Racor drain valves?

I just ordered 4 (I think the last 4 in stock) so to install these shut offs I imagine it's a bit of a mess to accomplish the draining process when pulling the drain plug. Any ideas, suggestions or avoidances would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
JB
 
I ordered the ones that Bill Collector installed. I did all of my fuel filter changes this past weekend and installed them. I had some O-rings had I needed them. Installed with out due to the taper of the threads and not even a drop has escaped anyone of them. As far as removing the plugs and draining...I used about a 2-gallon bucket under the racor. I also have a small 12v pump that I used to removed as much of the fuel as I could after removing the filter. The plug itself had obviously never been removed. When I turned the plug, the whole plug turned and the heat shield dropped with the plug and fuel. It was relatively mess free with the bucket. Clean up was 2-paper towels and a shot of Spray Nine. Removing the plug from the drain piece that screws up into the bowl as the hardest part. What was surprising was the amount of fuel the thing holds. It takes a little more than a 1/2 gallon to fill one. I had turned off my fuel valves to each one and filled them to maybe 90-95% full, opened the valves, and cranked the engines. I used on road yellow diesel to refill them and they turned red faster than you could see it.....

Bennett
 
I use a 1.5 gallon no spill brand fuel jug. I keep it with on road diesel which is tinted yellow and let’s me make sure it’s clean. These little fuel cans are pretty amazing because they have a push button on the fill neck. I will admit the can I use is white and not yellow like a diesel can should be but I chose it because I don’t want red as that’s gasoline and the feds haven’t stooped low enough to check diesel can colors as of yet. I did contact no spill to verify it was the same material and they unofficially said it exactly the same thing as the other colors.
 
I did my Racor's last week as well. Second time was much easier and quicker. I also added the brass fuel valve to the bottom for quick draining water/contaminants.

I used a small metal paint pail/bucket from HD. The handle slides up behind the bowl, lets me hang the bucket under the plug with just the right amount of space to get the wrenches in and open everything up. I put a 3M oil mat in the bottom to sop up most of what comes out. No mess. I have a trash bag that I've put a couple more 3M pads in and it goes under each filter as i change it. The filters get dropped strait in. It all goes the the service shop at the marina for proper disposal.
 
I'm new to diesels and racors. Do you filter and reuse the diesel that you remove from the filter?
 
I'm new to diesels and racors. Do you filter and reuse the diesel that you remove from the filter?
 
No. It wouldn’t make since to put the dirty stuff back in the tanks in my opinion. I dispose of it. It’s only about a gallon

Josh
 
That's a good price....How long have you had them? Like the quality?
just installed last month and the only difference that I can see in quality ( I bought 2 of the expensive ones before I found the cheaper ones) is the cheaper ones didn't come with the brass bolt plug, but the one you are removing out of the Racor fits into your new valve.
 
I'm new to diesels and racors. Do you filter and reuse the diesel that you remove from the filter?

Definitely not!! This is were the water/large debris accumulate before being filtered, so it may be contaminated. Go buy a 1 or 2 gallon fuel (diesel yellow prefered) jug, and fill it up with know well filtered diesel before doing the filters. Use this to refill the racors. You dont want to chance getting contaminants in the fuel system after the racors.

Most say DO NOT pre-fill the CAT on engine filters. You supposed to use the priming pump to fill these, and get the air out. The pump is messy, but at least when you are done, you know you have clean filtered fuel going to those expensive engines. I think Frank laid out the way he does it by prefilling the on engine filters, but that might be graduate level.
 
I run a lot of diesel powered equipment and have learned that you never, ever try to use fuel that has been open......Ever try to get moths out of a fuel system? Using used diesel for anything but a brush fire is the most expensive fuel you are likely to ever burn.



Then , the timing of this is interesting. I just received a PM asking about changing the Caterpillar secondary filters. Here was my answer.....it is long but contains the rationale for pre-filling Cat spin-on filters, so it might be worth reading:

"On the Caterpillar secondary filters, be sure you are using the filters marked "Hi Efficiency" on the body of the filter. Cat engines do have a priming pump, but there is a small ball valve that when closed takes the priming pump out of the fuel circuit to prevent leaks. That ball valve is located in one of the fuel lines leading to the priming pump. It is a small grooved knob about 3/4" in dia. and 3/4" tall. Mark or note how it is oriented because they turn 360˚. Open that knob by turning it 180˚. Next, unscrew the top or handle on the priming pump. That releases the plunger. You can now fill the secondary filter by pumping the priming pump (about 300 times!) When the filter is full you should feel some resistance and the priming pump will probably start leaking. When the filter is full, screw the plunger down on the priming pump and return the ball valve to the position you marked.

This priming system is fraught with problems, which is very uncharacteristic of Caterpillar. The ball valve that open the fuel circuit to the priming pump is not pinned on the shaft and it will rotate on the shaft. If that happens, you cannot tell if the system is open or closed. Next, the priming pump plunger is not sealed so it is going to leak whatever fuel is left in the pump and it will leak while you are pumping fuel into the filter. Any time you have a fuel leak, air can get into the system, and you never want air in a diesel system. Air is compressible so when air is in the system, it will kill whatever cylinder it gets to, and eventually all 6 of them. Purging the air out of a Cat 3116 or 3126 is a real PITA.

To avoid all this drama with the priming process, I fill the new filters by hand then screw them on the engine with fuel at the very top of the filter gasket. The Cat manual says not to do it this way because they want all the fuel that gets to the engine to be filtered. I have a 2 gal fuel can that I only use for changing Racors and Cat filters and I only put fuel from the marina pumps in that can because it is Valvetech fuel and is filtered by 2 water block filters, so it is as clean was the fuel the priming pump will deliver to the engine. The result is much quicker filter changes, no mess, no leak and no risk of air in the fuel system.

No matter what method you use for filling the Cat secondary filter, when you are done, go to the controls and open the throttle about 1/2 way, keep your hand on the throttle and start the engine. The engine will miss and stutter a bit then begin to smooth out.....pull the throttle back slowly as the engine smooths out until it is smoothly idling and the throttle lever is at the idle stop."
 
I do the exact same on my Cummins filters. Fill them to the very "brim" with what I know is good fuel and install. Turn the key and they act as I have done nothing since last crank. No mess, air, all good!

Bennett
 
good to know
 
One other piece of required equipment...Nitrile Gloves!!!

I keep a box on board for dealing with oil, diesel and pumping the head.
 
My local Cat Dealer runs a full day classroom Cat Marine engine maintenance seminar once a year and I went on Wednesday. Well worth the $30.00 fee, especially with the included breakfast and lunch setup. The guy that runs it has been with them for 51 years. After owning this boat for 2 1/2 years I’ve already performed most of what the instructor covered but still picked up some useful info.
On this topic: He recommended the drain valves on the Racors, along with the gauges, as part of the course but was pretty firm in his opposition to pre-filling the Cat filters before installing them.
 
One other piece of required equipment...Nitrile Gloves!!!

I keep a box on board for dealing with oil, diesel and pumping the head.

Great to have the gloves handy. I’ve also got a paper towel holder mounted on the bulkhead down in the bilge and keep a roll of those blue “shop towel” paper towels on it. They come in real handy too.
 
Interesting...I'd go if my dealer had that.

It might not hurt to ask them about it. This Cat dealer has a lock on lower NY and Ct. and I don’t remember seeing them advertise it much. I heard about it last year when I went in to buy some stuff from there and saw a flyer laying on a counter but couldn’t make that one so I kept an eye out for it this year.
Pretty good deal. Mostly covers general maintenance but when you sign up you give them the serial numbers for your motors so they make sure they cover them and when you get there they have a folder waiting for you with the original factory test results for them, a list of part numbers for common maintenance items and some other odds and ends of info.
The guy was extremely knowledgeable after working on the marine versions of Cat motors for 51 years and eager to answer any questions.
Again, I have already performed the maintenance items he went over but I feel like I still picked up some good info.
The best takeaway was that as long as you perform routine maintenance and use good clean fuel, then the more you run them the more they last, and for recreational use you shouldn’t hold back on the throttles. Run them at 2400 routinely and bring them up to WOT every now and then. Cutting back on the RPM’s doesn’t do them any good. Sounded like he would rather see you push them harder than baby them.
 

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