Could be aluminium but more likely stainless based on the reflection off the underside panel - and assume Achernar would not state stainless if it wasn't. Suggest need a bit wider zoomed out shot to throw more light on the hose connections each side of the separator.

Now I'm showing my ignorance, I was under the impression that the fuel oil being lighter than water floated on top and as such the water sunk to the lower part of the unit pre filter, then the fuel oil carried on its merry way through the filter . The numbering & arrows where indeed in my belief for multi filter gangs. Next service i will observe the journal's journey so to speak

UncleBob said..

lydia said..

woko said..
Now that's an interesting observation. I can't wait for the theory behind it

It is a good theory, but some would say law of diesels.
Look carefully at the filter.

If I understand correctly with that filter the fuel goes first through the filter then the water separator, I agree , wrong way round for marine use.
Better still, get a Racor 500 or, if finances are a problem, a chinese knockoff and piss it off.

The winner!
Normally sediment is caught at the top of the filter but water has to pass through the filter cartridge to get to the bowl.
If you reverse the flow and sediment and the water remain under or at the bottom of the cartridge.

We are talking CAV filters here as on other the direction of flow will be crucial.
Equally others have said drawing the fuel up loads the fuel pump more.

Who knows?

But just saying!

I have had boats with both methods.

Hi Archernar
A 90 degree fitting that has the barb the right size for the hose will eliminate the bend/ rubbing and the joint (and potential weak spot) in the hose.


Note that it is a Ryco water-separator with a glass bowl at the bottom and a water bleed tap at the base.
Also you mention twice that the fuel line goes to a Ryco filter but in your photos I can clearly see a CAV filter.
Is there a Ryco filter after the CAV?
Gary

Standard issue Cavalier 28/30 fuel tank is aluminium.

garymalmgren said..

Note that it is a Ryco water-separator with a glass bowl at the bottom and a water bleed tap at the base.
Also you mention twice that the fuel line goes to a Ryco filter but in your photos I can clearly see a CAV filter.
Is there a Ryco filter after the CAV?
Gary

Hi Gary, I didn't see the Cav stamp on the upper alloy bit until you mentioned it. It has a Ryco filter and glass bowl screwed under it. I had assumed the whole thing was Ryco. When I took it apart and re-assembled it, it was difficult to get it to feel like it was properly seated. (Having to do this virtually upside down from above the filter)

PS thanks for the right-angle bend pic - that was what I had in mind, or something similar.

Gary,

Thanks for your response. I am not at all tired of the advice offered here, and I am actually finding it very helpful.

I inherited the current system from previous owners and I don't intend to either bag it or defend it. It seems to be something of a Frankenstein's monster, with different parts kludged and bolted together, such as a CAV top and a Ryco bottom. When I started this thread, I had no idea about the different bits and pieces, except that it had a slow leak that got the Admiral worried. I had intended to put it back the way it was, minus the leak. Thanks to the posts here, I now have a better idea of what the system is and, perhaps, what it should be.

I take your point about the accessibility and visibility of the glass bowl. The current system actually has two different things - the Ryco fuel filter screwed onto the Bukh engine (under the engine cowling) and the separate CAV/Ryco water/fuel separator mashup (in the portside locker). I also take your point about the bend and priming bulb. I had considered a bulb earlier, but thought that I should fix the problem leak before improving the system (trying to keep it simple and do one thing at a time).

I'll see how much diesel, if any, that the bilge has collected over the weekend.

It is still leaking, but the problem is not the fuel hose or filter. I'll start a new thread for that.

Anyhow, following Woko's post, I checked, and it is a Ryco R2132P with a Cav top and, presumably, Cav glass bowl.

If I pull it out and re-route the filter/separator to somewhere more accessible and upgrade the filter, what do you recommend? Maybe a Ryco R2132UA (www.rycofilters.com.au/catalogue/part/index/part/R2132UA)?

The most accessible place for it appears to be the forward facing side of the bulkhead that separates the port locker (which houses the tank) from the head compartment.

Our tank is quite a long way from the engine and no room for a day tank. So we put a small inline electric pump just before the filter. Wired up too the ignition key.
Now when I change the filters you just turn the key to prime. Lazy,but soooo much easier.
I also found a leak once by turning it on without starting the engine.

Got a right angle and an 8mm barb to replace the 10mm crimped hose from the tank to the fuel filter/water separator.

Other posters have commented that the hoses are connected the wrong way round, but they follow the arrows from the tank to the engine.

I've always ran the pipes the same as Achernar. The only thing in the bowl I want to see is water.

don,t want to start a fight but were do people get the idea that the cav filter should be hooked up reverse flow,this is incorrect.if you look under the casting the two in arrows enter to the out side of the filter,this allows any water and debris to run down the out side of the filter as the paper is treated to risist water entry,the fuel travels through the paper and in to the center of housing were it is ported by a gallery to the out arrow.if you hook your lines up to 2 ins or 2 out the filter will not function correctly

Ramona said..
I've always ran the pipes the same as Achernar. The only thing in the bowl I want to see is water.

filter elements are design for flow from out side in other wise as they block up and the filter material blow a part. the cage to add strength to the element is on the inside of the paper.i have fixed a lot of hydraulic systems that were plumbed upback to front and the elements brakes up and plug up all sorts of orifices

So then the extra ports are there to plumb the cav either left or right hand depending on orientation ?

Thanks for clearing that up