid=28
I found this thread near the top, when Searching with the word *bleeding*.

Hope this helps,
Loren
 
Last edited:

Dan Morehouse

Member III
Loren,
Many thanks for the help. After looking through the other thread, it sure appears that I already have the means to solve my problem. The fact that my manual doesn't show the bleeder valve or describe how it's used suggests it is an aftermarket addition...one I'm delighted to have.

Thanks again,
Dan Morehouse
E-38 "Next Exit"
 
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