When to Change Racor/Spin On Fuel Filters

Lake Erie Boater

Lake Erie Boater

Member
Oct 24, 2007
486
Sandusky Bay, Ohio
Boat Info
2018 Sabre 38 SE
2019 Blackfin 272CC
Engines
VP IPS400's
300 Merc Verado's
It's time to lay up for the winter. :smt089

The boat will be stored indoors in heated storage.

Do you guys recommend changing out the Racor's and spin on's now and laying up with clean ones, or do you install the new ones in the spring just before re-launching?
 
I drain any water out of the bowls and change the elements in the spring. Same thing for the spin ons.:thumbsup:
 
I prefer to do it that way on the equipment I have in Tennessee. We don't winterize the boat in Florida, but the theory is the same. Your filters catch some microbial sludge and during winter it can continue to grow if the temps at the filter are above 56 degrees for any length of time. Also, I just like knowing that when I fire up in the spring I can go to work/play withot having to service anything.
 
Just changed all of the fluids and fllters last week and put it away. We are also stored inside a heated building. That is the norm for winterizing in this part of the country.
 
I wait until after the fist run of the spring. That way the "crap" that develops during the winter lay up period is filtered out.
 
ImpulseIII said:
I wait until after the fist run of the spring. That way the "crap" that develops during the winter lay up period is filtered out.
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I dump the contents of the racors into a clean glass container and let it sit for awhile. There was very little if any sediment in any of the filters after 6 months in storage and 150 hours of running time this year (typical finding). I'm convinced that where you buy fuel drives this issue. I had one situation many years ago when we changed filters for two weeks to get rid of crap. Most of the marginal marinas have been out of business for many years on Lake Michigan. We now buy from places that have above ground tanks or new inground tanks. Makes a difference.
 
All Oils & Filters (mains, transmissions, generator) were changed out last weekend by yours truely.

The racors/spin ons were changed late July as I began to see some slight loss in max RPM's (Filling with Valvetech fuel and add diesel kleen each time)...the racors were quite black (only after about 30 hours) ...that cured that issue.

I was just wondering about the whole issue of letting new ones sit all winter to grow stuff, or just let the old ones sit in there and grow it, then put the new ones on in the spring.
 
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I do a shock treatment of biocide at the last top off before annual services and winterization, add an appropriate amount of Power Service Diesel Kleen, and Diesel 911, then swap out the racor elements.

Skip
 
Four Suns said:
I thought you had gas engines? Why are you hanging out over here in the diesel forum giving diesel advice? The issues of diesel, like algae growth, are different...
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Yes I know. Looked at the small size of his boat and didn't see that he was running CATs. Frankly, the advice was still pretty good. We run three large diesel gennys at my business and they get serviced in the fall as a part of the routine schedule.
 
sbw1 said:
Yes I know. Looked at the small size of his boat and didn't see that he was running CATs. Frankly, the advice was still pretty good. We run three large diesel gennys at my business and they get serviced in the fall as a part of the routine schedule.
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Yeah. My sister's boyfriend knows this guy who once knew someone else whose father owned a diesel boat and HE said..... :grin:
 
Lake Erie Boater said:
Who ya callin small.....I'm 38 LOA too and I'm never going back to gas. :thumbsup:
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Well, it is a relatively small boat compared to many others and gas engines in this sized boats are pretty common on the great lakes. You must have noticed that as well. The 340 AJ and the 3200 Open are the same size within 3-6" anyway you slice and dice them. The gas version of the 32 is cheaper to own and operate and this must be true with the 34 as well. Diesel service is available on Lake Michigan and in the North Channel but you pay travel time plus mileage before a tech even uses a wrench on anything. Diesels are pretty uncommon in the midwest for that reason in boats that are the loa of our boats. Didn't mean to call you small to tweak you.
 
sbw1 said:
Diesel service is available on Lake Michigan and in the North Channel but you pay travel time plus mileage before a tech even uses a wrench on anything. Diesels are pretty uncommon in the midwest for that reason in boats that are the loa of our boats. Didn't mean to call you small to tweak you.
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SBW1, you are spot on. The closest CAT service center to Sandusky is either Toledo or Cleveland. They get me for $300 just to show up.

BUT, the feeling I get when the kids ask dad to fire up the "dump trucks" so we can go for a ride.......PRICELESS.

All in good fun..:grin::grin::grin:
 
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