Honda / Racor filter interchange?

Da Nag

Da Nag

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Doing a little maintenance next week, and am getting together a parts list. EQ installed the Honda fuel filter/water separator pictured below on Da Nag - it's a Honda part, but plainly states it's made by Racor on the side.

Question - anyone know if there's a Racor replacement element that is a direct replacement for the Honda part #17670-ZW1-030GH shown below?

I've got nothing against buying the part from the local Honda dealer...there just seem to be many more places to get generic Racor's, and a Honda Marine dealer isn't always around the corner.

honda_racor_30gph_filter.jpg
 
They (Honda/Racor) seem to be pretty stingy with their info, don't they?

Here's one option:

1-800-C-PARKER
Parker's Product Information Center


Here's another:

racor@parker.com
 
TyBoo":3urzwdsq said:
They (Honda/Racor) seem to be pretty stingy with their info, don't they?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I searched all the normal places online, couldn't find any cross-references. I'll give them a ring tomorrow.

The closest Racor part I found is the 120RRAC01, which uses a Racor S3240 replacement filter. It has the same specs as the Honda branded unit, and looks the same in this picture, other than a different arrangement of the in/out ports.
 
I went through the same process a month or two ago. I looked all over online, I called all kinds of marine parts places. Finally called the factory - was told Racor only makes 2 sizes of that style filter for gasoline engines - a big one (60GPH I think) and a little one (30 GPH). The little one will do the job. Most marine stores will carry it. I got mine at WM (but only because I work directly across the street from them, not because I enjoy pay through the .....).

Roger on the SeaDNA
 
Bill,
I just went throught that process also. I finally got a Racor R12T ffom WM in Pittsburg. It has been working fine. I just had to select the one that would fit and was for gas outboard. The places I tried did not have the Honda one in stock.

Steve
 
Just looked at your link. I also looked at that one online. When I went to WM I decided that the S3240 in the pic was probably smaller diameter and longer length and it has a differnet bowl color. The R12T has the same size and same oring and flat ring as the Honda one.

EQ mounted mine above the port tank - not much room. I had to unbolt the unit and get it out in the open. Then I used a strap wrench to get the filter off - it was very tight.

Steve
 
seabran":2kjh30pu said:
When I went to WM I decided that the S3240 in the pic was probably smaller diameter and longer length and it has a differnet bowl color. The R12T has the same size and same oring and flat ring as the Honda one.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, Steve - I just called Racor to make sure. Even though you found that the R12T physically fits, I wanted to make sure it had the same filtration properties as the Honda unit. Per Racor, it does - it's a direct replacement.

seabran":2kjh30pu said:
EQ mounted mine above the port tank - not much room. I had to unbolt the unit and get it out in the open. Then I used a strap wrench to get the filter off - it was very tight.
Click to expand...

Yup...mine is mounted on the starboard side, but it looks tight as well. I think there's enough room to get a strap wrench on it, though.

However, it's mounted so low you can't get a drain line on the bottom fitting - it's too close to the tank. To drain it, I pull the boat plug, fire up the hose, and let water run down the top of the tank to dilute the fuel and water draining out of the separator. Not ideal, but I can't think of any other way to do it short of relocating the filter.
 
One more thing - I believe there were 2 filters of the same size - but that filtered to different particular levels (I think 3um and 10um). I bought the lower particle size filter - will have to replace it more often but felt safer with to small particulate filter.

Roger
 
Bill,
Thanks for going the extra mile and confirming the filter specs - I did not know that part.

The way I have drained the clear bowl is to put a frisbee under the outlet and then open it. There is not that much gas in the bowl it only fills the frisbee to about 1/4 in. I just have to be careful when I remove the frisbee not to spill it till I get it out of the boat. I also use a fuel assorb rag.

It was easy to remove the whole filter assembly by taking out the bolts. The gas lines where long enough that I did not have to remove them. I could not get my strap wrench around the filter while it was in place.
Steve
 
My feeling is that you should replace it every 100 hour service or at least once/season which ever comes first. It's VERY easy to change. It just spins off and spins back on like an oil filter. You will probably need a filter or strap wrench to get it off. The normal oil filter wrenches (available at any auto parts store) are a bit large but work fine if you use some soft piece of wood to fill the gap (that's what I do).

Roger on the SeaDNA
 
You might try the Racor R12S (WMPN 411355). It's the diesel version in the 120 series, fits the gas series 320 units, filters down to 2 microns (compared to 10 microns for the gas version), and is suitable for use on gasoline engines, per Racor Technical Support. It accomodates the fuel flow requirements of the Honda 90, and I've gone all season, with 300 engine hours, without needing to change. I simply replace as a part of routine fall maintenance.

For some reason, this unit is more commonly stocked at WM locally, and isn't a special order. Don't know if that situation applies nationally.
 
Allow me to shift the discussion a bit. Is it within CG or ABYC standards to mount a bowl type water seperator-fuel filter within the confines of the hull of an outboard boat? Should the water seperator- fuel filter be placed in the outboard well where leaks or spills will not accumulate within the confines of the hull?
Mike "Levity"
 
A clogged fuel filter was the cause of a significant bit of anxiety on our Princess Louisa trip last May. We limped in to Secret Cove, and fortunately the owner of the marina / repair facility there was willing and able to replace the filter - only because I had a spare on board. He did not have one in stock, he only stocked Mercury stuff. He needed TWO strap wrenches to get the sucker apart, and there was a lot of swearing involved. I would not say this was "easy"! I only had the spare due to David's foresight for the Alaska cruise, and I recommend everyone carry a spare, especially on a long cruise. But I would think this could happen anywhere any time. And I recommend carrying a small strap wrench. After watching a qualified mechanic struggle with this sucker I am no way confident that I could do it, especially in some remote location or under adverse conditions underway. You also need some oil for the o-ring. And it was a bit of a feat to get the fuel line re-primed and gas flowing to the engine. As I recall, he only charged about $50, which I thought was a very reasonable charge in the circumstances.
 
Mike-

Here's what I know w/o looking up the CG regulations:

Dealers commonly install fuel filters/separators both in the engine well and under the engine well in outboard powered boats.

I think it's much smarter to install them in the engine well where any spillage drains overboard quickly. Placing them on the side of the engine well also makes access for servicing much easier, and they can be removed and replaced from either inside the boat while in the water or outside of the boat when on the trailer.

We hear complaints from those who have the filter/separator up under the engine well because of the difficulty in checking the bowl / draining it / and replacing the filter. It's a dumb place to have it, IMHO, as well as being very dangerous because of the enclosed nature of the location considering that it could leak or outright break open.

As an aside FYI, fuel filters and separators on inboard engines must be solid metal canisters. No see-thru plastic bowls are permitted down in the enclosed engine compartments, where dangerous fumes can accumulate. This suggests us that the enclosed space under the engine well is also a poor place to put the fuel filter, although not as dangerous as the inboard engine compartment with its electrical equipment and hot engine.

Personally, I think that becuse of all these considerations, it is a moot point whether the CG prohibits fuel filter placement down under the engine well. I doubt they do because there may be no other place available on some boats, but who'd put it there after reviewing all these considerations?

Just my $0.02!

Merry Christmas (whether you prefer snow flakes or Bikini clad girls and palm trees)!

Joe. :thup :teeth
 
A slight diversion here, but related to racor/honda clear bowl fuel filters mouted in the cock-pit against the transom; Is that they tend to take a wack once in a while, like from cockpit chairs and coolers. I have done some searching looking for wire or strapping to protect them from getting banged up but have been unsuccessful and thinking of fabricating. Wondered if anyone has improvised
 
I change mine every 100 hrs Racor#S3227(long version) a regular parts store (NAPA etc) will not be able to get these. A marine dealer only $25 bucko's here

dscn0267_00.sized.jpg


warmed up to +10 this morning now if we can just get that sun to come back :mrgreen: :beer
 
I've seen photos on this site of a very neat installation where the person fabricated a shroud to protect the filter assembly. The assembly was mounted on the inside of their transom in the area above the rear drain plug and above the waterline. I think it was a regular contributor, but I can't remember whose boat it was. Very accessible, weather protected, impact protected. Someone else must remember which C-Brat it was... Mike.
 
I changed mine for the first time this fall. I was able to get the filter and bowl off without any trouble, however I had significant trouble getting the bowl off the filter. I could turn the bowl but that's all it would do is turn. It wouldn't come apart. I resorted to cutting the filter in half with a sawzall and using pliers to seperate the two.
 
westward":3t4fc56o said:
I've seen photos on this site of a very neat installation where the person fabricated a shroud to protect the filter assembly. The assembly was mounted on the inside of their transom in the area above the rear drain plug and above the waterline. I think it was a regular contributor, but I can't remember whose boat it was. Very accessible, weather protected, impact protected. Someone else must remember which C-Brat it was... Mike.
Click to expand...

Mike-

It was DogOnDory Dan. Here's the photo:

fuel_filter_2.sized.jpg


Three photos starting HERE.

Merry Christmas!

Joe. :thup :teeth
 
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