Racor Filter Changeover ??

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rorkin

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I see a lot of reccomendations to change to a Racor 10 Micron filter with
clear bowel.. I have stock filter head and was wondering if that was
thread compatable with the Racor and I could just change out the
filter and bowl parts without re-mounting the head portion ??
 
Racor makes filter elements for the OMC and merc orginals as direct replacements with the addition of the clear or solid bowls.
 
Yes should just screw right on to exsisting Yamaha fitting. Much more user friendly than the Yamaha fitting. Don't tighten them with a tool as they get very difficult to remove , and when you have trouble they need to come off fairly easily. Also check that the element itself is not scewed too tight to the bowl as it can be impossible to remove without a vice......All stuff you probably won't have when you need it most!
 
Good news is that there is a Racor model that will fit the existing Yamaha filter mount. Bad news: A clear plastic bowl is not allowed to be mounted below the deck(Coast Guard regulations). Below deck doesn't have to be physically below the deck. Any compartment that is open to the bilge area is considdered below deck. That eliminates battery box or oil tank box on my 208. This rule applies to both inboard and outboard engines. Either move the filter to the transom well area ( for outboards) or go for the Racor with the metal bowl ( that takes the fun out of seeing any water in the bowl).
 
seasick said:
Bad news: A clear plastic bowl is not allowed to be mounted below the deck(Coast Guard regulations). Below deck doesn't have to be physically below the deck. Any compartment that is open to the bilge area is considdered below deck. That eliminates battery box or oil tank box on my 208. This rule applies to both inboard and outboard engines.
Click to expand...

Would like to see a CFR reference on that one, please.

I believe the prohibition on plastic bowls only applies to below deck engine compartments.

Brian
 
seasick said:
Good news is that there is a Racor model that will fit the existing Yamaha filter mount. Bad news: A clear plastic bowl is not allowed to be mounted below the deck(Coast Guard regulations). Below deck doesn't have to be physically below the deck. Any compartment that is open to the bilge area is considdered below deck. That eliminates battery box or oil tank box on my 208. This rule applies to both inboard and outboard engines. Either move the filter to the transom well area ( for outboards) or go for the Racor with the metal bowl ( that takes the fun out of seeing any water in the bowl).
Click to expand...

Seasick,

Not sure that rule applies to outboard engines. Here is the link to regs. I looked as best I could and couldn't find that regulation. See what you can find. Thanks for the head's up if you are right. http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...;view=text;node=33:2.0.1.8.45;idno=33;cc=ecfr
 
I spent a lot of time reseaching the issue as it pertains to outboards. Any compartment that 'connects' to the bilge is considered below deck. By connected, I mean that if airflow or water can get from point A to point B then it is considdered below deck. For my boat that includes the battery compartment, the oil compartment and the cabin. My livewell would not be considdered below deck since it is physically above deck and has no open connection to the bilge. The inlet and drains are piped to thru hulls as you would expect. If you go tot the Parker web site, thet really don't come out and say it but thet allude to restrictions on the use of the clear bowl.
I asked a very experienced marine surveyor about the issue and he confirmed that I would have to mount the filter with the see through base unit in the transom well to meet Coast Guard regulations.
I must admit I was surprised.
 
This has got to be one of the most widely misunderstood subjects in the marine industry. Inboard and inboard/outboard powered boats must use a filter that passes a flame test. The filter with the plastic bowl does not, so metal bowls or filter elements are a requirement.

Outboard powered boats can use filters with plastic bowls no matter where the filter is located.

Here is the law. This is the preamble to the section of the Code of Federal Regulations that addresses fuel system. Note that the requirement does not repeat does not appliy to outboard powered boats.

TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS

CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)

PART 183_BOATS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT--Table of Contents

Subpart J_Fuel Systems

Sec. 183.501 Applicability.

Source: CGD 74-209, 42 FR 5950, Jan. 31, 1977, unless otherwise
noted.

General


(a) This subpart applies to all boats that have gasoline engines,
except outboard engines, for electrical generation, mechanical power, or
propulsion.
(b) [Reserved]

[CGD 74-209, 42 FR 5950, Jan. 31, 1977, as amended by CGD 81-092, 48 FR
55736, Dec. 15, 1983; USCG-1999-5832, 64 FR 34716, June 29, 1999]
 
Racor Clear Bowl Fuel Filters

I thought about the refit several years ago, I was told by the parts guy at the marina that the Racor filters do not have the fuel flow capacity of the filters specified for use by Yamaha. I was also told by another Yamaha dealer that Grady has had problems with their fuel flow caused by too many fittings in the fuel system, the first thing they do is re install the fuel system eliminating as many flow restrictions as they can. I was also informed the reduced flow caused by the Racor filters can cause the powerhead to blow. I stick to the 3 micron yamaha fuel filters, change em twice a year. If you ever got water in your fuel all you have to do is remove the filter and dump the contents overboard, reinstall the filter and retry to start the motor. Keep doing this several times until all of the water is removed from the fuel system. Good Luck.
 
Re: Racor Clear Bowl Fuel Filters

Dave C said:
I thought about the refit several years ago, I was told by the parts guy at the marina that the Racor filters do not have the fuel flow capacity of the filters specified for use by Yamaha. I was also told by another Yamaha dealer that Grady has had problems with their fuel flow caused by too many fittings in the fuel system, the first thing they do is re install the fuel system eliminating as many flow restrictions as they can. I was also informed the reduced flow caused by the Racor filters can cause the powerhead to blow. I stick to the 3 micron yamaha fuel filters, change em twice a year. If you ever got water in your fuel all you have to do is remove the filter and dump the contents overboard, reinstall the filter and retry to start the motor. Keep doing this several times until all of the water is removed from the fuel system. Good Luck.
Click to expand...

I've never heard of a fuel flow issues when it comes to the Racor's. They're available in 60 and 90 gph, (10 micron, gasoline).
I think the biggest advantage of the Racor is being able to easily drain the bowl. A quick visual inspection is nice too, if you have the transparent one. Very little guess work.
I understand what your saying about draining a sealed filter, and that works too, as far as water is concerned. But... everytime you remove that filter and drain it, you risk pouring any setiment from one chamber to the other. Also, everytime you remove the filter, you disturb the seal.
While replacing a few different fuel filters over the last year, I've noticed that the seal has expanded quite a bit, (I'm guessing from the ethonal). Of course with a new filter, you get a new seal, but I wouldn't feel very good about jamming that old one back into place.
 
If your fuel pumps are healthy and you replace the element 1/year or every 50 hours how will there be a problem? Even the Yami 350 doesn't use 60 gallons/hour. If there is junk/water in my fuel I want to see it before there is a problem, not wait until the engine is sputtering. You're going to tell me the pressure drop is less for a 3 micron filter than a 10 micron? Yamaha just wants to sell filters
 
I had fuel problems earlier this season and although the clear bowl didn't show anything I drained it several times. As problems persisted I changed my low pressure pumps and all filters. When I took off the main filter and bowl (still clear) I dumped it into a coffee can and 1/2 was water & sh*t. The bowl was clear, don't ask me why. Clear bowls are nice in theory but don't always tell all. My lesson is to occasionally dump the filter and be prepared to change it if the gasket looks bad or the filter is contaminated. Boat is '91 Gulstream w/ '01 250 Yammie on a bracket. JOHN
 
jjb232G said:
I had fuel problems earlier this season and although the clear bowl didn't show anything I drained it several times. As problems persisted I changed my low pressure pumps and all filters. When I took off the main filter and bowl (still clear) I dumped it into a coffee can and 1/2 was water & sh*t. The bowl was clear, don't ask me why. Clear bowls are nice in theory but don't always tell all. My lesson is to occasionally dump the filter and be prepared to change it if the gasket looks bad or the filter is contaminated. Boat is '91 Gulstream w/ '01 250 Yammie on a bracket. JOHN
Click to expand...

Nice boat John. :D Sorry to hear you were having fuel problems. Besides that, how has the boat been treating you? How is it running now?

When I had her, I drained the bowl after every trip. Usually got a very small amount of water, along with some carmel colored crap, and the rest was pretty clear. More after a long offshore run. Of course that was pre E-10.

I think with todays E-10 fuel, there is much less of a phase seperation, (water/fuel) because the ethanol is absorbing the water and mixing with the gas... that's the nature of ethanol, and it's not a good thing for sure. What's also scarry is, if your not getting a good seperation, does that mean some of it, (water) is passing through the filter? With so many fuel related problems being reported, it must be the case?

Besides keeping the tank full of fresh fuel, making it less likely to accumulate any condensation, I don't know what the solution is. It would be nice if they came out with a "real" additive or a "blend", specifically for the marine industry, to counter act the effects from the ethanol. I know many people believe that "Startron" helps, but personally I haven't seen any real proof.
 
Walt, except for that one fuel issue she has and is running great. Your carmel colored description is more accurate than my sh*t description. I also started using Startron per the label dosage. I added an hour meter in the cabin the first season and last winter added two Wema fuel senders and a dash gauge.

She's serving us well; I hope things are well with you. JOHN
 
jjb232G said:
Walt, except for that one fuel issue she has and is running great. Your carmel colored description is more accurate than my sh*t description. I also started using Startron per the label dosage. I added an hour meter in the cabin the first season and last winter added two Wema fuel senders and a dash gauge.

She's serving us well; I hope things are well with you. JOHN
Click to expand...

Glad to hear that John... thanks.
 
How do you know the clear stuff in the bowl wasn't 100 % water?

When you flipped it over to drain it, the particulates were momentarily back washed and out they came.
 
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