Fuel Filter. Beta Engine.

[CaptainBob]

I'm a total novice to this. Looked at my in-line fuel filter the other day and there was about 10mm of very very clear at the bottom of the bowl thing - above which the rest looked cloudy. Not sure if it's on the bowl, or the liquid within. Figured the 10mm at the bottom might be water (even though it was very definitely fuel coloured).

I thought I'd unscrew the little screw at the bottom and see what came out.

As I began to undo it, I watched 4 or 5 bubbles of air go up from the screw, into the bowl.

When the screw was completely out, fuel started to come out - no sign of water.

I screwed in the screw, and made a note to ask you lot what I should do next.

So, what should I do next?

That air must be inside the system somewhere I guess. Do I need to get it out somehow?

What about this 10mm of one colour, and the rest above it of another more cloudy colour?

Thank you!

 

[Pye_End]

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about 10mm of very very clear at the bottom of the bowl thing - above which the rest looked cloudy.

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Mine looks like that so guess it must be normal!

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As I began to undo it, I watched 4 or 5 bubbles of air go up from the screw, into the bowl.

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Mine doesn't do that though! Is the separator lower than the level of the diesel in the tank? You may have the odd blank out of the top of the separator - maybe try taking one of these out and seeing if the bubbles come out the top. If you think you still have them when you next go out then practice breathing the injector!

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That air must be inside the system somewhere I guess. Do I need to get it out somehow?

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Yes.

 

[30boat]

You should empty the bowl,replace the filter element and then bleed the system.You first remove all the air in the low pressure side by undoing the bleed screw on the injection pump and manualy operate the diaphragm pump until no air bubbles come out.Tighten the screw down.Then undo (slightly)the nut holding the pipe on to the top of the injector closest to the pump and crank the engine until fuel comes out.It comes out in little spurts.Once there tighten and move on to the next one and so on.Easy

 

[KenMcCulloch]

If it's a CAV type filter (sounds like it) it is probably in the process of gunging up, most likely with bacterial contamination. As suggested, renew the filter and bleed the whole system. You should also be prepared to clean out the bottom of your tank (quite easy to do with a Pela Pump) to get as much water and gunge out as you possibly can. I do mine every year and each time there's a little less gunge.

 

[BabaYaga]

As OP doesnt state what model of Beta engine he has, I'm not absolutely sure – but on my own BD722 from 2005 there is no need to bleed at the injectors. Just one bleed point on the whole system: The screw on the injector pump.

 

[Krusty]

''Looked at my in-line fuel filter the other day and there was about 10mm of very very clear at the bottom of the bowl thing - above which the rest looked cloudy.''

I have the same installation: the ''10mm very clear'' is due to an indirect light-path caused by reflection and refraction through the lowest part of the curved sides and the thick glass bottom of the bowl.
It can be disconcerting until you realise what it is.

 

[AndrewD]

True, unless you've had the whole thing in bits and got air into the actual injector lines.

Then you will need to bleed at the injectors as well as at the pump.

Beta BD662 will run perfectly happily on two cyls while you bleed each one in turn. I can even do it single-handed.