Cleaning Racors

[Irie308]

Didn't want to hijack the racor drain plug thread so i figured i'd post my questions here. This is our first diesel and wanted to know if you need to drain the racors whenever you change the filters. The turbine in the bottom of the bowl on our mains were pretty dirty. I tried draining one to see if it would purge the junk in there but looks like there is still a bunch sitting it. I assume i need to dismantel the racor to thoroughly clean it. If so do I also need to replace any seals or o rings? Also is there any harm in leaving that junk on the turbine in the bowl until i can get to it?

 

[my3sons]

There's no harm in leaving it there. Next time you change your filters, clean it out. This is where the valve on the bottom really helps out. Remove the filter, insert a long thin flexible "whatever" down into the racor body, fit it through the various slots that you see, swishing it around to flush that gunk off the turbine parts. I use a zip tie long enough to reach the bottom of the racor. That's where most of the junk will be, right around the drain hole. Place a container under the valve and drain some fuel out, you will see the gunk in the container. Empty the container and repeat until the fuel is gone from the racor. Add a little fuel by opening the inlet valve and rinse it until it's clean. If you can find an application tube that's long enough for a wd40 can, spraying that in helps clean. drain out the fuel that is in the racor that has dirt suspended in it. Have a jug handy to put the "wash" fuel in that you will be dumping out of the container from under the valves that you have added to the bottom of the racors. I use the 2 1/2 gal jugs that I buy rotella in. You get the idea, just rinse them out the best you can. I have not disassembled a racor to clean it. The first time I cleaned the racors on the boat, it took a little while as they had most likely never been done. The po had the yard change the filters. Now it's just a matter of pulling the filters, a few swishes of the zip tie while I open and close the valve on the bottom a few times and I'm done. I use Power Service's Clear Diesel once a year at layup to help keep the tank clean and many here use Franks fuel maintenance routine for a healthy, clean fuel system. Have fun

 

[fwebster]

You can probably chemically clean the Racor bowls over a few weeks if you use the fuel treatment additives shown in the Diesel System Management article here:

http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php?forums/technical-articles-tutorials.64/

Add the additives you are not using, plus 1/2 gal of Power Service Diesel 9-1-1, before you add fuel at the next fill up. Diesel 9-1-1 has the benefit of breaking up coagulated sludge into very small particles so it can pass thru normal filter media.

Rebuilding Racors isn't brain surgery but the filters should be removed from the boat and taken apart then reassembled on a bench rather then hunkered over in the boat. If you want to rebuild them, then get the complete kit and replace everything that comes with it.

Another trick is to use long wooden Q-tips and a solvent, like 9-1-1, WD-40, PB Blaster, etc. and swab the collected sludge and asphaltenes out of the bowl, then rinse out with clean diesel fuel.

 

[The Bill Collector]

https://www.grainger.com/product/2V..._kwcid=AL!2966!3!56542746837!!!g!102361954437!

 

[Irie308]

Thanks all. I may try chemically cleaning for now.

 

[PartnerShip]

Good reading!

http://www.marshmarine.net/index_14.htm

https://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/rebuilding_a_racor_