Fuel/Water Separator Maintenance?

[gc1111]

And getting back to the OP's original question. If you have a non transparent bowl you should get in the habit of cracking the drain plug on a regular basis and checking what comes out. The original owner of my boat had a beautiful copper catch basin fabricated and placed under the filters. This makes this check a lot easier. I guess with a gas engine you have to be a lot more careful with the fuel coming out.
The CG approval is concerned with "inspected" boats, which are generally bigger engines and more likely to have an electric pump in from of the filters, so the filters have positive pressure. They are concerned that excessive heat (or an engine room fire) could melt the plastic and suddenly add lots of extra fuel to the fire. For a pleasure boat with the electric pump (if any) turned off, melting the plastic will most likely just shut down the engine - especially on a diesel. So in that case the danger is much less, but still there.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by gc1111

I guess with a gas engine you have to be a lot more careful with the fuel coming out.

Yeah.

Originally Posted by gc1111

For a pleasure boat with the electric pump (if any) turned off, melting the plastic will most likely just shut down the engine - especially on a diesel. So in that case the danger is much less, but still there.

I have an A4. Unless the PO replaced it (didn't mention he did), it still has a mechanical fuel pump. Tho I hardly see where that makes much difference.

So the up-shot is I can either stay with my current filter/separator, where I can't see what's going on inside, or I can replace it with a new Racor, where I won't be able to see what's going on inside. (Dear Racor: How about a metal body with a glass bowl on the bottom?) As long as replacement cartridges are available for this old Fram I have, I guess I'll just stick with it.

mwrohde or gc1111,

Either one of you wouldn't happen to have any notes or documentation around on the part number for the replacement filter cartridge, would you?

Thanks,
Jim

[gc1111]

About the fuel pump, it is not a question of electrical vs mechanical, but whether the filter is upstream or downstream of the pump. With a mechanical pump and an external filter, the filter will be under suction, so a hole it it will simply suck in air. With an electrical external pump it is typically upstream of the filter, so the filter has positive pressure and fuel will pour out of any hole.
I will check the replacement filter number next time I am at the boat, but your CCS-1136 sounds familiar (I am sure it is a CCS-???) My earlier coalescer was a CC-1133PL and the separator was CS-1133PL. And the combined filter was a CCS-something. Get the pattern? One caveat, I don't know if there are different parts for gas and for diesel, mine is a diesel.
Glass bowl filters used to be made, I don't know if they still are. But they have to have heavy duty protection to keep things like wrench handles away.
Mine had the replacement filter number printed on the side of the holder, try looking carefully at it (including the back side).

[mwrohde]

Originally Posted by SEMIJim

. . .

Either one of you wouldn't happen to have any notes or documentation around on the part number for the replacement filter cartridge, would you?

. . .

It is a Fram CCS1136. Mine is a diesel, as well.

[camaraderie]

semi...here's what looks to be your filter system. It appears to have the water drain nut on the bottom and as mw says it uses the ccs1136 element
http://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/FRA/FRAFCS1136M.html

[Valiente]

I have the Fram CP119 filter element, but it has the clear bowl and drain plug beneath it. I seem to recall that there may be a "code" issue with gasoline and clear bowls that isn't present with diesel.

[SEMIJim]

Update.

The PO called me earlier today, in response to an emailed inquiry last night, and confirmed that the instruction sheet in the boats documentation is indeed for the filter element for the fuel/water separator/filter on our boat. He said to check for water, just stick a small bowl underneith and drain some out via the drain plug in the bottom. He said he'd never experienced a problem with water accumulation in our boat. (He owned it seven years.) He said he changed the filter element last season.

So all is well, and I could've saved us all some time by just asking the PO in the first place

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions, everybody. Appreciate it.

Jim

[Wayne25]

I have that same filter/water separator. It has a small brass plug on the bottom to check for any water accumulation. Its built like a tank and has a hugh resovoir to catch water if you buy a bad load of gas. West Marine carries the new replacement como filters that go inside as described earlier. IMHO, a much better built filter than a racor. That bowl is 1/8" thick. If tou replace the copper tubing going to and from the filter with the properly rated rubber hose, it's easier to unclamp the hoses, unscrew the four top bolts from the bracket and remove the whole assembly for filter replacement and fuel inspection.