Fuel filter/seperater location

[Stosh]

I have a center consul boat and the current position of the filter/seperator is way to hard to get at. I have water in the fuel once too many times. I'm thinking of moving it to where I can keep an eye on it and drain water off more often. Is it ok to have the filter above the level of the fuel tank?

 

[profisher]

The filters can be located above the tank. If your boat is an outboard the fuel is already being sucked uphill by the engines fuel pumps. I have 2 filters (1 for main and kicker) mounted on the transom with shut off valves there as well, battery switch located on transom as well....makes a one stop emergency power kill.

 

[wolf]

Id be concerned as to why you are getting water in your fuel???what kind of water??? salt of fresh??? and yep the only way is to taste a bit of it LOL LOL
is the filler located where its get lots of salt water spray????. you really shouldnt have any water in the fuel system......
Might want to find the source as well as mkae it easier for you??
If you dont have a racor set up good money spent as you can see the bowl and easily drained by unscrewing the bottom drain plug.

Good luck Wolf

 

[Nelly]

Hey Stosh,
If your boat is around ten years old or more, you might have accumulated water in your fuel tank. If you can access the fuel sender and remove it you can take a suction oil changer and suck the bottom of your tank.
With your boat on a trailer, tilt it up on one side by towing one tire it over a large block and then jack the trailer tongue up as far as it will go.
The water in the tank will then settle to the lowest corner of the tank and you can suck all the water out leaving the fuel in the tank.
Remember, water is more dense than gasoline and will collect at the bottom of a tank, filter or carburator.
I did this to an old boat of mine after it started coughing it up into my filters and got almost a gallon of water out!
Good luck and go RACOR!

 

[profisher]

A poorly located tank vent is often the source for salt water in the tank.

 

[Fish-Hunter]

Racor definately worth it! Water can definately come from some of the gas suppliers (first hand experience on this one). Last year we had a new gas tank made, installed it in the boat, filled it up at the local boat launch gas pump, took the boat out for trials and it would not run worth shyte, popped off the filter (full of water!!!!), limped back to the boat ramp, hauled boat home and drained new fuel tank there was about 6 litres of water in 140 litre fill up. Promptly installed a Racor Water separator fuel filter on the transom (works great!), and will not EVER fill up at the same spot again (major PITA). In this case we without a doubt knew where the water came from, this is a little harder to do on a boat that has been running on a tank that is not brand new. In a marine environment, you stand a fairly good chance of getting some water in your fuel at some point (condensation, leaky filler plug, air vent scooping H2O or sprayed in during wash-down, crappy gasoline, etc,,,) so definately invest in a good fuel/water separator, and make it easy to get at. Good luck!

 

[Stosh]

Thank you all for the suggestions. FYI, I had fresh water in the tank last year up in Barclay Sound, and when I returned from the trip I had the tank pumped out completely. The water came from taking fuel on from a metal tank sitting on float supplied by a private individual. Due to the location of the filter, it's very difficult to see the bowl and check for water. It was tooo late when the fuel injected engine sensed the water. Anyway. I just want to have the filter in more convenient location - in plane view so I can check it easily.

Thanks again
Stosh