Racor -myth busters

Scarron

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Ok chaps next questions.....
Racor 500, what threads are the ports on the facor versions?
How much higher can the filter be mounted above the engine/tank level without issues?
My filters are currently barely accessible when underway so if re-plumbing it would be daft to not find a more practicle place, I'm getting older and fatter and MS is making me less dexterous all the time so well worth considering.
I'm also at the mercy off BSS as broads based but as far as I can tell the bowl material doesn't matter if they are out of the engine bay.


These are the Facor 500s I fitted Racor Type Diesel Filter FG500

Good value at £25 each. [M14 x 1.5 thread] They come supplied with fittings, just change the Dowty washers for good quality ones

I fitted two pairs [twin engined boat with two completely separate tanks] plumbed in 9.5/10mm rubber fuel hose with a ball valve on the top of the tank dip tube to a Y piece then another inline ball valve to each filter, the outputs then combine via another y piece and run to the lift pump.

In this way I can run the supply to the engine through either filter or both and also isolate when changing filters thus preventing the supply draining back to, or from the tank whilst the top is off.

As regards to level, mine were buried in the bowels of the engine bay and a change at sea would have been impossible, I can now slide an engine hatch back and reach down to switch from one filter to another in case of a blockage, and relatively easily change filters if I need to. I see no reason for them to be below the level of the tank pickup tube as once they are primed if you always isolate them with the ball valves they wont siphon back and loose prime. so position them where you can get to them in a hurry to change a filter, just in case its in the dark whilst being blown onto a lee shore!

I did try to source a batch of genuine Racor filters with the water repellent treatment but they seem to be in short supply at the moment so instead I bought a batch of better quality aftermarket ones from Inline Filters - Inline FF30484 Filter-Fuel(Equivalent: MD-633, PF598-30, FS20103)
 
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snowbird30ds

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Thanks Scarron, strangely enough from following the various forum links to amazon @ £44 each I spotted the seller was aim tools and have ordered a pair to offer up, at that price it's a no-brainer, just got to work out where to mount them that's easy to get to, if I put them in my engine bay I need the racor heat shields (£107 each FFS) for bss and it's not that easy to get into when underway.
Currently I've have to squeeze past a wood beam and a turbo to wriggle my way down to sitting crouched under a deck beside the propshafts and sternglands in the dark to feck about with the cav's, if both engines stopped I'd probably just hit the red button on the vhf and cry like a baby...

This is with full floor removed, floor has full centre spar front to back and two side spars each side and 6 panels, that bulkhead is about 18" back from the opening,
and of course with floor removed there's no where to helm the engine left running, joy.
This design has to be changed, in fairness I should have done it 5 years ago.
SS853809.jpg
 
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Plum

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I did try to source a batch of genuine Racor filters with the water repellent treatment but they seem to be in short supply at the moment so instead I bought a batch of better quality aftermarket ones from Inline Filters - Inline FF30484 Filter-Fuel(Equivalent: MD-633, PF598-30, FS20103)

I just bought some from here Racor 2010TM-OR Diesel Fuel Filter Element for Racor 500 or if you want 30 micron Racor 2010PM-OR Diesel Fuel Filter Element for Racor 500

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 

Greg2

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The old filters on our Hardy were very low down in the engine bay, about as low in the hull as you can get and it would have been very difficult to change one alongside let alone at sea so when I decided to upgrade I also decided to re-locate them to just under the saloon deck boards over the engine bay. I bought genuine Racors and thought I got a good price until I saw the Facors sold by Aim Tools!?

Racor advise where the filters can be mounted in terms of height and where we put ours placed them about level with/slightly above the tops of the fuel tanks and the tops of the engines. Our Broom 41 had them in a similar location and they worked fine so I figured they would be okay and an engineer friend who plumbed them in agreed. All good after a season in use.

Here they are prior to the hoses being installed, which we routed along the beams supporting the deck boards. The tank below the filters is the holding tank and not a fuel tank btw.

CBC32324-D95D-474C-9072-4FB0F7A4B78C.jpeg
 
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snowbird30ds

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Well having a close read through the BSS guide and a quick confirmation from my examiner I can indeed use flexible hose throughout as long as it's ISO7840 so that will make the job much easier, just got to find a good filter site with enough space now, I have a couple of steps with hinged lids on the rear deck that may be ideal.
 

Falcoron

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These are the Facor 500s I fitted Racor Type Diesel Filter FG500

Good value at £25 each. [M14 x 1.5 thread] They come supplied with fittings, just change the Dowty washers for good quality ones

I fitted two pairs [twin engined boat with two completely separate tanks] plumbed in 9.5/10mm rubber fuel hose with a ball valve on the top of the tank dip tube to a Y piece then another inline ball valve to each filter, the outputs then combine via another y piece and run to the lift pump.

In this way I can run the supply to the engine through either filter or both and also isolate when changing filters thus preventing the supply draining back to, or from the tank whilst the top is off.

As regards to level, mine were buried in the bowels of the engine bay and a change at sea would have been impossible, I can now slide an engine hatch back and reach down to switch from one filter to another in case of a blockage, and relatively easily change filters if I need to. I see no reason for them to be below the level of the tank pickup tube as once they are primed if you always isolate them with the ball valves they wont siphon back and loose prime. so position them where you can get to them in a hurry to change a filter, just in case its in the dark whilst being blown onto a lee shore!

I did try to source a batch of genuine Racor filters with the water repellent treatment but they seem to be in short supply at the moment so instead I bought a batch of better quality aftermarket ones from Inline Filters - Inline FF30484 Filter-Fuel(Equivalent: MD-633, PF598-30, FS20103)
Just bought 2 Facor units and 4 genuine Racor elements.
on the facors they come with a loose red plastic ring inside the bowl what is this and where does it go?
 

Mr Googler

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Just bought 2 Facor units and 4 genuine Racor elements.
on the facors they come with a loose red plastic ring inside the bowl what is this and where does it go?

Never seen those red things before. Could it be a flow indicator? Spins or wobbles when fuel is spinning in the bowl?
 

Plum

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Just bought 2 Facor units and 4 genuine Racor elements.
on the facors they come with a loose red plastic ring inside the bowl what is this and where does it go?
I have read that the red plastic ring floats on water but sinks in diesel so giving a visual level warning. Probably of more value if you are using just white diesel.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 

Plum

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Did other folk manage to get hold of the square section o rings for these at all? My local supplier seems to have drawn a blank.
I may just chuck the rings into a pot of fuel and see how they do.
If you are refering to the square section seal between the bowl and the body of the Racor filter then details and dimensions are here Search Results | FPE Seals Ltd at £0.92 each and a Racor distrubutor was asking £14.88 each.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
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Bandit

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The Volvo Penta Racor filter elements come with a small round section seal iirc about 12mm dia for the handle and a large square section o ring for between the lid and the body of the filter are in the box with the filter element and included in the price.
 
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snowbird30ds

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If you are refering to the square section seal between the bowl and the body of the Racor filter then details and dimensions are here Search Results | FPE Seals Ltd at £0.92 each and a Racor distrubutor was asking £14.88 each.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
That seems to be nitrile rubber, I was hoping to find something in viton/FKM to cope with biodiesel content better as I'm often not getting FAME free fuel.
 

Jamie Dundee

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That seems to be nitrile rubber, I was hoping to find something in viton/FKM to cope with biodiesel content better as I'm often not getting FAME free fuel.
I wouldn’t worry about that. I’m pretty sure the seal is to keep air out, not diesel in. I’ve never seen diesel above the filter when I open the top.
 
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