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Electric Fuel Pump trouble shooting

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=3404&highlight=facet

Rather than patching on some more fixit information to this prior electric fuel pump thread, I will just reference it first.

I just changed fuel pumps (again) and now have a new Facet (aka Universal) electric pump.
The story of this replacement might be of interest to other Universal or Westerbeke diesel owners.

Background: I recently changed out the Racor and engine spin-on filters. I tried to get it to bleed thru and start, but no joy.
In trouble shooting this I learned a little something that you may not have thought of.

I talked this over with two friends that are professional marine diesel mechanics, and my "problem" took both of them off guard, too.
1) I gave up too easily on pulling new diesel thru the Racor, which is on the suction side. I should have followed prior advice on this very forum about totally filling it to the top with diesel to speed up the slow re-fill process.
2) The refill process was slow partly because I was using the "stock" Racor two micron filter element that came with the new filter assembly.
3) When I asked my local Universal dealer for filter advice as well as my mechanic, both said that a ten micron was best. The lift pump is working too hard pulling fuel thru the two micron version. The spin-on filter on the engine may be a two micron anyway, although Universal does not specify this.

When I first tried, for many minutes at a time, to run the electric pump to fill the filter(s) and bleed out the system, it would make a buzzing noise and every so often emit a loud click. I assumed (there's that word...) that the pump was going bad on me.

Basic trouble shooting for a diesel is make sure that it has the three things it is said to need in order to run: fuel, fuel, and fuel. For any engine with an electric lift pump, it turns out that you also need..... 12 actual volts DC.
:rolleyes:

After I replaced the existing pump and found that nothing changed, things turned somewhat blue in the engine compartment. Those pumps are not cheap.
Since I had already checked the system all the way back to the tank I finally next took a look at the pump wiring.
As you know, when these (and virtually all other) boats are built, the engine and panel wiring harness is pre-assembled and once the engine and panel is in place, that harness is connected with a large multi-wire plug, inside the engine compartment. It is also wrapped with some tape and seems like it's joined for the ages. Well, after a couple of decades it turns out that there can be some resistance building up inside those push-together connectors. :mad:

I finally found out where the problem was when the buzzing pump was powered up, and I started manipulating that purple wire inside the engine compartment. When I moved it right at the old plastic plug the pump started clicking loudly and furiously.
So I belatedly get out the multimeter and check the wire at the engine panel and at the pump -- almost a volt was missing!

Since that plug proved to be really difficult to get apart, I by-passed it with a new #14 purple wire and suddenly I have loud clicking and the same 12 volts at panel and pump.

Finally, then, by filling the Racor really full, changing to the 10 micron filter, and running the pump for less than a minute, I had fuel all the way to the knurled valve knob at the injector pump fitting and then splashing back into the tank.
A easy startup followed!
:)

This probably only happens once in a very great while, but still... something to think about when checking your lift pump.

Regards,
Loren
 
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Steve

Member III
10 versus 2 - Universal filter manufacture?

I think you will find that the engine spin-on is also 10 microns. At least when the Universal# is crossed over to NAPA (Wix). I have been unable to verify that the Universal branded filter is actually 2 microns. I would be interested if anyone has some info on this, plus who actually makes the Universal filter? Or perhaps should we be looking at filters from our local Kubota tractor dealer? I've had good luck with NAPA so far... Loran, we appreciate the pump info, I will throw a volt meter on and see if we have the same issue developing... hope not, ours is a few decades old as well!

Steve e35-3
 

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Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
Steve is correct.

I agree with Steve. Wix crosses the Universal 298854 to Wix 33390 (NAPA 3390) and shows the Kubota D950 engines (M-25XP) as an application.

Other companys show the same reference, but don't list the filter specs.
 

newgringo

Member III
Humm - No problem here??

All very interesting. Just yesterday I changed the Racor R24S (2 micron) element and the M25 Engine filter NAPA 3390. I installed both filters dry with no fuel. Ran the electric pump for about a minute, watched the Racor bowl fill up with the bleeder valve open, closed it and the engine started right up . My Racor is also on the suction side, between the pump and the tank. Am wondering if I have a problem waiting to happen? The electric pump is old but sure seems to be working OK. Maybe I am just lucky? Hey, what is a good source for these pumps? Starting to worry now.
 

Mort Fligelman

Member III
Facet Pump

Just Google "Facet Pump".....there will be many sources selling them in the $85 to $90 range. I needed mine in a hurry and bought it at a NAPA store for $150.00.

I did the google after the fact.....

FWIW
 

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
I have been told by several Univeral/Westerbeke dealers that the OEM filter is in fact 2 micron which is why I alway run a 10 micron in my Racor. FWIW I have found that the best racor is the large 500 series centrifugal filter assembly. The replacement elements are cheap ($10-$15) versus the screw in R24S elements ($30-$40). The 500 series does a much better job with water and crud. It also can be fitted with a vaccuum guage to tell you when it is getting time to change. Quite often folks that offer fuel polishing services are simply running 2 of these 500 series units one with 10 another with 2 micron elements. When I initially installed mine I did so dry. I ran the fuel pump for 1/2 hour before it filled and bled. The facet pumps are not hurt running dry from what I have been told. They do have an internal filter of their own which should be cleaned once in a lifetime...
 
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