Changing fuel water seperator

fishgo208

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I have never changed a fuel water seperator. Can someone give me some tips on this? Yamaha blue quart size. Do I have to clamp the fuel line going into the filter before I remove the filter? Any info will be helpful.
Thanks
 

BobP

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No clamping, get a spent windshield washer fluid container, cut the upper third off, or the like, place it underneath. Unthread it like an oil filter on car. Get some rags to clean up.

Prefill new filter to near top with fresh fuel. I wipe gasket contact surface with some Yamalube 2 stroke oil. Snug up new filter hand tight (I use two hand grip), do no overtighten - you will pay for it next time trying to get it off.

Be careful working around fuel, very careful.
 

fishgo208

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Thanks BobP, will the fuel from the tank continue to drain out of the supply line to the filter until I get the new filter on?
 

BobP

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No, it doesn't with mine.

The filters on my boats have always been higher than the fuel tanks, is yours?
 

fishgo208

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Yes, it is mounted high in the port rear comparment. I am asking just so I wil know what to be prepared for. I am sure this can be dangerous if not done properly. Do you change your filters before you run your motors for the first time of the year or do you run them for a while and wait until you may collect water that may have condenced in your tank over the winter?
 

gradyfish22

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Bob is 100% on in his advice. I do it exactly like him, and I always coat my filters with fuel, I do the same when changing my oil filters, they get a coat of fresh oil. The only fuel that may drain is what is in the line and above where your fuel water seperator is, typically they are mounted at a height somewhere above the tanks and usually even height with the engines or close to it depending on space for mounting. Even if it is below it, they are usually mounted within a few feet of the engine and at most I'd say a 1/2 gal may drain, If you have a fuel selectr valve, turn it so that it is not switched to either tank, that should stop any flow through the lines.
 

Bay Drifter

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This topic is right on time for me. I'm new meat so bear with me. Just got a new tournament 225. Was tooling along Thursday getting the break in hours out of the way. Eastern Bay in MD. was like a mirror, sun out just a beautiful day when I look down at the tach ans see this message "WATER IN FUEL" needless to say a medium to heavy panic attack ensues. Bring the boat off plane freeking out the Admiral. Shut the engine down and I'm 20 miles away from the marina.

This happened once more on the way back. Have called the dealer but have not talked to them yet. So heres my question(s). Motor is an F250 and has the blue water/fuel seperator. I figure no way is the sensor on the cannister so must be in the engine, this does not sound good. At a minimum I am thinking I have to change out the fuel/water seperator. Should I just go ahead and change out to the racor with bowl at the bottom for easy drainage? The dealer had the boat fueled up when delivered. THanks in advance, love the boat
 

BobP

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Fishgo

you can change the filter after you use up your first tank of fuel, or change before you launch. You will hear advise both ways. I don't think it matters.
If you don't have the filter style with the drain bowl, you may want to upgrade so you can drain off the bowl periodically via the valve at the bottom. This is a worthwhile upgrade if you are concerned with heavy water buildup from the seperator - see below. I drain mine once per month during season.


BayDrifter - WELCOME !

The Yamaha fuel management system harness has an input connector for the fuel/water seperator water sensor off the bottom of the fuel/seperator assembly. That is where the alarm originates from, I don't believe there is any other sensor on the Fs or other yamaha engine. If you have the drain bowl, drain off half a small poland spring container of fluid, see if alarm clears. If no wires coming out the bottom of the assembly, I can't explain.
Carry a spare filter element on the boat and the tools to change it at sea, you never know what could happen.

You can also post the question at thehulltruth.com, vensor sites, shipyard island marine, for Andy. If you dont want to join site, you can email his business address.

Update the members here on your findings when you have it resolved.
 

BobP

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The racors with the clear bowls (probably similar to Yamaha equivalent) I have are a bit more difficult to change since the bowl has to be removed from the filter body too. I take the entire assembly off and out of boat, drain fuel out by turning upside down, and opening valve at bowl. Then place it on a bench. I use a strap wrench same for car oil filter on the filter, and use a length of 3/16 or 1/4 in. thick pad of neoprene to wrap all the way around the bowl to get a good grip, then hand twist it off. If it still doesnt budge, I use a second strap wrench over the neoprene. New O ring on bowl gets a wipe of Yamalube.

It may be easier to get the bowl off first in the boat depending on your access, though a lot of gas will drain off there. If the filter is near battery, don't do it this way. Keep any battery chargers or inverters shut off too.
If batter is not in box, cover top.

Keep all the bilge access doors open to clear fumes, don't let any wrenches get loose around battery, I presume you have no exposed positive DC circuits back there in the vicinity.

And this may sound crazy, don't wear any acrylic sweaters or the like, only natural fabrics. I don't wear watches / jewelry - if you do best to take them off.
 

tuxedospike

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Very Good Advice...

I think you are getting very good advice from the guys buy I feel the need to throw in my two cents worth...Got a load of fuel last year that had high water content and experienced poor performance. Put two and two togather and can up with water in the fuel. Changed out the W/F seperators and thought I was ready to go ( after dosing the tank with 2+4). A short run proved me wrong and that's when my mechanic asked if I had dumped the bad fuel out of the "under-cowl" sight filter? I replied "Huh?" and was told that if I removed the cowl I would see a glass sight filter that had a red ring floating at the top. The red ring only floats on water...not fuel. If it's at the top then most of the liquid in the glass bowl is water...i.e. a no-go. dump it and work the squeeze ball to refil and go. By the way...after getting rid of the bad fuel, the red ring stays on the bottom of the sight-filter.
 

dmcneane

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Sierra products

Are the Sierra water fuel separators sold by West Marine comparable to the Racor's or the Yamaha OEM's or should I stay away from them?
 

Stonewall

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Re: Sierra products

dmcneane said:
Are the Sierra water fuel separators sold by West Marine comparable to the Racor's or the Yamaha OEM's or should I stay away from them?

Stay away. First, if you are using E-10 gas make sure you are using a 10 micron filter only! The Yamaha 10 micron filters are made so much better that the off brands and Racor. Second, they are not that much more expensive to worry about when you consider the cost of getting stuck on the water and ruining a fun day.
 

Fishnjoe

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Fishgo 208 & all

FYI -2 seasons ago my local Yami dealer was out of water seperators when I was purchasing my winterizing stuff and he recommended that I use the Rayco because that's what they switched over to because they are 10 micron filters and at the time the Yamaha filters I think were ( but don't really remember :roll: ) 20 microns

Also the Rayco filters have a cleaar plastic bowl on the bottom of the filter for a visual reference for water and contaminants and to drain out once a month as a pm.

The Rayco filter is a 10 micron same as the NEWER Yamaha filter.Yamaha does not make their own filter but has a vendor that manufactures it and puts the Yamaha name on it. :wink: Rumor has it that Rayco is the company.

Fishgo - Follow Bob P's advise and not only will you not have any problems, you'll find out what a walk in the park it is to change.

Good luck - Joe

Joe
 

fishgo208

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I went to the GRADY dealership in my area today to get new filter. He is all out, What a surprize. I did talk with them about the conversion to the Yamaha 10 micron with the bowl. He had the Racor with the bowl but said I should wait for the Yamaha's to come in. They are $15, the Racors are $27. Should be in this week. This price is just for the filter. I wil have to buy the bowl also for the first time.
 

fishgo208

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I picked up the Raycor filter and bowl today
Filter 29.95
Bowl 39.95 Only have to buy once unless somethng happens to it.
Thanks for the help. I will be able to monitor the fuel quality with this upgrade.

Tight Lines!
 

Bay Drifter

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Update on my "water in fuel alarm" . Talked to the mechanic at the dealership. He said they have had a run of ultra sensitive sensors with the 250's possibly because of e10. Said he will change it out at the ten hour maintenance, no worries. No alarms last time out.