Potentially, only somewhat related...
I had a problem with the Racor 220 (different type filter). It leaked fuel, not 
air. The source of the leak was the plunger in the pump on top of the housing. 
Eventually I replaced it with a SNAPP. Much easier to maintain (and it comes 
cheaper). No more leaks (and no more smell!).

Marek
1994 C270 “Legato” (Perkins M20)
Ottawa, ON

From: Josh Muckley via CnC-List
Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2017 23:33
To: C&C List
Cc: Josh Muckley
Subject: Re: Stus-List Air in fuel line

I have never had much luck with the Racor 200FG which is the smaller 
predecessor of the 500.  I've completely rebuilt mine with all new o-rings and 
I always vent it thoroughly but still manage to accumulate air.  My first 
question is why you didn't put the fuel pumps as close to the tank physically 
and hydraulicly as possible, ie: upstream of the racor?  This would ensure that 
air was constantly being pushed out of any leaking seals by pressurized fuel.  
Your air leaks would then become fuel leaks and be both manageable and easier 
to identify.  It is also unlikely that leaking fuel would cause the engine to 
shutdown.

Josh Muckley
S/V Sea Hawk
1989 C&C 37+
Solomons, MD




On Jun 25, 2017 8:32 PM, "Charlie Nelson via CnC-List" <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> 
wrote:

My Beta 28 fuel system has recently developed a penchant for sucking air into 
the system somewhere upstream of my electric fuel pumps. (I have 2 installed in 
parallel so that I can switch between them if one dies or get clogged, etc.)

These pumps are downstream of my Racor 500 30 micron fuel filter/water 
separator. The input to the separator goes directly to the pickup tube assembly 
on the top of my fuel tank via a diesel fuel hose secured with 
hose-clamps--recently installed. (I motored at flank speed  for about 8 hours 
after the installation without any issues). The tank pickup tube assembly looks 
identical to a Moeller Fuel pick-up tube which mounts to the tank top and has 
nylon tube which goes straight down into the tank about 12 inches.

Something is allowing air to get in since my engine will stall frequently but 
randomly. On the first occurrence, I changed both the engine and the Racor 
filter.

When it happened again within an hour of the filter change, I opened the system 
at the input to the engine filter and found either frothy fuel (lots of bubbles 
in it) or just an empty hose. Since the filters had just been changed, I 
figured it had to be a vacuum leak. (I was able to pump fuel into the line and 
get the engine started again each time it happened--over the course of a full 
day of motoring I would guess that it happened on average every 1/2 hour).

I tightened all the clamps and the Racor seal as much as I dared and this did 
not prevent the stalls.

My mechanic is as mystified as I am but will likely check-out/replace both the 
Racor entirely and the fuel-pick-up tube. The pick-up tube is original which 
makes it about 22 years old.

My thoughts are the Racor filter or vacuum gauge seals are bad/scored or just 
not seated properly OR the pickup tube assembly is leaking at the tank seal or 
the nylon tube itself has developed small holes or cracks that allow air to 
enter, especially with my fuel pump sucking fuel more efficiently than was 
possible with the mechanical pump on the engine (since bypassed).

My questions to the list are--am I missing something else that could cause 
this? Has anyone else had similar vacuum issues and what was the cause/solution?

Thanks,

Charlie Nelson
Water Phantom
1995 C&C 36 XL/kcb


cenel...@aol.com

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