Fuel filter

[danhenke]

Before I install this water separating filter assembly, are there any tips?

its going in a Bayliner 185 Flight with 3.0L.

The clearances are pretty narrow, if I plumb it a bit higher than the fuel pump, will it be ok? There’s a pump, so I wouldn’t believe gravity would cause too many issues.

thanks,

Dan

 

[alldodge]

Opinions vary but here is mine.
You should have a mechanical fuel pump and this is good. The mechanical pumps suck (no pun intended) so it can lift fuel above the tank. With that you can mount it higher then the tank, but keeping it even or a tad lower is better for longevity.

 

[danhenke]

Opinions vary but here is mine.
You should have a mechanical fuel pump and this is good. The mechanical pumps suck (no pun intended) so it can lift fuel above the tank. With that you can mount it higher then the tank, but keeping it even or a tad lower is better for longevity.

Appreciate it, thanks. It’s just very cramped in there.

 

[Oshkosh1]

Yeah...everything he said. The lower the better but ensure you have enough room to get to it without too much hassle obviously. I carry a plastic mayonnaise jar with me and the appropriate sized filter cup so I can spin it on and off easily and the jar is to dump the fuel into in order to observe how much water I'm dealing with. The filters are totally re-usable as well. Carry a spare "dry" one but if you do get one water logged...simply drain the fuel and allow the element to dry.

 

[danhenke]

Yeah...everything he said. The lower the better but ensure you have enough room to get to it without too much hassle obviously. I carry a plastic mayonnaise jar with me and the appropriate sized filter cup so I can spin it on and off easily and the jar is to dump the fuel into in order to observe how much water I'm dealing with. The filters are totally re-usable as well. Carry a spare "dry" one but if you do get one water logged...simply drain the fuel and allow the element to dry.

More good advice, thanks. I didn’t want this to turn into one of those projects where an improvement, made stuff worse. I’m sure once I get a really good look in there, I’ll find a place to put it that will work great.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Ditto what's said above,..... I put my spare filter into qt. freezer baggies for the same reason the mayo jar is carried, except i slip the baggie 'round the ole filter, crack it loose, spin it off, 'n just drop it into the baggie, seal it up, 'n flip it upside down to examine the contents,....

 

[dingbat]

The filters are totally re-usable as well. Carry a spare "dry" one but if you do get one water logged...simply drain the fuel and allow the element to dry.

Not a particularly good idea.

Water is separated from the fuel by gravity entrapped in the lower portion of the filter.

The fuel is then passed through a specially treated filter media as the final stage of filtration to achieve the rated efficiency which varies by type and manufacturer. Typically 98% plus.

Problem is, water in contact with the treated media reduces efficiency by as much as 50%. Dumping the filter and letting it dry does nothing to restore the efficiency of the filter media.

Dumping a filter is better than nothing in an emergency but should not be the primary plan of remediation.

Rusting from the inside out is also a problem with filters not replaced on a regular basis

Filters should be replaced annually and you should always carry a spare

 

[danhenke]

Not a particularly good idea.

Water is separated from the fuel by gravity entrapped in the lower portion of the filter.

The fuel is then passed through a specially treated filter media as the final stage of filtration to achieve the rated efficiency which varies by type and manufacturer. Typically 98% plus.

Problem is, water in contact with the treated media reduces efficiency by as much as 50%. Dumping the filter and letting it dry does nothing to restore the efficiency of the filter media.

Dumping a filter is better than nothing in an emergency but should not be the primary plan of remediation.

Rusting from the inside out is also a problem with filters not replaced on a regular basis

Filters should be replaced annually and you should always carry a spare

Noted:

All this advice makes sense, I plan on carrying a spare. About the only issue I can see with the install, is losing prime on my fuel line due to an empty filter and supply hose, but I'll just crank it until it fires up!

Besides the obvious benefits of this type of filter, I had a rough start the other day which I believed to be due to a possibly blocked filter, so when I checked the stock filter under the pump, it didn't exist. So, instead of replacing that thing, and hanging upside down for an hour again trying to align gaskets and whatnot, I decided to leave it be, and put in a real filtration system.

Thanks for all the good replies!

 

[ajgraz]

Opinions vary but here is mine.
You should have a mechanical fuel pump and this is good. The mechanical pumps suck (no pun intended) so it can lift fuel above the tank. With that you can mount it higher then the tank, but keeping it even or a tad lower is better for longevity.

Just checking, but did you mean to say "you can mount it (the filter) higher than the pump, but keeping it even or a tad lower..."

(The way your post is written, it sounds like you're saying the filter can be mounted lower than the tank, which is, as I understand it, a big no-no)

 

[danhenke]

Just checking, but did you mean to say "you can mount it (the filter) higher than the pump, but keeping it even or a tad lower..."

(The way your post is written, it sounds like you're saying the filter can be mounted lower than the tank, which is, as I understand it, a big no-no)

i believe he was saying keeping it level with the tank is best, which I’m trying to do. Lower wouldn’t be possible since mine is resting in the keel at the lowest or near lowest level of the bilge, unsure why, or how it’s a no no, but really doesn’t matter as I couldn’t do it if I wanted!

 

[ajgraz]

It's a no-no because if the fittings on the filter come loose, or the canister is not screwed on right...hell, if you remove the canister...the hull gets flooded with fuel. The filter MUST be mounted HIGHER than the tank.

 

[danhenke]

Makes perfect sense!

 

[bruceb58]

NEVER EVER reuse a filter. In the process of dumping the old filter out, particulates that have been filtered out on the input side of the filter will flow into the output side of the filter and then onto your fuel system once you reinstall and start your engine. If you do this, you might as well just remove your filter.

 

[dingbat]

(The way your post is written, it sounds like you're saying the filter can be mounted lower than the tank, which is, as I understand it, a big no-no)

The maximum mounting height is a function of your fuel pump....Lower is better, but mounting a pump Dim A above the tank isn't an issue with the pump rated at Dim A x 4

A filter can be mounted lower than the tank. Just need to have a anti-siphon value between the filter and tank.

 

[alldodge]

"it" is the filter and higher is ok.
Meaning of a tad lower is keeping it a tad lower is ok but only a tad (1/4 inch or so). The tank fitting is always above the tank (90 degree fitting) so having the fuel line even with the tank or just a tad lower is not an issue. Tank should never be 100 % full and it should have the antisiphon valve on it.

As with all things on a forum, opinions differ, this is mine