They say there are no stupid questions... Fuel filter?

[tboydva]

OK - I'm not sure how I can be flummoxed by this, but here goes. I was doing some maintenance on my newer DF60A. I was going to replace the spin-on fuel filter. I removed it and was trying to remove the clear water separator bowl. Looking at the replacement - with threads, I assumed it spun off. However, mine spins but does not come off? Not sure if it
s stripped or what? Shouldn't it spin off? if not, how do you separate the filter element from the bowl?

Sorry, I'm sure this has been covered but my searches yielded no results...

Thanks!

[Moonlighter]

I was reading a similar post on another forum recently.

What has most likely happened to yours is the same as that case - the inner part of the filter element has separated from the outer case, so now by spinning the clear bowl, you are just spinning the inner component of the element.

I think the way they got the clear filter off was by skewering the old filter element with a screwdriver so that it held the inner and outer sections together, so that they could then unscrew the clear bowl.

This is all of course because of a mechanical failure of the original element, which may have been contributed to by the clear bowl being screwed onto it too tightly.

When you reinstall the clear bowl onto the new element, a smear of light grease all round the seal and just snug it up it by hand until it makes good contact. Not too tight! And definitely not tightened with a filter wrench!

Same with fitting the element to the filter head on the boat, smear of grease on the seal and tighten gently but firmly by hand.

(You're aware I imagine of the old trick of filling the filter with fuel before screwing it back onto the filter head - makes pumping the bulb up firm far easier and quicker)

Final step as always is to pump up the bulb and run the motor a short while and check for any signs of leaking.

[tboydva]

Moonlighter - Always helpful! Thanks. I was scratching my head looking for a detent pin or something... I believe I'll get a new bowl before I monkey with it further so I'm not dead in the water waiting for a new one to arrive. I replaced the filter on the engine too (but that went without a hitch). Thanks again.