The racor primary fuel filter housing (200 series) on my boat needs replacing (old as the boat). My nonsuch has a Westerbeke 27A engine. I did speak with a filter specialist who could not cross-reference my old filter to a new filter housing, since my old housing is not supported by Racor anymore. He felt a 500fg would do the trick, but my preference would be a filter housing that can be replaced at the base, since room is tight, if I have to go with this model, then I will make it work. I noticed other models, like Sierra, but Racor seem to be the preferred choice.
I assume you have a problem with the current Racor other then it being old?? I have the same one that is over 35 years old and not a problem. I can still easily get filter cartridges.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Yes, the petcock is leaking and I have had issues sealing it from the top which may have created issues this year with air in the lines. According to the filter company here, they do not supply parts, this model is not supported nor cross-referenced for a suitable replacement. The access for me is not easy to change the filter from the top. It seems simple enough to me and based on another owner of a larger westerbeke engine I will probably purchase a filter house that loads the cartridge from the base.
Thanks
Neville Weir
Cat Sass
Nonsuch 30U
If I read your message right, you want to replace the whole filter with one the same size and reuse the mounting holes.
Somewhere on the Racor site, there are dimensional drawings - I did find them a while ago when I was trying to identify the Racor filter housing on my boat.
By the way, mine’s a 200FG, and last spring, a hairline crack in the plastic fuel bowl caused air ingress. Fortunately, another bowl (in better shape) was available, so it is something to keep in mind.
Thanks John, I will look at the literature and dimensions. I raised this issue since I visited a Racor dealer, and he could not help me but cautioned me given each filter assembly is specific to certain engines etc. I thought the filter - was simply that - and that size and dimensions didn’t matter. Thus he gravitated to the 500fg, but on looking at this filter (he had one to show me) it appears too large for my space etc. I will look at the site and the above reference, thanks every one for chipping in and helping, much appreciated!
Best regards
Neville Weir
Cat Sass
Nonsuch 30U
When my boat was recently surveyed, the original Racor fuel filter was singled out as not meeting today’s ABYC standards. The clear plastic filter bowl is a hazard if there is a fire in the engine area. The surveyor suggested either installing a filter with a metal bowl or installing a metal heat shield around the present filter.
Those Racor filters were originally installed with the metal shield. I removed mine so I can see what’s in the bowl. Since water and diesel do not mix, it shows up as a line in the bottom.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Katmando with a Westerbeke 33 uses 2/3 of a gallon per hour at 6 Kts , in normal weather, on the nose blowing at 25+ it is about the same but at a slower speed. I don’t like to bash through large waves but tend to rise up at an angle and slide down the other side at an angle, sort of fish tailing but comfortable for my guests and doesn’t spill anything below..so anything above say 5 gallons an hour would work.
Diesel is vastly different than gasoline engines and is way more efficient and safer.
Brian McCuaig. NS30u
Whitby, Ontario
“Having a yacht is reason for being more cheerful than most."
I replaced my entire Racor assembly this fall on my 1991 30U with a Westerbeke 35. The clear bowl was so cloudy that it became difficult to see if any water was collecting at the bottom. Because of its age and the limited availability of replacement parts the cost of the bowl was as expensive as an entire new assembly (with filter) so I made the decision to replace it with the current model. The replacement very quick and easy. I don’t remember the part number of the new unit but have the paperwork in the boat and will be happy to look at that when I get over to check on her in the next week or two. The Westerbeke 27 will take the same filter as the 35.
Thanks Greg, I have an order in for a Racor 230R which can manage 30 gph, more than enough. The smaller filters at 15 gph, according to the filter dealer would require replacing more often than the large filters, if the throughput of diesel is near the 15 gph which it appears to be based on the pull of the fuel lift pump, it seems it might gum up a bit quicker. Like you it just wasn’t worth trying to repair it, but it became a bigger issue when the recommended replacement by the filter company was much larger than the current one and then removing the filter etc. would have been difficult. I have settled for a much smaller filter housing now. But thanks, I won’t need the paperwork now.
I recently had a surveyor on my 354 to inspect some work I had done to correct some issues BoatUS insurance had asked for. In the process he recommended switching to the Racor 500 series which apparently is easier and less messy to change the filter.
Barry Clark Swan’s Wing NS354 #71
Urbanna Harbor Yacht Club
Urbanna, VA
Barry, the 500 series was the first choice as a cross reference to the current filter which is no longer supported by Racor. However, for me the size of the filter housing was a little too large and the fuel ports were sized at 3/4 inch, larger than the current ports which would have required using an adaptor fitting. But having said that, the frequency of changing the filter of that size may have been less frequent, which is a plus.
Thanks
Frequency of filter change is proportional to the quality of the fuel and filter size / fineness, obviously. I think I have good fuel and get about 250 hours easily in a Racor 500 using a 10 mircon filter. I was told by Westerbeke the engine mounted filters on W21 are 30 micron .
I’m sorry Joe, I missed your response. I’m not sure I ever said 30 microns, it should be minimum 10 microns at the primary and then the secondary filter is rated at 2 microns.
Where I did mention 30 was in relation to 30 gph rating of the housing which I think should be the guiding principle, which was what I was after when I started this thread - it is clear to me now based on the “power” of the fuel lift pump re the 225cc etc, that it pumps nearly 15 gph, so going to 30 gph makes sense to me so it clears this hurdle and may provide a little more longevity to replacing the filter.
I didn’t think I would have to dig so hard to find all this out!! Maybe we need a bible of “facts” for these engines that we can all reference to when we strike trouble or face a plethora of filter housings (so many to choose from!!)
I apologize I will amend my signature, I live in a very wet and grey Vancouver Canada!
Best regards
Neville Weir
Cat Sass NS30U
Vancouver, BC
Canada
I thought it might have been a typing error, Neville - “I was told by Westerbeke the engine mounted filters on W21 are 30 micron .” Actually, my primary is also 2 microns.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
On another discussion group, in another language, there’s a review about a Chinese rip-of of the Rahcor 500FG. Very positive!
I do not need one myself but I thought to get it under the attention, it could be a contribute to the discussion here!
