School me on FL120 fuel pumps...

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catalinajack said:
I would make a different choice, that is, get rid of the mechanical pump. I use Walbro pumps that are rated for 18,000 hours.
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Thanks. Which one did you use? Looking at their site it looks like the FRB-13 would work & is marine rated. I like the design better than the Carters currently installed, which don't seem as robust.

https://www.fisheriessupply.com/wal...sure-limited-reciprocating-fuel-pump/frb-13-2

https://www.walbro.com/fr-series-fuel-pumps/frb-13-reciprocating-fuel-pump/
 
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Pete Meisinger said:
"Hunting" or "searching" on a F.L. is most often injectors or injector pump.

It only happened that once. (And another time in a long trip when I ran it out of fuel by forgetting to switch tanks, lmao)

To each his own, but Im all about simplicity and just have the manual pump. I changed my last year, it was working fine but still had the original. It was very easy. I could do it in a rolling sea if needed. (I kept one in board for 10 years before i just installed it. )
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Ski in NC said:
If you have an elec pump in the system, either run it full time or have a bypass line open when it is off. When off they present a decent restriction to fuel flow.
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:thumb: to the MAX!
 
Some electric pumps have no restriction when not operating. I added a lift pump to my 2003 Chevy Duramax diesel. Chevys do not have lift pumps. The truck will run with or without the electric pump running. The pump has over 7,000 hours on the clock. Walbro pumps free flow also. Fass pumps have a built-in by-pass.
rgano said:
:thumb: to the MAX!
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I would be interested to know when you remove the algaeX if you find that it is clogged with diesel bug. I have a similar voodoo unit on my boat and decided to it would be a good idea to remove it. When I removed the large bronze cap on the top I found that it was fill of black, smelly diesel bug. It was fitted before the filters and there had never been any evidence of bug in the fuel filters or bowls. The fuel exits the bottom of my tanks and have inspection access in the top of the tanks. Viewing though these access ports I have never witnessed any diesel bug. I decided to leave it in place and clean it out annually. It always collects a small amount of diesel bug (never had it tested but it is a black glob of gunk that I believe to be diesel bug). I will upload some pictures. I don’t think that I would ever buy one but decided to leave it in place.
 
BeeJay said:
I would be interested to know when you remove the algaeX if you find that it is clogged with diesel bug. I have a similar voodoo unit on my boat and decided to it would be a good idea to remove it. When I removed the large bronze cap on the top I found that it was fill of black, smelly diesel bug. It was fitted before the filters and there had never been any evidence of bug in the fuel filters or bowls. The fuel exits the bottom of my tanks and have inspection access in the top of the tanks. Viewing though these access ports I have never witnessed any diesel bug. I decided to leave it in place and clean it out annually. It always collects a small amount of diesel bug (never had it tested but it is a black glob of gunk that I believe to be diesel bug). I will upload some pictures. I don’t think that I would ever buy one but decided to leave it in place.
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I would bet that if you had the fuel "bug" analyzed that you would find it was asphaltines rather than "algae." Asphaltines precipitate out and collect in the bottoms of diesel tanks when fuel sits.
 
Inside Mag filter

I suspect that you could be right about it not being diesel bug but it is some sort of gloop that gets held by the magnets(maybe) and restricts the flow. It could be another reason to remove the device, as if the substance is held in suspension it would be trapped by the filter and maybe visible in the filter bowl instead of hidden in the magnetic what-not. Hence my interest in what the OP finds if he pulls it apart. In my situation it is also the lowest point before the filter so magnets or not you would expect it to be a catch point anyway.
 

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I saw an installation today with Racors direct to the engine with no engine mounted filters. However there were these aluminum tubes in the fuel supply lines after the Racors with the label DieselX on them. They were possibly 1.5 inches in diameter and about 6-8 inches long. Have never seen it before and cannot google it up either.
 
Fuel problem

If the Raycor vacuum didn’t change, the engine filters are suspect. I would change them before suspecting the lift pump.
 
If it has not been noted earlier; If you keep the mechanical pumps, your engine will run without any electrical power.
 
Absolutely correct with no electrical power but how would one start the boat to begin with?
bligh said:
If it has not been noted earlier; If you keep the mechanical pumps, your engine will run without any electrical power.
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bligh said:
What if your alternator crapped out 100 miles away from the dock?
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I have two alternators plus solar and 660ah of batteries which could run those pumps for days. I don’t think it’s a significant risk.
 
A Walbro pump draws 2.3 amps. A 660AH bank drawn down to 50% would run that pump continuously for six days. Do you still think this could ever be a problem?
bligh said:
What if your alternator crapped out 100 miles away from the dock?
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Not for you. But not all boats have lots of backup power systems (or twins).
socalrider said:
I have two alternators plus solar and 660ah of batteries which could run those pumps for days. I don’t think it’s a significant risk.
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When my boat is off the dock, I'm running more than a couple electric pumps. We have nav equipment, autopilot, microwave, lights, computer, cell phone chargers running, etc. I have backup systems too. But knowing my Lehmanns will run and run and run on diesel alone is added security to me. Obviously you think you are immune to an electrical failure. I was taught good seamanship is thorough mitigation of failures.
catalinajack said:
A Walbro pump draws 2.3 amps. A 660AH bank drawn down to 50% would run that pump continuously for six days. Do you still think this could ever be a problem?
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So, now I am a bad seaman because I do not agree that this is an issue with anywhere close to significant risk. Rather arrogant of you methinks. If both of my alternators fail, even with all those loads you mention, I can easily run off my batteries to get to the next port. Of course, I would not be running extraneous equipment such as a microwave and one could easily operate without the autopilot or the MFD (backup tablet for navigation) or the cell phone charger, etc, etc. Or, the electric pumps could have been wired originally to the separate bank of generator batteries which would support the pumps for days. And, speaking of generators, a genny could be pressed into service at any time. Quite frankly, this is just more of the fear mongering we often see on this forum.

So, Bligh, just wondering. Do you worry about being a hundred miles from nowhere driving your vehicle and having your alternator fail and running off your battery. No. I thought not. You would never give it a thought. Sir, you are grasping at straws just so you can demonstrate that your choice is the only wise choice. It is not. Quite frankly, just my opinion, but I think an electric pump instead of a mechanical pump is a wiser choice. A Walbro pump is good for 18,000 hours of continuous duty. What happens to your engine when the diaphragm on the mechanical pump tears and diesel fuel contaminates the lube oil? Yup, bearings wiped, engine trashed. An unlikely event, yes, but far more likely than getting stranded with no juice to run a low draw electric pump.
bligh said:
When my boat is off the dock, I'm running more than a couple electric pumps. We have nav equipment, autopilot, microwave, lights, computer, cell phone chargers running, etc. I have backup systems too. But knowing my Lehmanns will run and run and run on diesel alone is added security to me. Obviously you think you are immune to an electrical failure. I was taught good seamanship is thorough mitigation of failures.
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