Charlie, If you have room or if you relocate the Racor to where you have room, consider replacing the filter's T-handle with the Racor vacuum gauge. Not only will you know exactly when to change filter elements but it will provide you with another tool for troubleshooting a similar proplem in the future. You can close the fuel valve at the tank (assuming you have one), turn on the ignition and observe the vacuum. If you have good vacuum, you have a tight system. If not you can explore/test possible leak sites without having to start the engine.
BTW, Touche's fuel pump is located on the back of engine a few feet from the Racor. Fuel pump location shouldn't be an issue in our fuel systems. The line size and small volume of flow shouldn't result in significant pressure drop on either the suction or discharge side of the pump. I agree the pump should be downstream of the primary filter. Dennis C. On Mon, Jun 26, 2017 at 8:34 AM, Charlie Nelson via CnC-List < cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > Thanks for your responses. To answer some of the questions raised, the > pumps were placed downstream of the Racor for a couple of reasons. > > 1. The pump original location was upstream of the Racor (30 micron) which > was recommended by the Beta engineer because these small pumps do not have > much vertical lift capability. OTOH, their internals have a very small > orifice that can and did block the fuel flow since it was unfiltered at > that location. Since they were in-line pumps, the solution was to swap out > the pump or filter (some have a small one on the inlet to the pump). > However, doing this in the small confines of the pump location was a giant > PITA, especially since they failed while the motor was in use--while on the > water! Rigging a parallel set in this upstream location was also difficult > because of the limited space. > > 2. To mitigate this failure possibility, 2 pumps with check valves were > installed in parallel powered by the ignition switch, with another switch > that would select which pump to use. Both of these have enough lift > capability (I think!) to suck filtered fuel thru the Racor and push it to > the primary filter. They certainly pumped fuel well when I took the hose > off the engine filter--albeit initially with frothy fuel or just air in the > line. Plus at this location, any fuel they see has passed thru the Racor so > they are very unlikely to clog themselves. > > 3. My diesel mechanic is to determine the source of the problem today--if > he can. If not, he will replace the pick-up tube assembly and install a > new, possibly different Racor filter/separator. IMHO, the model I have > (500?) has a poorly designed, double O-ring top seal, which on my boat is > impossible to see because of where the Racor is mounted (high and on the > other side from the access panel). Getting the filter replaced, complete > with 2 new O rings, is possible but not easy. Plus there is no way I can > determine if the seas are clean except by 'feel'. > > Maybe I will know more by tonight--if nothing else, both the Racor and the > pickup assemble will be 'new'. > > Thanks again for your thoughts, > > Charlie Nelson > Water Phantom > 1995 C&C 36XL/kcb > > > cenel...@aol.com > > _______________________________________________ > > This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you > wish to make a contribution to offset our costs, please go to: > https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > > All Contributions are greatly appreciated! > >
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