Fuel/Water Separator Question

[TheOtherLine]

I am replacing the fuel / water separator that sits in my bilge.

I went to the dealer and told him what I had and he gave me the part. I bought the stainless steel head.

When I got it home and began the install, I noticed that the head on there now is 3/8" npt. The one he gave me is 1/4 npt. Other than the hose fittings not fitting ( I can replace those with 1/4" brass pretty cheaply ) DOES IT MATTER ???

I would ask the dealer but it's Sunday and I want to button up this project today.

Thanks

 

[DaleH]

No problemo at all! FWIW the national pipe thread (NPT) size has absolutely ZERO bearing on the rated or dimensioned barb for the fuel line size. First of all, 1/4"-NPT is almost 1/2" or more across, so there's ample space to position a appropriatly sized fuel barb.

Below is pictured a 3/8" male fuel line barb on to a 1/4"-NPT fitting.

 

[TheOtherLine]

[/b]No problemo at all! [/b]

I may have confused everyone. What I was referring to was the thread of the fitting, not the barb.

The old one was 3/8' and the Stainless one is 1/4". Is THAT as problem?

 

[DaleH]

You will have to put 1/4"-NPT fittings into 1/4"-NPT threaded hole and so on ...

 

[John_Madison CT]

FWIW, I put a valve like yours on my filter head for the same purpose, to the kicker. I used to switch it everytime i went to fire it up. One day i forgot to close it and fired up the main engine. Nothing happened.

Since then I leave the valve open. There doesn't seem to be any pull from the main engine on the kicker's fuel line. Perhaps there's a check valve or something.

 

[TheOtherLine]

FWIW, I put a valve like yours on my filter head for the same purpose, to the kicker. I used to switch it everytime i went to fire it up. One day i forgot to close it and fired up the main engine. Nothing happened.

Since then I leave the valve open. There doesn't seem to be any pull from the main engine on the kicker's fuel line. Perhaps there's a check valve or something.

That's weird! The part about your main engine not starting when you closed the valve leading to the kicker.

I'm just trying to figure out a way to run the kicker dry. I don't want to leave fuel in the motor if I am not going to be using it regularly.

I thought the valve would allow me to turn off the supply of fuel and then I could just let the kicker run until it sputtered out of gas.

Now you got me thinking.

I'm going to test your experience on Wednesday. I'm going to run the main motor on muffs. I'll turn off the valve and see what happens, if anything.