Racor -myth busters

[snowbird30ds]

It's more the bowl ring I'm concerned with, I've managed to source a viton flat washer for the drain valve and see no reason why I can't use a round section ring for the bowl as it's contained in a channel with a flat surface compressed against it, bet it comes back out square.
All others now sourced in viton.

 

[Plum]

It's more the bowl ring I'm concerned with, I've managed to source a viton flat washer for the drain valve and see no reason why I can't use a round section ring for the bowl as it's contained in a channel with a flat surface compressed against it, bet it comes back out square.
All others now sourced in viton.

I tried using a round section o-ring between the bowl and body but the recess does not grip it so it falls out as you try to assemble so a high chance of miss-placed trapped o-ring and no seal. If you assemble while the whole filter is upsidedown then it works with an 84x4 round section o-ring.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Scarron]

It's more the bowl ring I'm concerned with, I've managed to source a viton flat washer for the drain valve and see no reason why I can't use a round section ring for the bowl as it's contained in a channel with a flat surface compressed against it, bet it comes back out square.
All others now sourced in viton.

What sort of fuel are you intending to use?

Standard NBR will be fine with all types of diesel used in the UK and it's very unlikely that aftermarket suppliers would use anything else .

If you doubt the aftermarket filters and seals they come supplied with then purchase some genuine Racor seals. I have been in the rubber industry for 40 years and would have complete confidence in Parker's compounding department to specify materials fully compatible with all likely fuels, contaminants and temperature profiles.

 

[Falcoron]

Anyone removed the plastic water drain at bottom of bowl and Fitted a small open close ball valve? much easier and cleaner that fiddling down below :0

 

[MapisM]

No experience with such replacement on Racors, but FWIW the Separs come standard with the ball valve that you are envisaging, and I can confirm that it works just perfectly.

 

[Falcoron]

Thanks but £350 compared to £30 ill keep fiddling lol!

 

[graham]

I know this is an old thread but I read through it before fitting my own facor 500 today. It looks a well made housing

,I breathed a sigh of relief when nothing leaked. Engine restarted with usual bleed on the pump.May not need even that when replacing the filter element.

It will be much easier to change filters than the old CAV I had once or twice I had a tiny leak on reassembly and couldnt imagine trying to reassemble a CAV rolling about in a seaway.

The genuine Racor is about 10 times the cost of the knock off one so I hope my facor does the job.

 

[Alicatt]

I know this is an old thread but I read through it before fitting my own facor 500 today. It looks a well made housing

,I breathed a sigh of relief when nothing leaked. Engine restarted with usual bleed on the pump.May not need even that when replacing the filter element.

It will be much easier to change filters than the old CAV I had once or twice I had a tiny leak on reassembly and couldnt imagine trying to reassemble a CAV rolling about in a seaway.

The genuine Racor is about 10 times the cost of the knock off one so I hope my facor does the job.

I was lucky enough that the previous owner had fitted a pair of Racors for each engine before the engine mounted diesel filters, looking at the old invoices it cost around €1700 to fit them in June 2020

 

[oldgit]

Lots of folks with more modest craft have fitted those Facors, usually with some initial minor modding required, howver virtually all use the genuine Racor filters .
No problems to date.

 

[kippers26]

The Aluminium Ball can stick causing the fuel supply to be cut off. the following is copied from MAIB Safety Digest 2/2024

MAIB Safety Digest 2/2024
charter angling boat | machinery

Sometimes, it is the smallest things that cause the biggest problems. In this case, a 38ft charter angling boat became stranded due to a tiny mechanical fault while at sea with eight anglers and a lone skipper aboard.

The angling boat was some 800m from shore and in an area prone to fast-running tidal streams when the engine stopped. Attempts to get it going again proved unsuccessful and the skipper used very high frequency (VHF) radio to call for assistance. The local Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) all-weather lifeboat was dispatched and towed the angling boat back into port, where the anglers and their catch were landed ashore. A simple tale with a happy outcome, but certainly one to learn from.

The skipper investigated and found the problem with the engine after many hours of head‑scratching. Within the fuel filter was a ball check valve comprised of a buoyant aluminium ball designed to prevent fuel being syphoned back through the fuel system when the engine was switched off. This ball check valve was positioned at the inlet to the fuel filter and so exposed to a flow of fuel that had not yet been cleaned (see figure). The restrictions in the chamber where the buoyant aluminium ball sat had become clogged with debris over time and eventually jammed the ball, stopping the flow of fuel to the engine and causing it to stall

 

[Montemar]

Very useful thread though I have Separ filters. Same considerations would still supply I presume.

 

[petem]

The Aluminium Ball can stick causing the fuel supply to be cut off. the following is copied from MAIB Safety Digest 2/2024

MAIB Safety Digest 2/2024
charter angling boat | machinery

Sometimes, it is the smallest things that cause the biggest problems. In this case, a 38ft charter angling boat became stranded due to a tiny mechanical fault while at sea with eight anglers and a lone skipper aboard.

The angling boat was some 800m from shore and in an area prone to fast-running tidal streams when the engine stopped. Attempts to get it going again proved unsuccessful and the skipper used very high frequency (VHF) radio to call for assistance. The local Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) all-weather lifeboat was dispatched and towed the angling boat back into port, where the anglers and their catch were landed ashore. A simple tale with a happy outcome, but certainly one to learn from.

The skipper investigated and found the problem with the engine after many hours of head‑scratching. Within the fuel filter was a ball check valve comprised of a buoyant aluminium ball designed to prevent fuel being syphoned back through the fuel system when the engine was switched off. This ball check valve was positioned at the inlet to the fuel filter and so exposed to a flow of fuel that had not yet been cleaned (see figure). The restrictions in the chamber where the buoyant aluminium ball sat had become clogged with debris over time and eventually jammed the ball, stopping the flow of fuel to the engine and causing it to stall

View attachment 187762

@kashurst IIRC you removed your balls?!

 

[MapisM]

Very useful thread though I have Separ filters. Same considerations would still supply I presume.

Nope, no such thing as the notorious Racor check ball, in Separs.
Which in fact I have in my current boat (after Racors on all the previous ones), and I must say that the more I get familiar with them the more I prefer them to Racor, for this and also a few other reasons.
BTW, I never heard of any Separ-equipped boat experiencing the potential problem the Racor check ball is supposed to prevent.
That said, all my previous Racors worked just fine, too.

PS: Just in case you don't already have it and you don't know about it, Separs are easily retrofittable with a top cover that includes a vacuum gauge for immediate real time check of if and to which extent the cartridge is clogged. Worth its weight in gold, imho.

 

[kashurst]

@kashurst IIRC you removed your balls?!

Yes, I did. Had a persistent diesel bug problem and the ball mechanism would clog up. Once bug under control etc, I didn't refit them and I never had any problems with fuel running backwards from the engines.

 

[Mr Googler]

Back flow around your balls is nothing to take lightly

A good pair of cycle clips can help contain it….failing that….tuck your trousers in your socks