Diesel fuel filter system

B

BillyK

Active member
Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2006
RO Number
24466
Messages
1,146
The motors are twin Detroit 8v-71's fed by two tanks aft of the motors with the fuel lines coming up on the outboard sides of the boat.
I am cleaning up the engine room of a 1977 45' Chris Craft Commander. The fuel lines in the engine room have been twisted and adapted over time. They don't leak, but look like they could any time. The filters are Racor 1000 water separator's and a canister type filter.
I want to upgrade the the fuel filter system and re line from where the copper comes into the engine room to the motors. If you were starting new, what filters or filter system would you use.

These are the cannisters

IMG_20150312_173523_zps2pkpv7dn.jpg


One of the Racors

IMG_20150312_173536_zpsagh2raxw.jpg


The pic below is from Seaboard Marine http://www.sbmar.com/smx-fueltration-system-kits.php

NS_SM-FF_Option_1a_zpst3jj3sbw.gif


Thanks,

Billy K.
 
I would go with the Seaboard system.
 
quote:
Originally posted by HOGAN

I would go with the Seaboard system.

Click to expand...

I think both boat diesel and Tony Athens like the Seaboard system or some modification of the system.
Bill
 
sbmarine is Tony Athen's company. He is the one who designed that filtration system
 
Both systems are effective and good options. Racor sells a water sensor alarm that will alert you to water in the primary bowl before it gets to the engine. I think the only advantage the seaboard system is they integrated a squeeze bulb primer into that package where Racor sells an electric primer integrated into the primary filter. Personally I like the idea of the glass bowl on the Racor so I can see if there is water in it. Since you already own the Racors, it will be a lot less $ to re plumb and keep going.
 
If I had t/diesels I believe I would want a setup like this ( in large size) for each engine:
http://www.parker.com/portal/site/P...gnextdiv=687630&vgnextpartno=75500MAX10&Wtky= .

2 Racor water-separating turbine filters , viewable section above metal bowl, vac gauge to indicate when clogging flow-resistance increases ,water probe option, and valve to instantly switch to new filter underway if necessary.
I can't tell if that gauge has the extra "maximum" needle too but Racor does offer one and I'd want that so I could check filter condition with engine off.
 
Thanks for your knowledge, it is why I pay the $25. I don't expect something for nothing.

Billy K.
 
SBM is awesome ! TONS of great info on their website

Rob
 
How is the boat going to be used? Local near shore cruising, offshore, or a mix of both? What is the condition of the fuel and fuel tanks? Are the tanks likely to be contaminated and dirty?

What is the budget? Just fix as needed or fix to a high standard?

The answers to these question should lead you toward how elaborate you need to get with your filtration.
 
Your present system has a priming bulb. I would want to keep that but strictly speaking it may not follow modern hose requirements. Tony has some diagrams on his site of suggested set ups. Tony's advice in often best though I prefer filter with a clear bowl so that I can see the condition of the fuel but his mud catching set up arguments are strong. I might use a mud filter with gauge then a racor. I just cant get over the comfort of shining a light through the racor bowl and learning in an instant everything about the fuel.

Be careful to not put a gold plated fuel system in an older ER.
 
I have found that Tony's site and all the tech articles to be 100% on target over the many years I have followed him - especially with the fuel filtration problems and solutions.

I added bulk mud filters ahead of my Racors by buying his filter heads and plumbing in vacuum gages at each filter (about $20 each)to know when they need replacement.
I also added 'snubbers' before the vac gages so that I get a 'perfect' reading and not the pulses that come from the injection pump cycling.
For many years I believed that seeing through the clear filter bowls were a big help in my diagnosis of the filters overall condition but after a few years with vacuum gages you realize that you really do not know how plugged (or not) they are without a true measurement.
So I have bulk filters / then vac gages / then Racors / then vac gages / then the on engine filters.
You will be surprised at how long a filter lasts (or does not last) when you can actually measure the condition of that filter.

pic of 2" vac gage on Racor with 'snubber' and glycerin filled....

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b...0051208001643977.JPG/ps=50/r=0/rx=550/ry=400/

Hope this helps
 
I can see the advantage of the gauges as well. Just never got around to adding them. It was easy enough to lift a filter for a quick look, then I knew for sure. I agree that filters can last a long time if you keep getting clean fuel.

You folks in the NE have a problem because the first fuel at any dock will probably be from last season.

At one time my racor bowls looked muddy. Not sure what happened but multiple runs on low tanks and new filters cleared it up. Then I mostly had my fuel delivered by truck and the bowls stayed clean. On trips I got fuel at high volume places and it would be used up by the time I returned home.
 
Yr detroits shoulid have secondary filters lounged on the engines, do have them? Usually it s canister setup after the fuel pump.

If so, put a set of dual racors for each engine I really like how you can switch on th fly should you have any fuel issue. Then from the racors go to the engines.

Not a big fan of cartridges for primaries, as they re messy to change and you don't see the condition as easily

All that stuff is on the suction side so risk of leaks are low, although an air leak can be a pain to find. I d use regular fuel hose with clamps Lthough if you want high tch you can use aero quip hoses and fittings.

And I'd replace the priming bulbs with electric pumps installed in pararel
 
"At one time my racor bowls looked muddy. Not sure what happened but multiple runs on low tanks and new filters cleared it up"

Hello Bruce -
FWIW , with the gages I have found times when the filters looked 'bad' but were fine and times when they really looked 'great' but were very near the end of their useful life. It is a situation where your visual can sometimes really mislead you with what is really happening at the filter media and vacuum it creates. At about $20 a gage and an a few other fittings it was something I should have done much earlier than I actually did. It allows me to change filters when they are due and also to plan my changes around trips so it is convenient.

Hope this helps
 
I would stick with the single Racor (1000 unless the boat is going offshore often)) I'd add remote vacuum gauges, the water probes/alarms and shut off valves at the filter, if there are not already there, to allow for quick and easy element changes. I'd also add an electric priming pump/s. There is no need to spend a lot of money replacing the perfectly good filters you already have.
 
quote:
Originally posted by smitty477

"At one time my racor bowls looked muddy. Not sure what happened but multiple runs on low tanks and new filters cleared it up"

Hello Bruce -
FWIW , with the gages I have found times when the filters looked 'bad' but were fine and times when they really looked 'great' but were very near the end of their useful life. It is a situation where your visual can sometimes really mislead you with what is really happening at the filter media and vacuum it creates. At about $20 a gage and an a few other fittings it was something I should have done much earlier than I actually did. It allows me to change filters when they are due and also to plan my changes around trips so it is convenient.

Hope this helps

Click to expand...


I am interested in the gauges.
So what gauge?
Where do you add it?
Does it restrict flow at all?
Sounds like a useful thing to have.

Thanks!
 
The boat will do bay trips this year and ocean runs starting next year. The tanks are good and the fuel is clean. I have a budget I would like to keep below $2000. There are a lot of other things to do, but I realize the importance of the motors running.
The priming bulb you see in the picture is not plumbed into the system. It was left by the previous owner and I’m really not sure how it fits in. So I need to include this in my system.
There are no fuel filters on my motors, only the ones I included with my initial post. It seems to make sense to include an electric priming pump into the system. I would also like to use the aero quip hoses at least from the last filter to the motor.
The vacuum gauges are a must and maybe as some have posted the Racor 1000 would be wise to keep. I could always replace them at a later date.
The system would go in an order like this?
Tanks to engine room
Ball valve in engine room
Electric primer
Vacuum gauge
Racor 1000
Secondary filter
Vacuum gauge
Motor
Is this correct?
What primer do you recommend?
Secondary filter?

Thanks,

Billy K.
 
The PO may have used the bulb pump to fill the canisters in some way.
 
quote:
Originally posted by CurrentSea

quote:
Originally posted by smitty477

"At one time my racor bowls looked muddy. Not sure what happened but multiple runs on low tanks and new filters cleared it up"

Hello Bruce -
FWIW , with the gages I have found times when the filters looked 'bad' but were fine and times when they really looked 'great' but were very near the end of their useful life. It is a situation where your visual can sometimes really mislead you with what is really happening at the filter media and vacuum it creates. At about $20 a gage and an a few other fittings it was something I should have done much earlier than I actually did. It allows me to change filters when they are due and also to plan my changes around trips so it is convenient.

Hope this helps

Click to expand...


I am interested in the gauges.
So what gauge?
Where do you add it?
Does it restrict flow at all?
Sounds like a useful thing to have.

Thanks!

Click to expand...


I added the T-handle gauges to my Racors last year. They screw in the top and replace the T-handle that holds the cap on. They do not restrict flow at all. I think I paid about $20/each.
 
I don't have T-handles.
I have screw-on filters.
The bracket does have a brass plug on the front where I guess I could elbow up a guage to make it readable.

Anyone have a model # of the guage?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top