Keep a oil filter wrench in your boat in case your water separator filter it's full of water and stalls your boat out you can drain it all out of the filter and get back and not have to get towed in
That makes little sense at that point, you fuel lines already have water and most likely hit the injectors until you clean the lines from you f/w separator to the injectors it wont crank over. Carry a can of starter fluid so it can burn that out and dump some type of injector cleaner in the f/w separator but most likely you have a tank of bad fuel.
And these larger spin-on filters have a very large surface area which wont plug up with debris and also stop much more debris than any small canister fuel filter. A huge improvement!
Excellent video thank you again. Could you do a supplement or add-on video about talking about describing or showing us the effects the indicators that you have water in your fuel because of the way the motor is behaving what symptoms will indicate that you need to change that filter or that you've got a bigger problem and the filter can't handle it all. Just looking for a symptoms thank you
I have a 1991 Sea Ray that doesn’t have a Filter, other than the little one in the carb inlet fitting, looks like a good winter project, install a fuel water separator
When I bought my boat the sales guy really really stressed changing this filter regularly. Fuel stabilizer works in preventing ethanol related problems...make no mistake about it. I used it for years without a problem before I learned that non ethanol was available in my area.
Thank you for the information. Great video! I been looking to get one for my 90hp boat. But not sure witch one to get. Which one would you recommend to buy? Thank you. HAPPY BOATING.
I would buy one with a clear bowl under. Let's you keep an eye on what's going on at all times, and you can also drain water out. Just make sure you keep the filter protected from sunlight.
Water is not heavier than gasoline per se, it is better to say that gasoline is less dense than water and because the do not mix, gasoline floats on water. The reason water and gasoline do not mix is because water is a polar molecule (ie positive end and negative end) and gasoline is not a polar molecule so the two will not mix together...nothing to do with weight/density difference between the two. The explanation is okay for the layperson who cares nothing about science...I provided some insight for those who want to know more.
That being said Aaron, so in this example a 225 Optimax. Non ethanol fuel, 91 octane 93 octane. Ive been running Non Ethanol at 89 Octane but Im wondering if the engine needs a higher Octane......Just thinking. Oh the non ethanol helps with not getting water in the fuel, right?
@@benjigans1419 Thanks Benji, I know that part. In my area all I can get is 89 octane nonethanol, I was just questioning if I should regardless of ethanol use the higher octane fuel. Thanks for your time
I’m a bit confused. I understand the water is heavier. The gas makes it way back up through the middle of filter. But….. what happens to the water that was separated? Where does it go? How does the water get removed from filter? Lastly, how often should the filters be changed. I currently change mine out annually based on a 3-4 month boating season.
Removing the filter and replacing it with a new one is the way to remove any water collected in the bottom of the filter (this is where the water goes). I do this annually, also, and empty the filter contents into a clean, dry, clear container (e.g. used food jar) and inspect it for water and contaminants. If you find water or contaminants, you need to determine the source and resolve those issues. If all is well, I use that fuel in my mower or other gas powered yard tool. IMO, nearly equally important to this is using ethanol free fuel and always treating fresh fuel with whatever stabilizer and other additives your engine manufacturer recommends, especially if all of that fuel is not going to be burned through the engine in the next 60 days +/-.
now i have one of those fuel filters with the little plastic cup on the bottom - does that mean i don't have to change it? well until the cup has water in it? or is it worth buying a replacement with the cup? or just get a filter with no cup? I liked the idea of just emptying the bowl if there was water in it - like an old carb.
Hmmmm......my understanding is that a Racor filter's paper core has a hydrophobic coating that repels water and keeps it from passing through the filter. At some
Was told by boat shops not to use ethanol or you void warranty on you outboard 🤷🏻♂️ plus it tends to go stale a lot faster and turn to crap in the tank i wont even put it in my mower for 5c a litre cheaper than standard 91 its not worth the hassle
Technically gas floats on water because it is less dense then water not bc it ways more. Yes one gallon of gas ways less than one gallon of water. But if you mixed 100 gallons of gas with one gallon of water the water would still go to the bottom even tho there is more weight of gas because the water is more dense.
Ok - maybe I’m wrong by my engine has one of these already - why would I add a second one? Extra capacity? Ease of replacement? Or maybe it doesn’t have one and I’ve replaced a diff filter annually (2 stroke)...
You engine likely has multiple filters and screens, on the low pressure and high pressure side of the fuel system. These filters are for particulates only (blanket statement for simplicity, not fully true). The external fuel water separator acts a pre-filter for your engines internal filters which are often much more expensive and harder to get to. It’s primary function is to separate water from the fuel stream. For example, My engine which is a 2-stroke Yamaha HPDI and it has two forty dollar filters which are more involved to change; my separator is 25 for a new element.
@@eastwardExpansion Thanks George. Mine is a Merc opti and I validated it has a separator, but like you said it is harder to get too (remove the upper and lower cowl). Thankfully it's only $13, but still... Am repowering so I'll see what the new setup looks like and install one - good call.
Thank you for your question! Please post it in our Born Again Boating Community! Go here and scroll down to access - it’s free: www.bornagainboating.com/
Hmm, would you get a similar effect if the intake from your fuel tank was off the bottom by a few inches? Then before heading out for the day you drain a gallon or so _from the bottom_ of the tank.
You could do that. I hope you dispose of what you drain responsibly. Or you could install the water separator that everyone in the world agrees is necessary.
@@Al-ix5um Oh definitely! I was just wondering if you would get about the same effect, for example with multiple fuel tanks on a larger boat. I'd have the fuel water separators installed as a matter of course, if I can ever afford something more than my (literal) canoe!
A standard fuel filter is going to (I believe) have a coarser, more open paper element. It will catch particulates in the fuel (metal, plastics etc). Still not 100% sure how the separator works to cull out the water from the mixture. Unless there is some hydrophobic coating on the paper as another poster said about the Racor brand.
I know this is old but whats the point of getting a new filter then, its just holding the water it collects and all I do is take the filter off and just empty it and put it back on.. Sure after years I could see a new one is needed but just emptying it has worked for me forever now.
Exactly.. was thinking same thing, I believe it's just more hype to sell product, the way it works makes it reusable considering you already have another filter downstream as well. I'll be dumping and reusing for a few years before replacement.
Where are you located? I’m in south Florida Miami area and we have non-ethanol fuel. Some have 89 and other have 90. Both are prices reasonably higher than fuel with ethanol.
So in reality, the water separator part is actually reusable since it's really just a can for it to fall into and sink to the bottom, while the top allows a proper flow of good fuel.. the filtering part (paper) is for normal debris.. which most boats already have also after the separator... so I can't see any real reason to change these that often, just dump them every few months. Should last for years I would think.
Love your posts and content. Gotta give you credit man, some of the bilges and access ports you work through and on are gross man! Wash your boat, inside and out people!!!
I wonder if there is some sort of small centrifuge that would eliminate the need for disposable filters? P.S. PLEASE use proper gloves when handling petroleum products.
they make ones that are clear plastic bottom and unscrew to dump the water - over time the filter would still need to be replaced but I just installed one of these on our 30HP merc this winter - will see how it works in the spring. I bought this on Amazom : SeaSense Universal Water Separating Fuel Filter with Clear Bowl
Born again boating? I know a Guy that said you must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. Now Who was that again? Oh yeah, it was Jesus!!! John 3:3 I thought the filter media in a water separator filter did not go all the way to the bottom. But left room for the water to sit at the bottom without touching the media. The more room the more water your filter could hold. I’m not a scientist either but I would think if the media is sitting in the water it could wick up and get sucked in with the fuel. Neat trick on separating ethanol from fuel. I wonder if that would work on a larger scale to remove the crappy ethanol from the fuel in our cars.
Typically is to check for metal shavings after an engine failure. If you find metal shavings you know the engine has some major issues probably needing a rebuild. If nothing is found it should be something less serious.
Hey, just a quick nitpicky thing about verbiage, in the beginning of the video, the narrator says that the water sinks because it is heavier than the fuel. That’s not really correct, the water sinks because it’s more dense. It has more mass per unit volume. The original verbiage might make it sound like the relative weights of the two liquids makes an impact
He referred to a chart that indicated that water weighs 7.3 pounds per gallon and fuel weighs 6 pounds per gallon. You can say "more mass per unit volume" if it makes you feel smart, but its not inaccurate to say water is heavier than fuel.
The pedantic comments about the use of the word weight are silly. When comparing the classes of materials an equal volume is implied in the comparison. Do you object to the use of "lighter than air" balloons. Is lead heavier than air ? - Yes ( by volume is implied in the class comparison) . Is a bullet heavier than Earth's Atmosphere ? - No (Different volumes have been specified).
Thanks! You have no idea how much I appreciate your knowledge!!
Dr. John in San Diego
Dr. John! You are the man, thank you so much! Always happy to help share what I know :) thank you for the super chat!
Keep a oil filter wrench in your boat in case your water separator filter it's full of water and stalls your boat out you can drain it all out of the filter and get back and not have to get towed in
This happened to me this weekend you re right good sir.
That makes little sense at that point, you fuel lines already have water and most likely hit the injectors until you clean the lines from you f/w separator to the injectors it wont crank over. Carry a can of starter fluid so it can burn that out and dump some type of injector cleaner in the f/w separator but most likely you have a tank of bad fuel.
Great job explaining. Everyone who owns a boat should have one of these and a backup!
And these larger spin-on filters have a very large surface area which wont plug up with debris and also stop much more debris than any small canister fuel filter. A huge improvement!
Excellent video thank you again. Could you do a supplement or add-on video about talking about describing or showing us the effects the indicators that you have water in your fuel because of the way the motor is behaving what symptoms will indicate that you need to change that filter or that you've got a bigger problem and the filter can't handle it all. Just looking for a symptoms thank you
I have a 1991 Sea Ray that doesn’t have a Filter, other than the little one in the carb inlet fitting, looks like a good winter project, install a fuel water separator
Praise the Lord. Thank you for your great boat service videos.
God bless you.
Dan
Great video, something every boater needs to know. This can ruin your day real fast. 👍😎🌴. Stay safe out there.
Thanks, you too!
You are a scientist/boat guru. Great video as always
Thanks 👍
Not a scientist, but reasonable explanation for laypeople who care nothing about chemistry, science, molecules etc.
Absolutely true. Great video! Thanks again brother!
Glad you enjoyed it
When I bought my boat the sales guy really really stressed changing this filter regularly. Fuel stabilizer works in preventing ethanol related problems...make no mistake about it. I used it for years without a problem before I learned that non ethanol was available in my area.
Is this something I should be unscrewing and checking periodically? I last serviced my boat 2 yrs ago and haven't checked on the filter since?
Thank you for the information. Great video! I been looking to get one for my 90hp boat. But not sure witch one to get.
Which one would you recommend to buy?
Thank you. HAPPY BOATING.
I would buy one with a clear bowl under. Let's you keep an eye on what's going on at all times, and you can also drain water out. Just make sure you keep the filter protected from sunlight.
@@Kowalski301 Thank you for your helped.
My local dealer told me not to use a water seperator filter on my boat with a Verado 150hp. Do you agree? I thought it would be better as a back up.
So I have a mercruiser 350 mag inboard outboard.
It has a cool fuel system on it. Is this similar and how do those work?
Water is not heavier than gasoline per se, it is better to say that gasoline is less dense than water and because the do not mix, gasoline floats on water. The reason water and gasoline do not mix is because water is a polar molecule (ie positive end and negative end) and gasoline is not a polar molecule so the two will not mix together...nothing to do with weight/density difference between the two. The explanation is okay for the layperson who cares nothing about science...I provided some insight for those who want to know more.
Well done. Plenty of those Mediterranean Mint containers in our house....
Thank you ! So , what would happen to engine if water got into it, and what would prevent that from happening?
The engine would stall since water doesn’t burn like fuel
it does my head it that they only use the large thread as a seal to stop the metal filings or what ever transferring to the
outlet side....
When you put a new fuel water separator on do you fill it with gas before you put it on?
It's not required but highly recommended so the engine doesn't just spin over while the fuel pump is prime the line.
Yes, unless you want to wait and crank your motor until it's dinky little fuel pump sucks fuel into it.
If you have a primer bubble no need too
Mostly fill it. These filters hold a lot of fuel.
thanks for all u tricks hi from france
Hello there!
Is my boat supposed to have the water separator filter and a fuel filter, or with the water separator its fine ?!?
Great demonstration 👍
Glad you liked it!
That being said Aaron, so in this example a 225 Optimax. Non ethanol fuel, 91 octane 93 octane. Ive been running Non Ethanol at 89 Octane but Im wondering if the engine needs a higher Octane......Just thinking. Oh the non ethanol helps with not getting water in the fuel, right?
JAWS 24, no. Ethanol is not associated with octane.
@@benjigans1419 Thanks Benji, I know that part. In my area all I can get is 89 octane nonethanol, I was just questioning if I should regardless of ethanol use the higher octane fuel. Thanks for your time
I stay away from ethanol fuel because of what it does to fuel lines.
Would my 1977 searay v hull 19 have one??
I’m a bit confused. I understand the water is heavier. The gas makes it way back up through the middle of filter. But….. what happens to the water that was separated? Where does it go? How does the water get removed from filter? Lastly, how often should the filters be changed. I currently change mine out annually based on a 3-4 month boating season.
Removing the filter and replacing it with a new one is the way to remove any water collected in the bottom of the filter (this is where the water goes). I do this annually, also, and empty the filter contents into a clean, dry, clear container (e.g. used food jar) and inspect it for water and contaminants. If you find water or contaminants, you need to determine the source and resolve those issues. If all is well, I use that fuel in my mower or other gas powered yard tool. IMO, nearly equally important to this is using ethanol free fuel and always treating fresh fuel with whatever stabilizer and other additives your engine manufacturer recommends, especially if all of that fuel is not going to be burned through the engine in the next 60 days +/-.
What do you use to seal the pipe threads when installing a new separator bracket?
I use gasola or high temp thread sealant
@@BornAgainBoating thank you! I have to redo mine, it’s corroded and leaking.
Up north we have the ethenal a
now i have one of those fuel filters with the little plastic cup on the bottom - does that mean i don't have to change it? well until the cup has water in it? or is it worth buying a replacement with the cup? or just get a filter with no cup? I liked the idea of just emptying the bowl if there was water in it - like an old carb.
Hmmmm......my understanding is that a Racor filter's paper core has a hydrophobic coating that repels water and keeps it from passing through the filter. At some
At some point the paper will restrict fuel flow and the engine's performance will be reduced, causing it to lose RPM and power.
When I do this with my sterndrive do you suggest putting gas in the new filter? It’s a 5.7 Merc
Was told by boat shops not to use ethanol or you void warranty on you outboard 🤷🏻♂️ plus it tends to go stale a lot faster and turn to crap in the tank i wont even put it in my mower for 5c a litre cheaper than standard 91 its not worth the hassle
Does this work with pre-mix 2 cycle fuel?
Yes
Thanks
Technically gas floats on water because it is less dense then water not bc it ways more. Yes one gallon of gas ways less than one gallon of water. But if you mixed 100 gallons of gas with one gallon of water the water would still go to the bottom even tho there is more weight of gas because the water is more dense.
Ok - maybe I’m wrong by my engine has one of these already - why would I add a second one? Extra capacity? Ease of replacement? Or maybe it doesn’t have one and I’ve replaced a diff filter annually (2 stroke)...
You engine likely has multiple filters and screens, on the low pressure and high pressure side of the fuel system. These filters are for particulates only (blanket statement for simplicity, not fully true). The external fuel water separator acts a pre-filter for your engines internal filters which are often much more expensive and harder to get to. It’s primary function is to separate water from the fuel stream. For example, My engine which is a 2-stroke Yamaha HPDI and it has two forty dollar filters which are more involved to change; my separator is 25 for a new element.
@@eastwardExpansion Thanks George. Mine is a Merc opti and I validated it has a separator, but like you said it is harder to get too (remove the upper and lower cowl). Thankfully it's only $13, but still... Am repowering so I'll see what the new setup looks like and install one - good call.
Is there any difference between gasoline and diesel water separators?
Yes.
Why dont PWCs have water separators?
Another great video
I appreciate that
So... What happens to the fuel that returns to the fuel/water separator?? Where does the return line output from the f/s go??
Thank you for your question! Please post it in our Born Again Boating Community! Go here and scroll down to access - it’s free: www.bornagainboating.com/
So do you basically replace the fuel filter with a fuel filter separator or do you keep both in line?
Both in line.
Hmm, would you get a similar effect if the intake from your fuel tank was off the bottom by a few inches? Then before heading out for the day you drain a gallon or so _from the bottom_ of the tank.
You could do that. I hope you dispose of what you drain responsibly. Or you could install the water separator that everyone in the world agrees is necessary.
@@Al-ix5um Oh definitely! I was just wondering if you would get about the same effect, for example with multiple fuel tanks on a larger boat. I'd have the fuel water separators installed as a matter of course, if I can ever afford something more than my (literal) canoe!
Filters like this are mandatory with today’s ethanol based fuels. I’d run one on everything but the smallest of outboards.
Merci beaucoup ❤❤❤❤❤❤
You're welcome
I cut a fuel filter open and it was rust to hell inside after 1 season
Must of had water
what do you do if the water separator is stuck/corroded on the holder?
Remove put in vice then tear it off, replace if you destroy it.🤔
is there a rule of thumb on how often to change a filter or how to know it is time to change it. Great videos.
every 100 hours
I change my filter at the beginning of each season. I also carry a spare filter in the boat in case it clogs up while I'm out on the water.
@@Georooney thanks for the info
@@mikek7006 thanks for the info
Next we (you) should cut up a used filter
Find a nasty one
Difference between fuel filter and water separator?
A standard fuel filter is going to (I believe) have a coarser, more open paper element. It will catch particulates in the fuel (metal, plastics etc). Still not 100% sure how the separator works to cull out the water from the mixture. Unless there is some hydrophobic coating on the paper as another poster said about the Racor brand.
I know this is old but whats the point of getting a new filter then, its just holding the water it collects and all I do is take the filter off and just empty it and put it back on.. Sure after years I could see a new one is needed but just emptying it has worked for me forever now.
Exactly.. was thinking same thing, I believe it's just more hype to sell product, the way it works makes it reusable considering you already have another filter downstream as well. I'll be dumping and reusing for a few years before replacement.
The solution to this problem is to get rid of ethanol gas and price non-ethanol as it should be!
Where are you located? I’m in south Florida Miami area and we have non-ethanol fuel. Some have 89 and other have 90. Both are prices reasonably higher than fuel with ethanol.
@@hayronalvarez4583 I'm in panhandle, we have plenty of non-ethanol and always have. Never had to put ethanol in any of my boats.
In Australia ethanol ( E10)is not commonly used even in cars and not recommended for marine use most servo’s have standard 91 95 or 98 or E10
How does the water have time to settle out if it’s constantly pumping into the engine?
So, what about the people who use pump gas(with ethanol) will a fuel/water separator help them at all? Asking for a friend 🤣🤣
Great video 👍
Thanks for the visit
So in reality, the water separator part is actually reusable since it's really just a can for it to fall into and sink to the bottom, while the top allows a proper flow of good fuel.. the filtering part (paper) is for normal debris.. which most boats already have also after the separator... so I can't see any real reason to change these that often, just dump them every few months. Should last for years I would think.
5:00 We see you so rarely without a hat, your so beautiful under there !
Love your posts and content. Gotta give you credit man, some of the bilges and access ports you work through and on are gross man! Wash your boat, inside and out people!!!
💯🙏🏼💯
How the hell does water get it? We don't need these on cars?
💯
Execept when the water is emulsified then you're fucked.
I wonder if there is some sort of small centrifuge that would eliminate the need for disposable filters?
P.S. PLEASE use proper gloves when handling petroleum products.
they make ones that are clear plastic bottom and unscrew to dump the water - over time the filter would still need to be replaced but I just installed one of these on our 30HP merc this winter - will see how it works in the spring. I bought this on Amazom : SeaSense Universal Water Separating Fuel Filter with Clear Bowl
@@ronm7781 Thanks for the reply! Please keep us posted :)
Born again boating? I know a Guy that said you must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. Now Who was that again? Oh yeah, it was Jesus!!! John 3:3
I thought the filter media in a water separator filter did not go all the way to the bottom. But left room for the water to sit at the bottom without touching the media. The more room the more water your filter could hold. I’m not a scientist either but I would think if the media is sitting in the water it could wick up and get sucked in with the fuel.
Neat trick on separating ethanol from fuel. I wonder if that would work on a larger scale to remove the crappy ethanol from the fuel in our cars.
Why someone wants to own a "filter cutter tool"?
Typically is to check for metal shavings after an engine failure. If you find metal shavings you know the engine has some major issues probably needing a rebuild. If nothing is found it should be something less serious.
@@wilsonthesphere Thanks! That makes a lot of sense.
WEIGHT IS NOT WHY WATER SINKS LIQUIDS SEPARATE BY DENSITY. WEIGHT IS RELATIVE TO VOLUME
Great video however water does not weigh more than gas. Water is more dense than gas. Weight and density are not the same thing.
When you began mixing the fuel and talking all i heard wasBlah blah blah , im no scientists blah blah blah. Lol
Hey, just a quick nitpicky thing about verbiage, in the beginning of the video, the narrator says that the water sinks because it is heavier than the fuel. That’s not really correct, the water sinks because it’s more dense. It has more mass per unit volume. The original verbiage might make it sound like the relative weights of the two liquids makes an impact
Incomplete. Ethanol? Give this mixture some time with gas and water and you get a nasty mess
He referred to a chart that indicated that water weighs 7.3 pounds per gallon and fuel weighs 6 pounds per gallon. You can say "more mass per unit volume" if it makes you feel smart, but its not inaccurate to say water is heavier than fuel.
The pedantic comments about the use of the word weight are silly. When comparing the classes of materials an equal volume is implied in the comparison. Do you object to the use of "lighter than air" balloons. Is lead heavier than air ? - Yes ( by volume is implied in the class comparison) . Is a bullet heavier than Earth's Atmosphere ? - No (Different volumes have been specified).
Great video topic👍
Glad you liked it