Dirty Fuel Filter

I have a MS 400 with a Racor 900MA fuel filter.

Decided to drain the dirt from the bottom of the fuel filter this morning and got a lot of dirt out of it. I took a flashlight and looked through the clear bowl at the bottom and saw a lot of dirt on the vanes that is adhering to the internal guts of the rotary part of the filter that didn't come out when I drained it.

How do I clean the internal parts of the filter? Anyone ever done that?

Jeffrey F. Guttenberger
2005 Mainship 400

The next time you change the filter you can flush the bottom of the bowl. I used a squirt bottle filled with fuel.

If need be, the whole thing disassembles and can be wiped clean.

meridian said:

The next time you change the filter you can flush the bottom of the bowl. I used a squirt bottle filled with fuel.

Click to expand...

Yep.
I also have plastic bottle of fuel I use to pour into the top to rinse out the system.

Thanks. Good idea. I'll take your suggestions.

Squirt bottle or "turkey baster" works well

The only way to be sure there are no pockets of grunge is to disassemble the whole filter housing and clean everything with fuel and a cloth. The only critical part of the process is when re-assembling, do not over tighten the body screws. It is only plastic and can be cracked by over tightening.
Mine get this treatment every time I see grunge in the bowl, so in the past 24 yrs, likely half a dozen times. I haven't ever had a problem. It only takes a few minutes.
I use a cloth below the filter housing as I disconnect the fuel lines (shut off first), an ice cream bucket below when I remove the old filter and get the housing off the wall, and to hold the whole mess while cleaning. If the fuel level in the tanks is above the top of the filter housing when on the wall, just open the valve on the line and when the fuel reaches the top of the filter and starts to come over the edges, tighten the top.
Your new filter will come with a new O ring for the top and for the closing T handle.
Watch when dis-assembling to see where the ball comes from, so you will have no doubts when you re-assemble.

I just did this job myself this past weekend. I don’t think the PO cleaned the bowls in a very long time.

I found this rather useful for both shooting blasting fuel into a specific space and the little brush for scrubbing out the tougher goop. $7 from my local drug store.

The syringe is also useful for priming my secondary filters through the bleed valves.