Fuel filter, primer bulb and neatness.

[actions]

Just got myself a fuel filter to place in the fuel line for my Honda 40 as all its got at the moment is the tiny one under the cowling.

Now i know most people attach them to their transom but for neatness im thinking of putting it on the back of the bench seat so the fuel line can come straight from tank to filter then back into the conduit to engine. Nice and neat.

If i put the filter on the transom im gonna end up with loose fuel line in the back and won't be able to hide it in the conduit as it will kink.

Im guessing it doesn't matter where it goes and its just personal choice?

Also fuel primer after filter or can i get away with it before which saves moving it?.

Any thoughts.

Thanks.

Ps black dog marine are superb. Ordered yesterday arrived today with my ribnet discount.

[captnjack]

Primer bulbs go after the filter not before.

[Divertris]

Primer bulb before filter is better as you can still force fuel through the filter if it gets clogged up. After the filter makes pulling fuel through difficult.

That's the way I always have done it

[Erin]

There have been threads about this before. My fuel filter is mounted in the console. However, I made sure the primer bulb was between filter and engine as I experienced problems once before when it was the other way around. I don't know how it makes a difference, but it certainly created a problem for me.

[Pikey Dave]

I've always had bulb before filter. Current config is:- tank, bulb, filter (both in console), under cowl filter, engine. No problems. Bulbs are better at pushing than pulling fuel.

[captnjack]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I've always had bulb before filter. Current config is:- tank, bulb, filter (both in console), under cowl filter, engine. No problems. Bulbs are better at pushing than pulling fuel.

They really suck at pushing air out of the way though. Maybe it doesn't matter in a Honda 40 (carbs?) But it does in my fuel injected YamF60. The less tube I have to have downstream air in the better.

[spartacus]

On my last boat (Zodiac Pro), I mounted the fuel filter on the transom. On the Ribcraft, it's mounted in the console.

My set-up is fuel tank > filter > primer bulb > engine.

Never had an issue with the fuel starvation, and the primer bulb always goes hard prior to ignition. Only issue I've ever had was forgetting to vent the fuel tank which is easily remedied.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by captnjack

They really suck at pushing air out of the way though. Maybe it doesn't matter in a Honda 40 (carbs?) But it does in my fuel injected YamF60. The less tube I have to have downstream air in the better.

That's usually due to the orientation. I had problems as the original fuel hose wasn't long enough to orientate the bulb vertically. I lengthened the hose slightly & got the bulb vertical, no problems now. The problem with bulbs is that they only suck (no pun) with the force that the bulb is inclined to return to shape after you've squeezed it. If you have a long run of empty hose between tank & bulb, you have to pull fuel all the way from the tank to the bulb before pushing it downstream to the engine, in effect you are using the bulb as a vacuum pump, which they ain't.
All IMHO of course

[actions]

Thanks for the replies . I'm getting the feeling its almost a 50/50 split at the moment with everyone having different ways of doing it. I'll have a play around with it today and tomorrow and see which is best in my set up to keep it all tidy but ensuring the bulb is kept vertical.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Divertris

Primer bulb before filter is better as you can still force fuel through the filter if it gets clogged up. After the filter makes pulling fuel through difficult.

Do you really want to force fuel through a clogged filter? I realize it's likely an emergency action, but you'd be putting all the delicate stuff in the motor at risk by forcing it through known contaminant. Better to bypass the clogged filter than risk freeing all the trapped stuff, I'd think.

jky

[captnjack]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

That's usually due to the orientation. I had problems as the original fuel hose wasn't long enough to orientate the bulb vertically. I lengthened the hose slightly & got the bulb vertical, no problems now. The problem with bulbs is that they only suck (no pun) with the force that the bulb is inclined to return to shape after you've squeezed it. If you have a long run of empty hose between tank & bulb, you have to pull fuel all the way from the tank to the bulb before pushing it downstream to the engine, in effect you are using the bulb as a vacuum pump, which they ain't.
All IMHO of course

Seems like the check valves in the ends are always the first things to fail. Although I have had a barb on the bulb crack once. Wherever it goes it needs to be outside of any closed compartments and away from any electrical connections, batteries, sparks etc.

Originally Posted by jyasaki

Do you really want to force fuel through a clogged filter? I realize it's likely an emergency action, but you'd be putting all the delicate stuff in the motor at risk by forcing it through known contaminant. Better to bypass the clogged filter than risk freeing all the trapped stuff, I'd think.

jky

Not only that but if you're really forcing fuel through the filter I'm guessing the fuel pump on the engine won't be able to suck enough fuel through to stay running anyway.

I'm happy with mine downstream of my transom mounted filter. I wouldn't want that filter any other place as it definitely leaks when changing it.

[actions]

Right, its going to be bulb after filter for me.

Having planned on doing it today, couldnt resist the weather and went out for 5 hours boating instead.

[actions]

All done and majority won. Bulb after filter.

Placed on back of seat to keep it neat and managed to keep bulb under seat vertical. Another job done

[BruceB]

I certainly used to put the bulb after the filter on the transom.
My boat now I put both the filter and bulb inside the console and the bulb first. After four years they are as good as new and the only thing I ever had to change was the annual filter change.
I used to go through both filter casings and bulbs regularly on the transom, the filter casings through corrosion and the bulbs via UV deterioration.

[captnjack]

You have UV rays in Scotland?!?

[EnglishLes]

Originally Posted by captnjack

You have UV rays in Scotland?!?

Yes - they get them imported from Cornwall.

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by captnjack

You have UV rays in Scotland?!?

Temperatures have been half decent lately, 23-24°C. (About bl**dy time)!