External Fuel/water seperator?

[JS!]

I've been searching around the boards to see if I should be installing a F/W seperator. After looking in every access panel and peep hole in the boat I do not believe Tracker installed an external seperator. I found this older thread ( http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread....ight=seperator ) and it seems clear that I should be installing one.

Can someone shed a little light and if I do need one, a recommendation would be great - there seem to be a LOT of different ones on the market.

Last thought and not to start another topic, if I do add an external F/W seperator, would it be wise to get one with two outlets if I were planning to add a kicker that I wanted to run off the main tank? Seems logical to me that this would be a good place to tap into the fuel system....

Motor and S/N in signature.

[SilverFox579]

No help with the WS question for your 150, however, and FWIW, I've been running my 8hp 4-stroke kicker for almost 12yrs with nothing but the inline filter under the cowl and have well over 400 trouble free hours on it.

[moymurfs]

They are a good idea. Make sure you keep the hose inlet/outlet diameters the same (or bigger) as what is going into the stock motor. I personally like the style with the clear bowl on the bottom. It allows for easy viewing and has a drain valve that can let the collected water out without taking the whole assembly apart. 10 microns has now become pretty standard and my 150 runs great with it. Mercury has one that looks just like a regular oil filter cartridge. You can't see what it has collected, but if you don't already have water in your tank and you change it every year (like you should) then it should fine.
Yes, you can run a filtered line to your kicker without issues.

[EuropeanAM]

With the 150 Fourstroke, Mercury recommends a Water Separating Fuel Filter Kit WITH WATER IN FUEL SENSOR. These are available to order through Mercury Dealers (see Rhonda's post, pinned at the top of the Forum for assistance with ordering).

[JS!]

Thanks all. I only have VesselView Mobile. Does the sensor in the OEM WS Filter with Water in Fuel Sensor plug into the motor?

[EuropeanAM]

Yes

[JS!]

[JS!]

Recieved the OEM Fuel/Water seperating filter today, hope to get it installed this week. Bay looks good for Sturgeon Friday!

[Arizona Angler]

if its recommended why arent they installing them from factory?

[EuropeanAM]

Well now, that's a really good question (for which there's not a really good answer).

[JS!]

if its recommended why arent they installing them from factory?

My guess is the word "recommended" as opposed to "required." Luckily, we have folks here with incredible knowledge to help us disect all of the information and give sound advice.

[JS!]

Got my Water Separating Fuel Filter (with water in fuel sensor) installed today. Engine is back up and running after purging all of the air per Mercury's instructions. Checked for leaks, all good. Tough install in my particular boat as there really is no "convenient" place to install. I ended up having to remove the entire rear deck to get access to the fuel hose and the bolting location to install it in a place that would allow me to check for water and install a new filter when necessary. I still have probably four hours of putting it all back together.

For anyone questioning why things are so expensive when done at your local shop, it's because to do things right, it takes time and some boats just take more time. I will likely have 12 hours into this Water Separating Fuel Filter installation. I doubt your local shop would be much less on my particular boat.

I have one question for Don - does it matter if my Fuel Demand Valve is before OR after the Water Separating Fuel Filter? I pulled the line off of the tank outlet and attached to the "out" side of the filter and placed a new piece of fuel hose between the tank and the new filter. I hope it does not matter which side of the filter the Fuel Demand Valve resides. I left it where it was and installed the filter between the tank and the FDV.

PXL_20210227_013406634.jpg
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[EuropeanAM]

That will be fine. Make sure the line you used was A1-15 line (only).

[JS!]

Great. Yes, USCG A1-15 SAE J1527 Low Permiation marine fuel hose.

[EuropeanAM]