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Racor filter question

rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
Racor filter question-UPDATED

Hello All,
There is an old Racor FG200 filter on my E38. Its old but perfectly serviceable, I can still get elements for it so up till now I have had no inclination to change it out. However it started doing something weird. Normally the bowl is completely filled with fuel (clear bowl). Recently I noticed that the fuel level had dropped to about half full. Engine runs fine idle through cruise power. Level doesn't change. I removed the top, checked the O-rings, topped it off with fuel and tightened it back up. Now I can just see the fuel level at the top of the bowl again. I can't tell if the level is dropping, if it is, its very slow. I just tightened up the fuel line fittings pre-filter as I thought it maybe had the slightest air leak?

So anyone know if this is a symptom of anything? I was thinking slight air leak on the suction side maybe? Another long shot maybe the fuel lift pump is failing? Any ideas are appreciated.

I am extremely paranoid about fuel system problems as losing engine power into/out of my harbor will put me aground and likely on rocks.

Thanks, RT
 
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rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
The problem has been solved. Unfortunately it ruined my weekend as I figured it out while halfway to Cuttyhunk for a long weekend. Had to turn around, sail back and get SeaTow to tow me in to the mooring.

The diaphragm in the mechanical fuel pump had torn. This allowed diesel fuel to flow into the crankcase. I believe that the decreasing fuel in the bowl was the siphoning into the crankcase, slowly, when the engine was shutdown. Since it was a small amount of fuel I never noticed the increasing oil level.

Fast forward to this weekend past, I had to motor to Newport and then out the East passage in the morning, as there was no wind/wind on the nose. I almost never motor, only to leave my harbor. The result of several hours of motoring was a GALLON of diesel fuel in the crankcase. When I was under sail after a few hours of thinking about it, I pulled the dipstick and got a geyser of oil/fuel. Time to turn around and go home.

The repair was a blank-off plate where the mechanical pump was installed. A Facet electric pump as referenced here http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=7741 installed after the new Racor 500 and wired to the ignition switch. I will be wiring it through an oil pressure switch in the near future so it only runs while the engine is running. Lastly, I changed the oil/filter. Near as I can tell the engine is not damaged. It starts and runs normally, and I sea trialed it yesterday, pushing it to redline for about a half-hour and it ran great.

The long weekend was lost but at least I'm not buying an engine.

RT
 

Rocinante33

Contributing Partner
I will be wiring it through an oil pressure switch in the near future so it only runs while the engine is running.
RT

Rob,

It all sounds good to me except the part about wiring it through the oil pressure switch. One of the great things about an electric pump is the ability to bleed air from the fuel lines without starting the engine. Maybe I'm missing the point, but it seems you couldn't do that with the setup you are describing.:confused:
 

u079721

Contributing Partner
Rob,

It all sounds good to me except the part about wiring it through the oil pressure switch. One of the great things about an electric pump is the ability to bleed air from the fuel lines without starting the engine. Maybe I'm missing the point, but it seems you couldn't do that with the setup you are describing.:confused:


I'm not exactly sure where my electric fuel pump was patched in, but you had to have the ignition switch in the on position for the pump to run. The engine doesn't have to be running - just have the ignition to ON. In fact, if you left the ignition in the ON position after shutting down the engine, the only real way to tell from below was the tick, tick, tick, of the fuel pump.
 

EGregerson

Member III
Good work

Nothing drives me crazy like seeing something wrong; like a low fuel level; and not see what's causing it; or what damage it's doing. Then at the best possible moment, it bites you in the butt. At least you were clued in that something was up and kept an eye on things so it wasn't a total disaster. One more item to add to the 'watch' list.
 
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