Water seperator upgraded.

[Allure2sail]

Primer bulb.....
Found one in my "pile of stuff" that takes 5/16" Dia. fuel line. I will install it in the fuel line (with the arrow pointing towards the racor) as it passes by the port side locker. Does you bulb feel hard (like on an outboard motor system) when everything is working correctly? End goal is if I get a sense that the motor is losing it's prime (for what ever reason) I can open the locker door give a few squeezes and force some more fuel forward. It's seems like from time to time (after a few hours of running the diesel) that it slows down slightly as if it going to run out of fuel. Sometimes it stall other times it picks up again. I've changed all the filters, clean the base cap of the lift pump out and bleed the system a dozen times. Checked the free flow rate of the Facet lift pump and checked to make sure it is the newer "E" series pump that Moyer Marine recommends. Anyone got any ideas?

[BobK]

The primer bulb feels like the first couple of squeezes on an outboard...not hard but liquid resistance.  I would check the fuel pick up in the tank.  I have not done this on my CP27 but other boats have a screen covering the inlet and it does get clogged, especially if you have had black algae in the tank.
BobK

[Allure2sail]

Hi BobK:
Two people have mentioned the "screen" on the fuel intake. I assume that the reference is to the fitting on the tank that feeds the diesel to the engine? Going to look more closely today. Still have fuel system issues, not as bad as before but still annoying. The engine was stalling before but now it goes to almost idle then picks back up to speed.
Bruce

[Allure2sail]

Hi BobK:
Took out the tube that pulls the fuel out of the tank and it did not have a screen on the end. Tube came out clean and I then used it to pull some fuel out of the bottom, middle and top of the fuel in the tank. Was easy just put tube in to the depth you want, put your finger over the fitting and pull out tube. I then let the fuel spill out onto a clean white rag. None of it showed any contaminants grit or discoloration. So I don't think the problem is in the tank itself.
Bruce

[deisher6]

Hey Bruce:
The screen is at the top end of the tube, you have to unscrew the tube from the fitting that attaches to the tank.  On the other hand I understand that Hutchins did not put the screen in later models.  Windrunner is an '86.

Hope that your fuel problems are resolved.

regards charlie

[MacGyver]

Primer bulb.....
Found one in my "pile of stuff" that takes 5/16" Dia. fuel line. I will install it in the fuel line (with the arrow pointing towards the racor) as it passes by the port side locker. Does you bulb feel hard (like on an outboard motor system) when everything is working correctly? End goal is if I get a sense that the motor is losing it's prime (for what ever reason) I can open the locker door give a few squeezes and force some more fuel forward. It's seems like from time to time (after a few hours of running the diesel) that it slows down slightly as if it going to run out of fuel. Sometimes it stall other times it picks up again. I've changed all the filters, clean the base cap of the lift pump out and bleed the system a dozen times. Checked the free flow rate of the Facet lift pump and checked to make sure it is the newer "E" series pump that Moyer Marine recommends. Anyone got any ideas?

This to me sounds as if it is a injector issue. Sometimes they need adjusted. It sounds eerily similar to 3 diesels at work on a few different boats that needed that done suffering from the same issue.... Just sharing an experience, it is really hard to diagnose without actually hearing it to compare to what I heard from these other engines.

Mac

[Allure2sail]

Hi Charlie:
I'll take it apart today to see if it has a screen. I actually had to un mount the tank to get the get the tube out. There was not enough vertical clearance to pull the tube up and out of the tank. I had to slide the tank over a few inches to port...no big deal.
Bruce

[Allure2sail]

Hi Charlie....
Boy you get kudo's for that one !!! Went back and unscrewed the 90 degree elbow on top once I pulled the tube partially out of the tank. Sure enough there was a fine mesh screen in the I.D. of the tube. Took it out it was FILTY with crude. Cleaned it inside and out with a spray can of carburetor cleaner. Must have been like that when I had the tank out 5 years ago. I never took that tube and fitting apart so it never got cleaned. The length of the tube I.D. needs to be cleaned as well, but I will do that this week because to take the tube completely out of the tank I have to un mount it and slide it over a few inches. I just ran out of time today. I think I'll get one of those brushes you use on a rifle and some carburetor cleaner again. The culprit I'm pretty sure was the screen and not the tube, I'll find out tomorrow when I take it out to sail and motor for few hours.
Bruce

[deisher6]

Hey Bruce:  Amazing isn't it!  I hope that helped with your fuel problem...thank Keith Scott he is the one that pointed me in the right direction. 

I did not reinstall the screen. 

regards charlie

[Allure2sail]

Hi Charlie:
I took out the screws holding the tank down and slid it over enough to get the tube assembly out. Took off the 90 degree fitting and removed the screen. With a rifle cleaning brush and some carburetor cleaner I cleaned the inside of the tube from top to bottom. It did have some black crude in it but not as bad as the screen had on it. Put all back together and engine started and ran fine. I do intend on replacing the fuel line from the tank to the inlet on the "Racor". Everything else has been replaced and I might as well do that part of the fuel system as well. Have not put on the "Racor" 500 setup yet. I want to fix "the problem" before I put that on. I still believe it is a much better water separator/filter than the smaller R12's, plus you can get 2, 10 & 30 micron filters for them. You can also change out the filter without having to bleed the system. As long as after installing the new filter you top of the unit with fresh diesel while you have the top plate off so that no air can get into the system. I'm taking the boat to Martha's Vineyard this week so I should know after this trip if I've solved my fuel system issue.
Thanks again
Bruce
S/V Allure

[Allure2sail]

Hi Charlie:
I put over seven hours on the diesel this weekend and it did not skip a beat...problem solved !!! Now I have to replace the fluxgate compass for the autopilot and I should be back to 100%. Those "NO COMP" messages drive me nuts, happens intermittently but still a pain, especially sailing solo.
Thanks for your input.
Bruce
S/V Allure

[deisher6]

Hey Bruce:  It is an older boat you just have it fixed until......

What kind of steering do you have.....I think that I still have some working parts for an Autohelm 2000.

regards charlie