Water Separators

T

tejohnsrude

New member
This is likely a dumb question since I know next to nothing about OB engines.As do all OB's on C-Dorys there is /are water separator(s) installed aft of the engine(s). I have had ( and may continue to have), water-in-the-fuel problems. My question is related to the separators. How does one know when there water in the bowl under the filter? Is the bowl filled with fuel or is it water when engines are running? Someone---please enlighten me.Thanks.

Ted J
 
I assume that your boat has a Racor filter between the tanks and the motor. Those filters have a filter element in the middle and a clear bowl underneath. The plumbing (fuel in and outie lines) goes in, comes out at the top. When the engine fuel pump puls fuel through the filter from the tank, any water that comes through with it will settle out in the clear part of the bowl, where you may see it and drain it out.

If you don't see such an animal, trace back from the engines to the tank(s). There's gotta be a filter there somewhere. If not, you should (OK, must,) install one.

By the way, how do you know that you have water problems, if you didn't see water in the filter? Just an assumption?

Boris
 
Our 25 was not outfitted w/ a fuel/water separator from whatever shop rigged it. When we bought it from Matt @ Kitsap Marine, he had it installed for us at no charge. So yes, they should have one; but not all do.
 
Hi many filter elements do not have the lexan bowl so you can see thru. If it is a metal canister that looks like an oil filter on a car that's it. It is a great idea to change to a see thru bowl type so you can see fuel sitting on water in there and drain it off. If it turns out you don't have any filtration you need one.
 
If you have water collected in that clear bowl that probably means a couple of things: you have water in your fuel; and the separator may need to be replaced. You will see a line across the bowl separating the contents, one may be darker than the other; on the bottom of the bowl is a bleeder screw intended to be opened to bleed the water out of the bowl. place something absorbent under the bowl, get a container, hold it under the bowl, open that screw and drain the bowl down to the level of the aforementioned line. Then tighten the screw. I change that separator at least once a year.
 
There are those who feel that no platic bowl should be installed so that fuel might laek into the cockpit or bilge if the plastic were to break. Thus some boats will have a metal bowl on the Racor Filter. Not all boats have Racor filtors--there are other types of water separators.

Yes, you should check for water in the fuel when you are doing the pre statrt diagnostics. Both the bowl shold be drained, and the element (whihc has a compound to help water co-ellese from the fuel).

There are also water separators on the Suzuki engines before the injectors, so you need to learn how to service these also.
 
There are those who feel that no platic bowl should be installed so that fuel might laek into the cockpit or bilge if the plastic were to break. Thus some boats will have a metal bowl on the Racor Filter. Not all boats have Racor filtors--there are other types of water separators.

Yes, you should check for water in the fuel when you are doing the pre statrt diagnostics. Both the bowl shold be drained, and the element (whihc has a compound to help water co-ellese from the fuel).

There are also water separators on the Suzuki engines before the injectors, so you need to learn how to service these also.
 
Hi everyone: A note of thanks to all who responded to my posting. I have twin Honda 40 HP on my c-dory 22 cruiser.
I have had water in the fuel problems of sufficient magnitude to require carb rebuilding.
I have a Racor water separator/filters between the fuel and engines. When I squeeze the primer bulbs, gasoline smelling liquid fills the Lexan bulbs below the filter elements. Is this supposed to happen? I thought that only water was to collect there. I took a small amount of the filtered material, added sea-water which promptly separated into layers of water and fuel. I wonder what is going on? Any thoughts?
I did send an e-mail a short while ago, but I think it disappeared somewhere into the ether

Ted
 
tejohnsrude":217kz2h2 said:
Hi everyone: A note of thanks to all who responded to my posting. I have twin Honda 40 HP on my c-dory 22 cruiser.
I have had water in the fuel problems of sufficient magnitude to require carb rebuilding.
I have a Racor water separator/filters between the fuel and engines. When I squeeze the primer bulbs, gasoline smelling liquid fills the Lexan bulbs below the filter elements. Is this supposed to happen? I thought that only water was to collect there. I took a small amount of the filtered material, added sea-water which promptly separated into layers of water and fuel. I wonder what is going on? Any thoughts?
I did send an e-mail a short while ago, but I think it disappeared somewhere into the ether

Ted
Click to expand...

Ted-

The bowls fill with liquid because of their design and gravity.

If no water is present, you'll just have gas.

If water is present, it will settle below the gas because it's both heavier and because it doesn't easily mix with gas (oil).

The gas/water separation at the bottom allows the water to be easily drawn off with the drain screw.

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
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