#30 micron primary fuel filter.

[andrewseymoure@bellsouth.]

Hi my name is Andy and we recently bought a 1967 50ft. Hatteras extended up in Montreal. I am a 100 ton master with several years of experience working offshore in Louisiana running a utility vessel. I have zero experience in recreational boats. We were bringing the boat down from Montreal and we were about three miles off shore from Long Island NY, when I lost power in the one remaining good engine. We bought this boat with one blown 871 Detriot. About 15 hours Pryor to breaking down I had the engine serviced (changed oil and filters) at a marina on the Hudson. They put in a #10 micron primary fuel filter. I also had both fuel tanks cleaned and the remaining fuel polished. The new mechanic at the next marina told us that Detroit diesel engines need a less restricted fuel filter as in a # 30. We will be heading south to Florida on April 12th. Does anyone here have an idea on this problem or maybe another problem that may be occurring to our boat. I sure would appreciate any feed back from this forum.
Thankyou.
Andy Seymoure

[SKYCHENEY]

I run 2 micron primary Racors without issue, so the filter is not your problem (until it gets plugged up).

[Tim Powell]

Andy
I am shooting in the dark here. I do not know the boat. I made a mistake when i brought my 52 from florida to NC. There are fuel selectors or at least on most hats. There should be four of them 2 for each engine. One fuel selector selects port aft or sometine auxilary. Another selects returns unburned fuel. Stupid me was burning fuel from the forward tank and returning to the aft. Well the forward gave out of fuel very quick and aft was overflowing. I did not realize it till the forward tank gave out so fast. I am sure with your previous experience you have looked at the selector valves.
IN SHORT ARE YOU OUT OF FUEL.
There are secondary filters also were they changed. Are the raycors dark stoped up. If not thats not your problem . UNLESS.There is a stainless ball in the raycors sometime it will restrict fuel supply. It will drive you crazy trying to figure that problen out. Take the raycor apart and clean it. Just changing filters will not correct that problem. It gets some sort of funky crap on it and sticks. I used triple aught steel wool and shined them up. I do it every year.
Just a few idears
Welcom to The hat world Tim

[Boatsb]

Unless your running small filters either a 30, 10 or 2 should work.

I know many people only run 2 microns. That's what I have as mine do not have the engine mounted filters anymore and I've never seen a problem. A 30 is ok for pulling lots of crap out but should be followed by a 10 or a 2 immediately after it. If you are worried about debris I'd have the tanks polished again. It's a long way on one engine but even longer on none.

[Cricket]

There could still be junk in the tanks, even after cleaning and polishing the fuel. I would use the 30 micron until things clear up and then work towards using finer filters if you want. Good advise on the ball inside the racor and taking it apart to clean, we keep a couple of rebuild/seal kits handy just in case. Also, the fuel manifold valve seals could be allowing some air into the system, try tightening the nuts just in case, and also all of the fuel fittings. If most of the fuel system is original be careful/gentle with the wrenches. Good luck.

[polarizer]

Another thing to look at is the bowls on your racors, are they clean and clear. Do you see residual dirt in the bowl, and while running, do you see bubbles? How do the filters look when you take them out? do they appear dirty or are they just dark red? if you see bubbles, to the crickets point, you likely have an air leak somewhere and you may have lost prime.

[MikeP]

IMO, replacing the filter, priming the system will "fix" the problem. I agree that, at least for now, a 30 should be the primary and a 10, the secondary. Once you sort out/clean out the "new" boat/tanks/fuel system, then going to smaller rated filters would be fine.

The point re the fuel valves is a good one and, if you are not familiar with the Hatt system, it's certainly worth a check. You can run them in any configuration that you like but, as noted, it IS possible to run out of fuel in one tank/shut down the engines even though there is plenty of fuel on the boat.

[rob71]

I have had an engine shut down due to the Racor lid not tight enough.

[bobk]

The point re the fuel valves is a good one and, if you are not familiar with the Hatt system, it's certainly worth a check. You can run them in any configuration that you like but, as noted, it IS possible to run out of fuel in one tank/shut down the engines even though there is plenty of fuel on the boat.

Just be careful to be sure you are returning to the tank you are drawing from (or at least monitor the tank levels as you run) or you might end up pumping a significant amount of fuel overboard as one of our members who shall remain nameless did a few years ago.

Bobk

[rsmith]

Not enough info. Did you get it restarted? How? Gauges on the Racors? A Detroit will keep running as long as it has air and fuel. Air leaks won't kill a running Detroit it will give it a RPM roll at idle. A clogged filter will reduce RPM but not kill the engine. Water in the fuel floating the ball in the Racors will!