REFLECTOR: Use EXTREME CAUTION with Marine fuel filters !!!

[Gary Stull]

The Racor Marine filters hold quite a bit of water. If you ingested that 
much water into the engine it would surely shut down from lack of fuel. I'm 
not sure if these filters stop all flow when contaminated with water, but 
the general design of them with a screw on transparent bowl at the bottom of 
the filter cartrridge would suggest that's not the case. There's nothing in 
them internally to stop fuel flow for any reason other then perhaps total 
blockage from solid contaminates. Since they are about the size of a 
standard oil filter this would be a large amount of debris, a gascolator 
would clog long before one of these from debris and I really don't see 
anything internally to prevent flow after water contamination as I said 
before.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "LAURA WALKER" <blwalker105 at sbcglobal.net>
To: <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 9:43 AM
Subject: REFLECTOR: Use EXTREME CAUTION with Marine fuel filters !!!



I've seen some recent postings about marine fuel filter/water separators. 
There are some designs that are designed to keep any water out of the 
engine...PERIOD. They look like normal water separators, but if their 
water-retaining capacity is exceeded, they will stop the flow OF ALL FLUIDS, 
including fuel, through the system. On the water, this means after the 
engine shuts itself down you get delayed slightly while you attend to 
cleaning or draining your fuel filter. In the air, it means pushing the 
Nearest airport button, and initiating the silent descent profile.

Aviation fuel filters differ in that they will always allow fluid to flow 
through, assuming that even a rough-running engine experiencing water 
contamination may eventually purge enough water that it will continue to 
operate.

Bill Walker
N36LV
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