FUEL/WATER SEPARATOR

[Juan]

When mounting a Fuel/Water Separator, is it important that it be mounted perfectly vertical? Can it be mounted at a slant without fuel issues?
How do you prime a new fuel/water separator filter if there is no priming bulb? Do you fill a new filter with fuel to prime it? I'm guessing if there's enough fuel in the engine to start, the fuel pump on the engine will fill a new filter with fuel...but what if it won't start?

[seagristle]

I don't think there is any air gap at the top inside the filter so slant should not be a problem...Not sure why there is no prime bulb in your fuel line? The bulb creates the suction to pull the gas thru to the engine...yes you fill the filter with gas before you screw it on.

[gtightline]

I have mine mounted in the bilge at a slant of about 45* with no issues...I have a primer bulb, so I have no need to fill my filter with gas before installing.

[985crabs]

Mine is on the underside of the splash well in the bilge mounted at an angle. I tried to correct for that with shims, but they fell out. My filter has a rubber gasket around the top just like an oil filter so it won't leak. Seems to me that the gas comes in from one side, gets pulled through the filter media and then exits towards the motor on the other side. I can't imagine why an angle would effect that. I have a primer bulb so I mount the filter dry (with a coating of oil on the rubber gasket)and then pump the bulb until all air is gone and the bulb is tight. I never saw a fuel system that doesn't have a primer bulb. Is that something that goes away when you get a fancy new 4-stroke?

[Juan]

Mar 4, 2016 11:44:45 GMT -6 985crabs said:

Mine is on the underside of the splash well in the bilge mounted at an angle. I tried to correct for that with shims, but they fell out. My filter has a rubber gasket around the top just like an oil filter so it won't leak. Seems to me that the gas comes in from one side, gets pulled through the filter media and then exits towards the motor on the other side. I can't imagine why an angle would effect that. I have a primer bulb so I mount the filter dry (with a coating of oil on the rubber gasket)and then pump the bulb until all air is gone and the bulb is tight. I never saw a fuel system that doesn't have a primer bulb. Is that something that goes away when you get a fancy new 4-stroke?

I considered using shims too. On the Sea Pro the filter is perfectly vertical and there's a primer bulb between the filter and the motor... (but I've never had to use it since the electric fuel pump fills the filters..... On the bass boat I recently bought, there was no fuel/water separator, so that's one of the first things I added. I also mounted it in the bilge and it's also at a slant. There is no primer bulb anywhere to be found. I'm not concerned about the filter leaking because as you said, there's a rubber gasket on the filter that seals it against the top.. my concern is more about the filter priming and working as it should since it's at an angle.. seems like because it's at a slant, the fuel or water would also be at an angle inside the filter and only part of the filter is being used where the whole filter would be filtering if it were perfectly vertical... May not be a problem but I'm guessing I'll have to change the filter more often because it's not mounted straight. Because there's no primer bulb, I filled the filter with gas when I mounted it and it seems to have primed when the motor started.. I'm just hoping there's no air bubble that shows up while on the water.



EDIT:

Mar 4, 2016 11:44:45 GMT -6 985crabs said:

I never saw a fuel system that doesn't have a primer bulb. Is that something that goes away when you get a fancy new 4-stroke?

This made me think...(I don't do that often enough). I haven't seen an outboard without a primer bulb either.... SO I went out there and checked one more time.. The boat has a zippered cover running from the bilge to the motor covering the fuel line, steering cable and wiring. The primer bulb was hiding inside the zippered cover!! I had felt the cover and didn't feel a bulb in there.. had to unzip it and there it was. DOH

[985crabs]

No kidding? That's funny. I wonder what else you'll discover. Glad you found it. Doesn't sound like a convenient placement though. Thanks for reminding me I should change my filter.

[freezerfiller]

It will work at a slant, but will fill up sooner so it won't hold as much water.

[tigerhead]

I agree with freezerfiller, but if you can mount it so that the outlet port is on the high side of the angle it will help with that a little.