fuel filters, water seperators

[Jerry]

The Racor filter has a clear bowl on the bottom with a drain so you can drain any water out. IMHO the spin-on filters ya might as well leave off. If you can't see if you have water, and drain it it's worthless.

[Rosscoe]

The Racor filter has a clear bowl on the bottom with a drain so you can drain any water out. IMHO the spin-on filters ya might as well leave off. If you can't see if you have water, and drain it it's worthless.

It would be nice to be able to see the water and sentiment but they only recommend the clear glass bowl types for outboards. Now, what difference would that make if you mounted it outside the bilge area? Why not under the bow close to the tank? Might be a bit messy changing out the filter however.

[V153]

Ya Racors are purty much the cat's azz. All the rage down here. Makes sense I spose. Nice to be able to see into the crud. Wonder how it 'knows' the difference 'tween water'n fuel ...?

I 'member eons ago when me'n my lil bro bought the Formula. It'd been sittin awhile so we changed the oil, gear lube, drained the old fuel, rebuilt the carb etc etc. Somehow neglected to replace the spin on fuel/water seperator filter. First time out it was runnin great'n we were beatin the snot outa it. 'Til the old fuel seperator filter developed a leak. Totally rotten from the inside out. Peein everywhere. We tied it off best we could with a pair of socks & limped back to shore.

Not that anybody gives a sh*t. But I digress ...

[Rosscoe]

Well Doug, I for one enjoy (most of) your stories.  

[MarkS]

Sorry for the late response Ross, I was tied up all afternoon.  (Not in a good way.)  I just put one of the Racor units on the GT-150, the one on the Starflite serves me well.

For inboard applications, USCG requires the metal bowl if mounted in the engine compartment so it doesn't melt in the case of a fire and make the bad situation worse.  Outside, you can run whichever style you want.  (I like being able to see what's in the bowl.)  The filter element part is big enough that they rarely plug up, I change mine once a year as a precaution.  We're a Racor distributor at work, I can check on getting you one like you picked out at my cost on Monday if you'd like.....?  

[dorelse]

So...not to get completely off track...but...just pulled my fuel sender to take a peek at the tank again:

No amount of filtering is going to solve my issues.  Tank is aluminium...(well its not magnetic anyway), so where's all the rust coming from?

Anyway...I'll be ordering a new tank.  Sick of fighting it.

[Rosscoe]

Sorry for the late response Ross, I was tied up all afternoon.  (Not in a good way.)  I just put one of the Racor units on the GT-150, the one on the Starflite serves me well.
For inboard applications, USCG requires the metal bowl if mounted in the engine compartment so it doesn't melt in the case of a fire and make the bad situation worse.  Outside, you can run whichever style you want.  (I like being able to see what's in the bowl.)  The filter element part is big enough that they rarely plug up, I change mine once a year as a precaution.  We're a Racor distributor at work, I can check on getting you one like you picked out at my cost on Monday if you'd like.....?  
[/quote]
Yes Mark, please do. Maybe price both the metal bowl and glass as well as replacement filters. The glass would be good for obvious reasons. I'd just have to mount it up front by the tank.
Doran, I am sure my tank is the same. I dont know if I can even get mine out from under the bow but for now, I'll use filters.
I am looking at either the B32020mam or B32021MAM. One says it for Mercruiser and the other for OMC. I dont know what the difference is between them. Are these good for setiment as well as water? Thats really what I am after. I think I'll install a small cheaper one like Doran installed, ahead of it to catch the bulk of the junk. Cheaper to replace those filters. These are 59.95 at Discount Marine with the replacement filters running 19.95

[Jason]

Doran, your boat was sitting for a long time right? Maybe that debris is not rust but crusted up old gas. If it was sitting for nearly 10 years it wouldn't surprise me.

Not sure how you could clean it out though.

[dorelse]

Doran, your boat was sitting for a long time right? Maybe that debris is not rust but crusted up old gas. If it was sitting for nearly 10 years it wouldn't surprise me.

Not sure how you could clean it out though.

Sat for at least 10.  When the junk is wet,  its rust colored,  but dries to a white powder.

[75starflight]

Doran, since it is aluminumn i would suggest calling around to some of your local radiator shops and see what it would cost to have them boil it out. From what I under stand that is the only way to truly clean those tanks. it would probably be cheaper than buying a new tank

[dorelse]

I'm done with this tank...plastic tank is what'll be going in.  Unless the size or something becomes cost prohibitive.

[Jerry]

Kreem. Any motorcycle shio.

[Rosscoe]

I'm having some trouble locating 1 1/4 heater hose to plumb my new thermostat housing. I found it at one place but I dont want to buy 50-100 feet!
I checked one of my local auto parts stores today and 1" is as large as they have. Anyone bought any recently?

[MarkS]

Okay Ross, here's the rundown;
The numbers you listed (B32020MAM 021MAM) are to convert the factory filter head over to a ff/ws.  (The difference is Merc uses 11/16"-16 threads and OMC uses 1"-20 threads).  If you don't have the factory filter head, you'll need the 320R-RAC-02 assembly (with filter head).  The unit we stock has the metal bowl (plastic bowl assy. would be 320R-RAC-01), but the B32013 is in stock, which would give you an extra spin-on filter and the see-thru bowl.  You can possibly buy them cheaper online, but I'll PM you with the prices just in case.  HTH

[Rosscoe]

Thats confusing since it appeared the numbers I gave you had the head too but thats the problem with one picture for 8-10 part numbers. I'll look into this some more.
Thanks Mark

[Jerry]

120-RAC-02 for the inboard (no plastic) The one that Mark and I have is a 120-RAC-o1

[MarkS]

Thats confusing since it appeared the numbers I gave you had the head too but thats the problem with one picture for 8-10 part numbers.

Yes sir, I'm looking at the Racor catalog, which I'd be glad to fax or email to you.

He could run the same one we are Jerry, but ours are rated at 30 GPH (gallons per hour) and the 320 series is rated at 60 GPH - it's what Racor recommends for I'O's.  (Not that any of us will ever burn that much gas, I think it has to do more with the capacity of the filter element than anything.  That, and marketing the "up-sell" of course.)

[Rosscoe]

I believe you, as long as I stay away from the glass bowl, I should be fine (legally)  

Thanks for the help Mark and Jerry.

[Rosscoe]

While installing my new fuel pump and preparing the fuel lines for the installation of a water seperator, I noticed a ground wire wrapped and soldered to the copper line and run to the engine block. I assume this is for ESD (electro static discharge) to eliminate a static/spark issue? It is my intention to replace some of the copper with rubber fuel hose so this ground will have to be eliminated or connected to a different spot, but that leaves the rubber line from the seperator to the fuel pump potentially ungrounded. Does anyone know if Marine rubber fuel line is conductive? If so, I may only need to run a ground wire to the remaining copper line. It may sound silly but I cant think of another reason for that ground, other then for static.

[Rich_V174SS]

If you're replacing the copper line with rubber you don't need a ground. But what should be grounded is the gas tank and the fuel fill.