Lakeland_Boating_-_September_2016

FILTER PHOTO COURTESY OF RACOR

FILLING UP PHOTO COURTESY OF BOATU.S.

DELIVERY SYSTEM PHOTO BY GARY REICH

SYSTEM CHECK

All set with a full tank of fuel? Great. Now it’s time to

give your entire fuel system a detailed inspection, focusing

in on hoses and hose clamps, for starters. You’ll want to

follow your entire fuel delivery system, from the tank all

the way to each engine (and don’t forget your generator,

if you have one).

Things to look for include: Cracking or splitting

of the hoses; fuel leaks; excessive rust or corrosion

on clamps; and clamps that are loose. Replace

any suspect pieces with the properly-rated fuel

hose and top-quality hose clamps. Be sure to

also check your fuel vent hoses and the fuel vents

themselves. Spiders and other insects often nest

in fuel vents, causing them to clog.

FILTER CHANGE

Every single one of our engine experts recommend

changing the primary fuel filters while winterizing.

The most common type of primary fuel filter found

on boats is called a water-fuel separator, and it’s

mounted somewhere between the

fuel tank and the engine. Some boats

may even have two installed.

On outboard boats and boats

with smaller inboards, this filter

is typically a small screw-on filter

that looks a lot like an oil filter,

but with a clear or opaque plastic

“sight” glass beneath it. Usual

maintenance involves draining

any water in the sight glass before unscrewing the whole

affair, and then replacing the screw-on filter element.

Bigger boats — or those with inboard or diesel engines

— may have larger water-fuel separators/filters mounted

inside the boat that should also be drained and changed.

Onboard fuel filters on both inboard and outboard

engines (often referred to as secondary filters) should be

changed in accordance with the engine manufacturer’s

maintenance schedules. Today’s modern four-stroke

outboards, for example, can have as many as 20 different

onboard fuel filters with varying replacement intervals;

unfortunately, many of them can only be changed with

proprietary tools. Inboard gasoline and diesel engines

are often not as complex, but their filters generally have

scheduled replacement intervals. Check with your local

engine shop if you’re in doubt as to when these onboard

engine fuel filters need swapping.

THAT

,

S A WRAP

There may be some intricacies in your own

fuel system that you’ll have to discover on

your own, but sticking with the essentials we’ve

discussed should give you a good foundation to

get your fuel system winterized. Do it correctly

to get moving quickly come spring. ★

FILLING UP PHOTO COURTESY OF BOATU.S.

mounted somewhere between the

fuel tank and the engine. Some boats

PREP YOUR FUEL SYSTEM

FOR

WINTER.

-> BY GARY REICH

fuel tank and the engine. Some boats

On outboard boats and boats

with smaller inboards, this filter

any water in the sight glass before unscrewing the whole

affair, and then replacing the screw-on filter element.

mounted somewhere between the

fuel tank and the engine. Some boats

of the hoses; fuel leaks; excessive rust or corrosion

on clamps; and clamps that are loose. Replace

any suspect pieces with the properly-rated fuel

hose and top-quality hose clamps. Be sure to

also check your fuel vent hoses and the fuel vents

themselves. Spiders and other insects often nest

Every single one of our engine experts recommend

changing the primary fuel filters while winterizing.

The most common type of primary fuel filter found

on boats is called a water-fuel separator, and it’s

your own, but sticking with the essentials we’ve

discussed should give you a good foundation to

get your fuel system winterized. Do it correctly

to get moving quickly come spring.

You should inspect your entire fuel delivery system at layup

time, paying close attention to the condition of your fuel supply

hoses and hose clamps. Pictured here are two diesel fuel tanks,

supply lines, and primary fi lters (right) for a Cummins inboard

diesel engine.

Outboard engines commonly have a spin-on fuel

fi lter/water separator similar to this one fi tted

between the fuel tank and engine. The fi lter should

be replaced at layup time and the lower bowl

emptied of any water that is present.

Our engine

experts agree that fi lling up

your boat’s tank(s) at layup

time can help prevent a lot

of headaches come spring.

LAKELANDBOATING.COM | SEPTEMBER 2016 37

FuelDecommissioning_SEP16.indd 37 7/27/16 10:46 AM