racor elements

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duetto
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racor elements

Post by duetto »

hi all,

would like to know what micron racors everyone is using (i.e. 2/10/30)? also, what is your experience....good, bad, or ugly.

john cummings
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Post by ELIXIR »

yanmar rep in Canada at PDQ U recommended 30 microns
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Post by duetto »

yes, i know yanmars position. it's a raging debate in boating community on where is the best place to stop the tiny grud (i.e. at racor or at the filter on the engine).

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Post by duetto »

hi all,

this is a fup to my earlier post.

based on my experience with our prior engine (westerbeke) and discussions on a number of cruising sites we set off to florida from connecticut with 2 micron elements in our racor 500 filters.

when we arrived in florida we had put 225 hours (1500 sm) on the filters. suffice to say we did the icw with no fuel/engine related problems.

however, i really wanted to know the true health of the elements, so for christmas, i bought myself a racor vacuum guage.


well the moment of truth came and i was pleasantly surprised. at idle engine pulled 4.5 inches of vacuum and at 3500 rpm's it pulled 7.5 inches of vacuum. the guideline for changing is 10 inches of vacuum. so these are getting close to end of life but are still doing a very good job inspite of a large number of hours. after this test, i installed a new set of 2 micron elements. at idle they draw 0 inches of mercury and 3.5 inches at 3500 rpms.

our fuel mixture consists of biobor(anti-algae) and power service (centane enhancer).
john & diane cummings
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Post by Mishigas »

John, interesting subject. I seem to remember the Yanmar guy saying something about not changing the filters too often due to the fact that they work more efficiently when they "load up" a bit. Where did you mount the Racor Gauges? Do they mount into the filter head somewhere or did you need to cut a tee in the fuel line? Sandy
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Post by duetto »

hi sandy,

you can get either kind. i chose the one intop of filter because initial install is simpler. remote mount via t-fitting would be more useful.
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Post by Keysmark »

John,

I have been reading this thread with interest. I take delivery of my PDQ 34 in July (Hull # 101) and I am trying to figure out which size element to go with.

I live in the Florida Keys & it gets quite humid. I have read on the Trawler World forum that the 2 micron filter is too small to separate water from the fuel.

Do you have any comments on that? Is it possible that moisture is merely absorbed in the filter rather than separated? You seem to have had a good experience with the 2 micron filter element.

Thanks in advance,

Ben
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Post by ThomKat »

FWIW -
I just had some engine warranty work done by a Yanmar rep. He noticed that I was using 2-micron elements in my filters and commented that I could be jeopardizing my warranty. Acccording to the rep, Yanmar has specified 30-micron filters and that lower rated elements (i.e. 10- or 2-micron) could cause the injector pump to fail due to a lack of cooling (pump is cooled by fuel flow). I recall that in the Yanmar presentation at PDQ-U, the filter recommendation was 30-micron. Since Yanmar is paying the warranty bills, I think I'll switch to 30-micron elements!!!

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Post by duetto »

ben,

see my comments in your other thread. i noted as tom did here, you'll have a warranty problem, so i wouldn't use them at this time.

i really can't comment on the water issue.

btw, we spent winter in sw fl & keys, but it wasn't humid ;)
john & diane cummings
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