Fuel water separator and fuel filter on 3L

[rickasbury]

You can buy a Racor filter with drain bowl for less than $30 that fits your existing filter head.

From that point, replacement filters are $22.

How much is an OE can filter these days?

I buy with other filters and stuff in general, but I don't recall much over 15? But, there are overwhelmed easily- I recall on the 7.3 diesel it would not start until you drained it. And with bowl you could see it, unless it was just full of water I guess. Really worth looking into and really surprised it has not been a conversation before.

 

[Lou C]

Can’t use the clear bowl on an inboard only outboards but still can drain it without removing the filter. If you’re getting that much water the tank needs to be cleaned out & the cap & fuel fill checked for leaks.

 

[QBhoy]

Can’t use the clear bowl on an inboard only outboards but still can drain it without removing the filter. If you’re getting that much water the tank needs to be cleaned out & the cap & fuel fill checked for leaks.

Good point there. Is that for safety regs you guys have from US coastguard?

 

[Lou C]

Yep that’s it…

 

[dingbat]

Good point there. Is that for safety regs you guys have from US coastguard?

Components used/mounted in enclosed area must be UL listed......2.5 minutes exposure to open flame

You can use a clear bowl on an I/O, just can't be mounted in an enclosed space (bilge) or same compartment as an internal combustion engine, ie dog house.

Racor Rk3047302 RK 30473-02 RK30473-02 320 Series Wht Metal Repl Bowl

RACOR RK3047302 320 METAL BOWL KIT WHITE

www.racorstore.com

 

[Scott Danforth]

Good point there. Is that for safety regs you guys have from US coastguard?

It's actually IMO regs

 

[rickasbury]

It's actually IMO regs

I don't have another place to put one. I guess if you have that much water it has to be dumped and cleaned. Seems like the at least normal filter is a waste...

 

[Scott Danforth]

If you have that much water, you have a water ingress issue with your fuel system

 

[dingbat]

If you have that much water, you have a water ingress issue with your fuel system

Not necessarily......E10 can hold approximately 0.5% water at 68F (.64 ounces in a gallon, or 12 ounces of water in a 20-gallon gas tank)

I hold 150 gallons of fuel. At 68 degrees, that is 3/4 gallon of water each time I fill up

 

[rickasbury]

Not necessarily......E10 can hold approximately 0.5% water at 68F (.64 ounces in a gallon, or 12 ounces of water in a 20-gallon gas tank)

I hold 150 gallons of fuel. At 68 degrees, that is 3/4 gallon of water each time I fill up

View attachment 390361

Interesting...I'm in fl and don't see that temp unless it is dead of winter...how do higher Temps affect those numbers? 70 is a cool day here. I'm not sure how much I had...I pumped at least a half gallon of water and then said screw it and pumped it all out. I have a 100 gallon tanks, pumped out 70..

 

[dingbat]

Interesting...I'm in fl and don't see that temp unless it is dead of winter...how do higher Temps affect those numbers? 70 is a cool day here. I'm not sure how much I had...I pumped at least a half gallon of water and then said screw it and pumped it all out. I have a 100 gallon tanks, pumped out 70..

Most people don't understand the saturation point of E10 varies with the temperature of the fuel.

Fill up with 90F fuel and it cools to 80F at night, you're dumping water in the bottom of the tank.

Works the other way as well. Pump 60F fuel from an under ground tank into a tank of 90 F fuel and you instantly get water

I pumped a gallon of water out of mine. Added 25 gallons of 93 octane E10 and went fishing

 

[Chris1956]

You might want to find a gasoline station without water in it's fuel. I have never had more than an oz of water in my water separator for my 63G fuel tank, at the end of the season. Try to stick with high volume gasoline stations, as they have the freshest fuel.

 

[dingbat]

You might want to find a gasoline station without water in it's fuel. I have never had more than an oz of water in my water separator for my 63G fuel tank, at the end of the season. Try to stick with high volume gasoline stations, as they have the freshest fuel.

Wasn't fueling related.

The Earth, Sun and Moon aligned with a lingering TD (6" in 3 days) to fill the fuel fill recess in the gunnel with enough water to leak through the vents in the fill caps.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, in post 29 you complain about water in the fuel when you fill up. In post 33 you say the rain got into the tank. You have confused me.

 

[Lou C]

BUT....we still don't have an opinion one way or the other....is the more expensive Racor with the bowl, worth the $$$?
I'm going to keep using the standard filters I've used all the years I had this boat because I haven't had water related fuel system problems, but I know people for sure who have.

 

[Chris1956]

IMO, the clear racor filters do not give sufficient extra value to justify the additional cost. Plus, I seem to remember one of the plastic bowls was ruined by the sun, and leaked fuel.

 

[Lou C]

The issue with the clear plastic bowls is that they swelled from E10 gas and that caused leaks & some even fell off. They were redesigned and that’s no longer a problem. If someone leaves their boat in the water where moisture accumulates in the fuel they can hold a lot more water that the conventional ones. Even though my boat lives in the water I haven’t had that problem.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, I leave my boat in the salt water from May to November, and never have more than a tablespoon of water in the separator when I winterize it. The tank is 63G.