Fuel draining out of Racor

[Bob Lawrence]

Hi group,
We are finally on the road fulltime and have just left Death Valley.
The bird wouldn't start and I noticed the clear bowl on the Racor only
had 3-4 inches of fuel in it.
Upon removing the filter to see if clogged, I could here fuel,
glug,gluging into the bowl. It didn't add an inch before not gluging
any more.
I blew thru the filter and fuel came out top to bottom of filter which
told me filter wasn't plugged.
Put filter back in, added ATF to fill the filter and it started right
up.
Fuel is draining back to tank.
Is the fuel pump going bad? Only thing I can think of.
What say you?

Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Presently in Laughlin, Nv

[Mike Hohnstein]

Fuel line check valve quit working. Locate and repair or replace.
MH
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Lawrence
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 11:43 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Fuel draining out of Racor


Hi group,
We are finally on the road fulltime and have just left Death Valley.
The bird wouldn't start and I noticed the clear bowl on the Racor only
had 3-4 inches of fuel in it.
Upon removing the filter to see if clogged, I could here fuel,
glug,gluging into the bowl. It didn't add an inch before not gluging
any more.
I blew thru the filter and fuel came out top to bottom of filter which
told me filter wasn't plugged.
Put filter back in, added ATF to fill the filter and it started right
up.
Fuel is draining back to tank.
Is the fuel pump going bad? Only thing I can think of.
What say you?

Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Presently in Laughlin, Nv





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Bob Lawrence]

Thanks, Mike for your quick reply...tell me is it located near the
tank or where do you suggest I look?
Thanks again for your reply.
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Laughlin, Nv
> Fuel line check valve quit working. Locate and repair or replace.
> MH
>>
>
> Hi group,
> We are finally on the road fulltime and have just left Death
Valley.
> The bird wouldn't start and I noticed the clear bowl on the Racor
only
> had 3-4 inches of fuel in it.
> Upon removing the filter to see if clogged, I could here fuel,
> glug,gluging into the bowl. It didn't add an inch before not
gluging
> any more.
> I blew thru the filter and fuel came out top to bottom of filter
which
> told me filter wasn't plugged.
> Put filter back in, added ATF to fill the filter and it started
right
> up.
> Fuel is draining back to tank.
> Is the fuel pump going bad? Only thing I can think of.
> What say you?
>
> Bob Lawrence
> 84 PT36
> Presently in Laughlin, Nv
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

[Mike Hohnstein]

Might not have one now that I think of it. Added one to my FC at the pusher
pump inlet and life got a lot better. Put one on the gen set one on the diesel
boiler too. Idea is to stop drain back at fuel inlets, you have practical
experience on how that is a bad thing. Fuel injection shops will have them in
stock.
MH
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Lawrence
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 10:00 AM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Fuel draining out of Racor


Thanks, Mike for your quick reply...tell me is it located near the
tank or where do you suggest I look?
Thanks again for your reply.
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Laughlin, Nv
> Fuel line check valve quit working. Locate and repair or replace.
> MH
>>
>
> Hi group,
> We are finally on the road fulltime and have just left Death
Valley.
> The bird wouldn't start and I noticed the clear bowl on the Racor
only
> had 3-4 inches of fuel in it.
> Upon removing the filter to see if clogged, I could here fuel,
> glug,gluging into the bowl. It didn't add an inch before not
gluging
> any more.
> I blew thru the filter and fuel came out top to bottom of filter
which
> told me filter wasn't plugged.
> Put filter back in, added ATF to fill the filter and it started
right
> up.
> Fuel is draining back to tank.
> Is the fuel pump going bad? Only thing I can think of.
> What say you?
>
> Bob Lawrence
> 84 PT36
> Presently in Laughlin, Nv
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[sfedeli3]

Hi Bob,

Was having vacuum problems with my Racor and found sludge in the
bottom of the racor and in the fuel supply line. I was able to blow
fuel back into the tank and then re-prime the fuel line by
pressurizing the fuel tank slightly (leave the lid on the tank filler
neck). To the best of my knowledge, there are no check valves in the
system, except the small aluminum alloy ball in the bottom of the
Racor unit. You should clean that by removing the bowl assembly and
unscrewing the flared plastic fin assembly that creates the
centrifuge flow in the bowl. From what you have listed, I'm guessing
that there is a clump of sludge, rust, etc.. somewhere in the fuel
line that you were able to dislodge. If you are losing prime to the
tank, then one of your Racor's o-rings or seals around the bowl and
cap are leaking. You could also have a slow leak in the fuel line
connections around the secondary spin-on filter and/or low pressure
fuel pump connection. If you've never replaced those lines, it may be
about that time.

Shane Fedeli
85PT40
Hershey, PA
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Bob Lawrence"
wrote:
>
> Hi group,
> We are finally on the road fulltime and have just left Death Valley.
> The bird wouldn't start and I noticed the clear bowl on the Racor
only
> had 3-4 inches of fuel in it.
> Upon removing the filter to see if clogged, I could here fuel,
> glug,gluging into the bowl. It didn't add an inch before not
gluging
> any more.
> I blew thru the filter and fuel came out top to bottom of filter
which
> told me filter wasn't plugged.
> Put filter back in, added ATF to fill the filter and it started
right
> up.
> Fuel is draining back to tank.
> Is the fuel pump going bad? Only thing I can think of.
> What say you?
>
> Bob Lawrence
> 84 PT36
> Presently in Laughlin, Nv
>

[Bob Lawrence]

Thanks Shane for your reply.
Yes, I had sludge in bottom of filter on the flared fin assembly. Had
taken the bowl off, cleaned it up, removed the aluminum ball out.
Filter was plugged with junk. Put another filter in, drove 200 miles
and filter was fine, but the fuel drained back to tank. I'll check
the secondary spin on for leaks...didn't notice any tho.
Mike, your idea of adding a check valve is a good one...will look
into adding.
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
In Laughlin, Nev (losing $ on the crap tables)
> Hi Bob,
>
> Was having vacuum problems with my Racor and found sludge in the
> bottom of the racor and in the fuel supply line. I was able to blow
> fuel back into the tank and then re-prime the fuel line by
> pressurizing the fuel tank slightly (leave the lid on the tank
filler
> neck). To the best of my knowledge, there are no check valves in
the
> system, except the small aluminum alloy ball in the bottom of the
> Racor unit. You should clean that by removing the bowl assembly and
> unscrewing the flared plastic fin assembly that creates the
> centrifuge flow in the bowl. From what you have listed, I'm
guessing
> that there is a clump of sludge, rust, etc.. somewhere in the fuel
> line that you were able to dislodge. If you are losing prime to the
> tank, then one of your Racor's o-rings or seals around the bowl and
> cap are leaking. You could also have a slow leak in the fuel line
> connections around the secondary spin-on filter and/or low pressure
> fuel pump connection. If you've never replaced those lines, it may
be
> about that time.
>
> Shane Fedeli
> 85PT40
> Hershey, PA
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Bob Lawrence"
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi group,
> > We are finally on the road fulltime and have just left Death
Valley.
> > The bird wouldn't start and I noticed the clear bowl on the Racor
> only
> > had 3-4 inches of fuel in it.
> > Upon removing the filter to see if clogged, I could here fuel,
> > glug,gluging into the bowl. It didn't add an inch before not
> gluging
> > any more.
> > I blew thru the filter and fuel came out top to bottom of filter
> which
> > told me filter wasn't plugged.
> > Put filter back in, added ATF to fill the filter and it started
> right
> > up.
> > Fuel is draining back to tank.
> > Is the fuel pump going bad? Only thing I can think of.
> > What say you?
> >
> > Bob Lawrence
> > 84 PT36
> > Presently in Laughlin, Nv
> >
>

[david edwards]

First thing I'd do is tighten every hose clamp I could
access on the fuel lines. and look for evidence for
leaking around the clamps. But air can get in without
fuel getting out if the circumstances are right.

Kerry
82 Fc 35
Denver



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