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Fuel Water Separator Surprise

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Moosemeat
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Fuel Water Separator Surprise

Post by Moosemeat » Sun Oct 26, 2014 1:02 pm

I have read that as part of winterization procedures I should drain the water from my Racor fuel separator that I installed last year. I might add that this is the first time I tried to drain it although it was installed a year and a half ago. My bad.
So, I find a little cup to slide under the filter to catch the small amount of water that I expected, and proceeded to loosen the bolt at the bottom of the filter but :shock: WTF! Here comes the Johnstown flood of gassy water overflowing the cup and going everywhere. Panic time! I replaced the bottom bolt PDQ and started clean up at once.
After scooping and sponging up the gassy water, I think I may have had at least a pint of fluid come out of that thing. Suffice it to say that part of my bilge is now very clean.
What happened? Is this normal? Isn't the Raycor filter supposed to keep the gas separate from the water? Or did I just wait too long before emptying it.

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Captain Nemo
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Re: Fuel Water Separator Surprise

Post by Captain Nemo » Sun Oct 26, 2014 2:49 pm

Did you turn off the fuel shutoff? You might have been siphoning the tank if you don't have an inline anti-siphon valve.
Boats are to be made of wood, otherwise, God would have grown fiberglass trees.

jim g
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Re: Fuel Water Separator Surprise

Post by jim g » Sun Oct 26, 2014 7:15 pm

When you open the drain on the filter the whole filter will drain. The filter works by drawing the fuel off the top. The water being heavier settles on the bottom of the filter. Also when you change the filter you need to fill it up with fuel before you put it on.

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