Cleaning Your Sailboat Engine’s Primary Fuel Filter Water Separator
Step-by-step instructions for cleaning your sailboat engine’s Primary Fuel Filter / Water Separator.
- Gather supplies – filter kit, small o-ring, large gasket, gloves, tray, jug fresh diesel fuel, rags, lubricant
- Close the fuel pet cock(s)
- Get a tray in place under the primary fuel filter
- Unscrew the t-handle – notice the o-ring
- Lift off the big round lid – notice the big gasket
- Remove the old filter – may need small item to grab handles if present
- Push click twist lower new filter onto the pipe in the middle
- Top off the container with clean fuel
- Open the valve at the bottom to drain off debris, water
- Put new gasket on the lid – no twists, flat all around
- Put lid back on container
- Remove old o-ring on the t-handle
- Install new o-ring on the t-handle
- Install t-handle on lid
- Wipe up any drips
- Reopen fuel pet cock(s)
- Start engine – check if runs
- Possibly got air in filter case – must bleed fuel system
- Emergency, no spare fuel – if your tanks are full enough, you may be able to bleed the new fuel filter by opening the fuel petcocks, fuel will fill the case, fill the filter, slightly overflow, replace the cap, wipe up overflow.
- Order a replacement kit while you’re thinking about it. Put date of change somewhere.
- How often? Every 150-200-300 running hours or once a year depending on your boat; check your engine manual.
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