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How do I know when it is time to change my fuel filters?
by Ed Auck
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One surefire way is when your engine stops on you 20 miles offshore somewhere in Mexico. For starters you should be changing both your primary and secondary filters annually and at 250 hours. From there it really depends upon the integrity of the fuel as to when the filter will become clogged. At this point your engine will either stop running or exhibit erratic behavior like surging or faltering.
I highly recommend a vacuum gauge in the filter system. By monitoring a vacuum gauge you know at all times the exact condition of your filter. If you are really prepared you will have a dual filter system, so if your filter does become clogged you can simply switch to the backup filter. This allows you to change the filter when it becomes convenient and not in the middle of the night or during rough sea conditions.
Racor filters, for example, have an accessory gauge that simply takes the place of the T-bolt that holds the cover on the filter head. If you really want to be cool you can install the gauge in your dash and monitor filter condition from the helm. The gauge is measuring the amount of suction for the engine fuel-delivery pump to draw fuel through the primary filter element. When the primary element starts to become clogged the amount of vacuum produced by the delivery pump increases, and you know it is time for a filter change instead of letting your engine tell you.
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This article first appeared in the May 1, 2009 issue of Sea Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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