OK, so yesterday I did a service on the Beta. I decided I'd go Ramona's way and install a new fuel/water separator and bought
a Ryco R132P. i also went his way and installed an electric fuel priming pump between the separator and engine fuel filter. It took
about four hours to do the service and installations but, what a difference the priming pump made, it's not hard wired as such.
For a once a year use I've put a couple of fittings to connect to the battery with clips and I leave the wire tucked out of the way,
The pump only operates for about one minute and the jobs done. So I reckon it's a job well worth doing to make priming your
fuel line and filters so much easier.
The thing I noticed when I took the old separator off was how clean the fuel was, so, again, thanks Ramona for putting me on
to FTC, it obviously has cleaned my fuel tank of the deadly diesel bug. Thanks mate. It was a good day despite all work and no
sailing.

I think you will find the bowls are Pyrex. Have a look at the Ryco water separator alongside the CAV unit. The Chinese Ryco is a far superior quality unit. The alloy casting is a work of art.
99% of boat fuel tanks will be below the fuel filters.

samsturdy said..

jbarnes85 said..
Hey Sam. Those filters look good. Too bad I bought a couple of crappy Cav filters as spare as when I changed the filter last I over tightened and came back to my boat and the glass bowl had cracked and emptied my tank into the bilge. They were on sale. Why on earth they use glass bowls I don't know. Good fun.
Out of curiosity is your tank below your filter? Is that why it's hard to prime?

Yes JB, the top of the filter is about level with the bottom of the tank. The pain in priming is the short throw on the
lever on the fuel pump, you seem to be forever pumping it, it sort of deterred me from changing the CAV filter along
with the problem of trying to get a good seal in an awkward place without distorting the O ring. So I reckon I've done good. .

Be aware that with some engines with mechanical cam operated fuel pumps, if the cam follower on the pump is at rest at the top of or near the top of its stroke, the manual operation of the pump may be very limited.
When using the manual operation, it often pays to rotate the crankshaft slightly to ensure that the pumps cam follower is at the bottom of the stroke to obtain maximum capacity from the manual pump operation.