Fuel Filter bowls

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:26 pm Post subject: Fuel Filter bowls

Does anyone know an inexpensive source for the plastic bowels that attach to the Racor fuel filters? My worry box started filling up with concerns about breaking one, and now I am feeling the need to get a spare (I have plenty of the elements).

The element is only about $22 with a Honda name on it, but the element and bowel are over $60. That's a pretty expensive piece of plastic. I should probably head down to a NAPA and see what they can come up with, but thought one of the Brats would have a great idea.

Regards,

Steve

flapbreaker · Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:40 pm Post subject:

I have not ordered from this site but the price seems right. I do use the racor R12T instead of the honda parts.

http://www.aaaa-generator.com/RACOR_R12T.html

Here's a old thread regarding this filter.
http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=2168&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Dreamer · Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:03 pm Post subject:

Steve,

If you want to cover all your bases with spares, and it's a great idea, the complete filter looks like a bargain at $39. See the site Spencer posted. Then you've got a spare for every component! Just my $0.02 worth.

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:07 pm Post subject: Fuel Filter - Spare Bowl

Spencer, Roger:

Thanks! I am going to pick one up. I've got several spare filter elements, but no bowl.

Regards,

Steve

toyman · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:42 pm Post subject: Honda Fuel Water Separator

I've been relocating my Honda (Racor) fuel filter to the motor well - some DA had installed it directly above the stbd battery under deck. I figured I'd go ahead and change the filter while I was at it - easy looking right ? After a couple of hours wrestling the thing around my shop trying to get the filter separated from the PLASTIC (under the deck ??) bowl I went to the destruction method and found the the plastic bowl COULD NOT be separated from the plastic threads on the filter. I suspect that the culprit may be the ethanol in the fuel. I'm going to replace my plastic bowl with the metal bowl - but if that was what caused the problem - what about the plastic in the filter can ?

I note from looking at some older threads that others have experienced problems removing their bowls - anyone else the COULD NOT remove it ?

Wefings · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:05 pm Post subject:

The metal bowls are required for inboards only [for fire reasons], With opaque metal, you lose the ability to see the water collect if there is any . The plastic is the way to go and visible is good .Get a strap wrench and take the bowl off or loosen once in a while . They do seem to "self tighten".
You cant blame ethanol for everything! Remember,as a food group ,it can be your friend too .It can make people around you more interesting and your children more well behaved.
Marc

toyman · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:17 pm Post subject:

I'll drink to that Marc - just don't make me use it as a fuel. This filter/separator weren't tight, strap wrenches and a vise wouldn't budge it. When I did the destruction inspection the black plastic (ABS probably) was bonded to the clear bowl ( Styrene or K-resin probably). Not just stuck. The other alternative was that the fool the previous owner had change the filters used MEK ( whick would melt ABS & styrene, can't remember about K-Resin) to make it seal - with the gasket Recor used for sealing it SHOULD not have been a problem.

marvin4239 · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:19 pm Post subject:

My boat came factory rigged with the all metal filter mounted in the splash well and it's hard to get apart also. It doesn't have a drain either. I want to replace mine with the plastic bowl for the reasons Marc points out.

Comfortably Numb · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:27 pm Post subject:

I've had some good luck with Marine Filters:

http://www.marinefilters.com/

More specific to "our" needs:

http://www.marinefilters.com/viewproducts.php?number=5

Happy Holidays!

Wefings · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:30 pm Post subject:

Id still go plastic and a little silicone grease for O ring area on the new one and you should be fine. Cant explain the major melding of parts but maybe no one ever messed with it till now.
Marc

toyman · Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:09 pm Post subject:

Here is something found looking for a bowl.
http://shop.torresen.com/ships_store/?p=details&ident=139477

Levity · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:08 am Post subject:

The plastic bowl used to stick onto the threads of the fuel filter element on Levity also. My guess was that the oil used as a lubricant on the plastic threads was somehow bonding the plastic threads of the bowl to the plastic threads of the element. Isn't plastic a petroleum product? Due to poor knowledge of chemistry my petroleum bonding theory may be nonsense, however, since using graphite as a lubricant the bowl and element are easily separated.
Regards,
Mike "Levity"

BrentB · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:26 am Post subject:

Does it have a bowl O-ring? Racor changed to a flurocarbon O ring for the bowl recently b/c of changes in additivies and ethanol. The new one is green and previous one is black

on edit
Part numbers using the new O ring
S3213
S3214
S3227
S3228 series
S3232
B32013
B32014
320R-RAC-01
490R-RAC-01
660R-RAC-01

BrentB · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:51 am Post subject:

http://www.parker.com/portal/site/PARKER/menuitem.734d2913eb3c11da13576f849420d1ca/?vgnextoid=d195f87357e28110VgnVCM10000048021dacRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&vgnextcatid=2700011&literaturetype=Bulletins&searchAttr=searchResult&languages=EN&parentCh=FindCatlogId#results

may need to copy and paste the url

matt_unique · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:43 pm Post subject: Filter

They are a bear to get off. I could not do it after my first season but figured out a method that works every time.

I remove the filter and bowl from the metal housing (on my transom) using a regular filter wrench. I then place the metal bowl in a vice to hold it snug and use giant pipe wrench pliers to remove the actual filter element. (The handles on my pliers are about a foot long offering some crazy leverage). The pliers easily grab the entire filter element and you can twist it right off. The pliers look like this: http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1291870&kw=pliers&origkw=pliers&searchId=45667203404

I use a good dose of motor oil around the gasket when I put the new filters on (just as you do with a regular car oil filter).

--Matt