Cracked Racor bowl

[BelleAurore]

Noticed a new slight fuel drip from one of my Racor filters so I removed the petcock thinking the problem was an o-ring at the bowl that needed replacement. I put on a new o-ring and after adding a small amount of fuel to check the seal the leak persisted. That’s when I removed the bowl for a closer look and found it riddled with cracks and fractures at the threaded plug end. I would never have stopped the leak because fuel was leaking from the sides of the threaded end. The thought of a 900 series Racor blowing apart while underway is the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night. Four new bowls and parts are on the way, but there is just no end to the things one must inspect thoroughly on an older boat.

 

[Cigatoo]

While you are in that neck of the woods might as well remove the Raycor take it to the work bench and rebuild it. Not a big job and it will be one and done.

https://www.amazon.com/Racor-Seal-Service-Kit-1000/dp/B000N9G1IS

 

[Pete Meisinger]

I have two Raycors. One bowl is cloudy and hard to see through. Funny that the two Raycors are not identical, the bowls are different and not interchangeable.

pete

 

[fgarriso]

https://www.amazon.com/Filter-Bowl-...42-9854-19cd11b20364&pd_rd_i=B002IV6V0C&psc=1

 

[O C Diver]

Most solvents will cloud the Racor bowl and weaken it (don't ask me how I know). If you need to clean the bowl, use diesel fuel and a piece of cloth.

Ted

 

[Blissboat]

Huh. Never heard of a Racor bowl aging out.

 

[C lectric]

Maybe it was an additive for the diesel fuel.
If mixed too strongly some additives may have had unintended effects.

 

[cafesport]

Had one split completely up the side dumping all contents into the bilge until the fuel valve from the tank was closed. Ever since then I change them at 10 years and always carry a spare bowl in each size for every boat since. They are just plastic and I think the heat probably ages them out at a certain point.

 

[catalinajack]

I have two Raycors. One bowl is cloudy and hard to see through. Funny that the two Raycors are not identical, the bowls are different and not interchangeable.

pete

An alternative. Easy changes. Never a leaking o-ring. No, you can't see through the metal filter but, then, the Racors are difficult anyway. Just drain a bit from the bottom occasionally and go boating. Sequential filtering, 20-micron to 10-micron. Except for the clear (sort of) bowl, I could never understand the fascination with Racor filter housings. Filters filter.

 

[ranger58sb]

An alternative. Easy changes. Never a leaking o-ring. No, you can't see through the metal filter but, then, the Racors are difficult anyway. Just drain a bit from the bottom occasionally and go boating. Sequential filtering, 20-micron to 10-micron.

Haven't ever seen filters like that with an installed drain. Where you get those?

-Chris

 

[Fletcher500]

Haven't ever seen filters like that with an installed drain. Where you get those?-Chris

Looks like the SMX brand from Seaboard Marine. Nice set up, and would take that over my Racors. Only drawback is not having the visual on the clear plastic bowls for water/contaminants.

 

[smitty477]

An alternative. Easy changes. Never a leaking o-ring. No, you can't see through the metal filter but, then, the Racors are difficult anyway. Just drain a bit from the bottom occasionally and go boating. Sequential filtering, 20-micron to 10-micron. Except for the clear (sort of) bowl, I could never understand the fascination with Racor filter housings. Filters filter.View attachment 133553

Absolutely - that is what we changed to as well.

 

[rgano]

Huh. Never heard of a Racor bowl aging out.

That crack probably is the result of somebody overtightening the petcock.

 

[O C Diver]

Nothing wrong with Racors. Clearly a superior product based on the quantities sold over the decades spanning all diesel applications (marine, generators, farming, earth moving, logging, over the road trucking, and other uses). Clearly the bowl isn't a problem in normal use as there hasn't been a recall on them.

Ted

 

[Comodave]

It looks like it is on a Hatteras LRC. Those were made in the 70s. It could be an original bowl in which case it has given good service.

 

[catalinajack]

Haven't ever seen filters like that with an installed drain. Where you get those?



-Chris

Tony Athens filter head and Fleetguard filters from sbmar.com.

 

[catalinajack]

Nothing wrong with Racors. Clearly a superior product based on the quantities sold over the decades spanning all diesel applications (marine, generators, farming, earth moving, logging, over the road trucking, and other uses). Clearly the bowl isn't a problem in normal use as there hasn't been a recall on them.

Ted

No, nothin wrong, but Racors need maintenance from time to time. Spin-on filter heads never. Takes five minutes per filter to change. No fuss, no muss. No clear bowl but an occasional inspection drain does just fine. Plus, those bowls over time become difficult to see through requiring disassembly and cleaning. Then there is the hokey, useless, metal "heat shield" required by the ABYC. The Tony Athens (Seaboard Marine) setup provides for sequential filtering all in a compact space. I had Racors, hated them. Messy to change filters (compared to spin-ons) and they don't filter any better or worse than the Fleetguards so out they went.

 

[BelleAurore]

Thanks and good comments. I believe it would be easy to overtighten these and cause minor fractures that turn into cracks… and I agree these LRC bowls have seen good long service. If I have to replace the bowls every 44 years so be it. I won’t be around for the next swap out…

 

[O C Diver]

No, nothin wrong, but Racors need maintenance from time to time. Spin-on filter heads never. Takes five minutes per filter to change. No fuss, no muss. No clear bowl but an occasional inspection drain does just fine. Plus, those bowls over time become difficult to see through requiring disassembly and cleaning. Then there is the hokey, useless, metal "heat shield" required by the ABYC. The Tony Athens (Seaboard Marine) setup provides for sequential filtering all in a compact space. I had Racors, hated them. Messy to change filters (compared to spin-ons) and they don't filter any better or worse than the Fleetguards so out they went.

In 35 years of owning Racors on 4 different engines, I would say servicing them more than once every 10 years would be excessive.

As for changing the element, close the fuel valve, open the drain on the bowl, loosen the lid, and remove the element when it's finished draining. No mess, if you have the proper container to catch the fuel from the drain and a zip lock bag for the old element.

One of the other nice features over the Tony filter system, is that between the bowl contents and the filter element, you can see the amount of crud coming out of your fuel tanks. To see that useful information on a Tony system, you'd have to cut the first filter apart. Talk about a total mess for a useful piece of information!

Ted

 

[ranger58sb]

Tony Athens filter head and Fleetguard filters from sbmar.com.

Thanks, didn't know spin-on filters like those existed.

-Chris

 

[smitty477]

No, nothin wrong, but Racors need maintenance from time to time. Spin-on filter heads never. Takes five minutes per filter to change. No fuss, no muss. No clear bowl but an occasional inspection drain does just fine. Plus, those bowls over time become difficult to see through requiring disassembly and cleaning. Then there is the hokey, useless, metal "heat shield" required by the ABYC. The Tony Athens (Seaboard Marine) setup provides for sequential filtering all in a compact space. I had Racors, hated them. Messy to change filters (compared to spin-ons) and they don't filter any better or worse than the Fleetguards so out they went.

Yes - we have had many seasons with both systems and prefer the spin-ons by far.

 

[catalinajack]

Yes - we have had many seasons with both systems and prefer the spin-ons by far.

Well! Another boating consensus.

 

[catalinajack]

In 35 years of owning Racors on 4 different engines, I would say servicing them more than once every 10 years would be excessive.



As for changing the element, close the fuel valve, open the drain on the bowl, loosen the lid, and remove the element when it's finished draining. No mess, if you have the proper container to catch the fuel from the drain and a zip lock bag for the old element.



One of the other nice features over the Tony filter system, is that between the bowl contents and the filter element, you can see the amount of crud coming out of your fuel tanks. To see that useful information on a Tony system, you'd have to cut the first filter apart. Talk about a total mess for a useful piece of information!



Ted

Ted, I have had both Racor and spin-ons. No way is changing Racors is as easy and less messy than spin-ons. For Racors, one must remove the top of the housing exposing the fuel bowl and risking inadvertendly dropping something inside. Then one must transport that dripping old filter somewhere, somehow. Then there is making sure there is not too much fuel left inside such that dropping in a new filter doesn't overflow the vessel. Putting the new filter in requires slowly immersing the filter so that the remaining fuel gets absorbed into the filter media. Yeah, so easy and not messy. With a spin-on, one just puts a can under the filter, spin the old one off, spin the new one on, done. And that clear bowl? The clear viewing doesn't ever last long before one needs to take apart the entire assembly to clean the bowl. You call all this easy? I don't care about seeing crud. The vacuum gauges tell me when to change the filters and will reveal any sudden problems posthaste.

 

[koliver]

It is starting to look like filters should only be discussed when we are discussing anchors, singles v twins, and other knotty subjects.
I believe this is telling us that there is more than one good system, with "good enough" having been surpassed in both.
My own preference is to be able to retain the system that came with the boat, as it is certainly "good enough". Mine seems to be relatively youthful at only 42 years, so I have a while to wait before it will need to be changed. I recall servicing mine at about the interval suggested by Ted, though I haven't kept track of that, only of filter changes that, with much cleaner fuel in recent decades, is getting much less frequent.

 

[RCook]

I've had this Racor 75/B32009 dual fuel filter setup on two boats.
Spin-on with bowls. Filters can be 2, 10, or 30 micron. Max flow 60 GPH.

https://www.fisheriessupply.com/rac...n-on-fuel-filter-with-clear-bowls/75-b32009-2

18 years and 6,500 hours on the previous one when I sold it.

20 years and 6,160 hours so far (6+ years and 4,700 hrs since I bought it) on the current one.

The plastic bowls have not cracked, leaked, or discolored.

Not particularly difficult to change.

 

[Steve DAntonio]

Huh. Never heard of a Racor bowl aging out.

I've seen them both crazed (although not to the point of leaking) and cloudy many times.

 

[diver dave]

I've had this Racor 75/B32009 dual fuel filter setup on two boats.
Spin-on with bowls. Filters can be 2, 10, or 30 micron. Max flow 60 GPH.

https://www.fisheriessupply.com/rac...n-on-fuel-filter-with-clear-bowls/75-b32009-2

18 years and 6,500 hours on the previous one when I sold it.

20 years and 6,160 hours so far (6+ years and 4,700 hrs since I bought it) on the current one.

The plastic bowls have not cracked, leaked, or discolored.

Not particularly difficult to change.

I use its little brother. Spin on plus bowl.

 

[Comodave]

Well since Racors are a POS and so difficult to change filters in, it is a good thing there aren’t very many out there. Oh wait they are everywhere so maybe they are actually ok after all.

 

[O C Diver]

Ted, I have had both Racor and spin-ons. No way is changing Racors is as easy and less messy than spin-ons. For Racors, one must remove the top of the housing exposing the fuel bowl and risking inadvertendly dropping something inside. Then one must transport that dripping old filter somewhere, somehow. Then there is making sure there is not too much fuel left inside such that dropping in a new filter doesn't overflow the vessel. Putting the new filter in requires slowly immersing the filter so that the remaining fuel gets absorbed into the filter media. Yeah, so easy and not messy. With a spin-on, one just puts a can under the filter, spin the old one off, spin the new one on, done. And that clear bowl? The clear viewing doesn't ever last long before one needs to take apart the entire assembly to clean the bowl. You call all this easy? I don't care about seeing crud. The vacuum gauges tell me when to change the filters and will reveal any sudden problems posthaste.

Ah, now I understand your problem with Racors. Apparently the following process wasn't intuitive to you. Drain the filter housing completely or at least below the filter element. Don't pull the filter element out until it has stopped draining (you can tell it's stopped draining by watching the liquid level in the bowl). Don't loosen the tee handle on top till you've opened the drain on the bowl. As no tools are required with the tee handle, not sure what you would be dropping inside the housing.

I guess this is where we differ, I don't want to be blind to the amount and type of crud in my fuel tank. When I get crud from a fuel purchase, I want to know within a day of cruising so that I can empty the bowl if water, and avoid buying fuel there again. If you wait till the vacuum gauge indicates higher vacuum, you're probably only guessing at the source of your bad fuel.

Ted

 

[Blissboat]

This thread has been an interesting bit of revelation. For as long as I have been maintaining marine diesels, all conversations about fuel filtration have begun and ended with "Racor." In my mind, the name has become nearly synonymous with diesel fuel filters, the way Xerox is shorthand for copy machines.

Life is about learning, and if I inherited an engine room equipped by the P.O. with something else, I'd sure give it a try. But, decades of experience have taught me that Racors get the job done, even if the bowls are usually so opaque that you can't tell much by looking.