Winning in a no Winn situation

[Jeff Johnson]

Hello All,

In the process of changing all my fuel filters  and the Winn strainer I ran into a common problem with the Winn fuel system.
I was having a load of issues with the Winn after changing the strainer, air bubbles, not seeing nearly enough fuel come thru the stainer and just overall erratic behavior.
 In talking with Eric Maclean  here on the forum  he gave me some great pointers and some I figured out on my own.
  1: I filed off a 1 or 2 thousandths off the top of the  rigid top mount where the thumb screw actually screws into (not the strainer hold down clamp). This helps tighten the clamping force on the plastic strainer with the two o-rings.
   2. Then I had disconnected the fuel suction hose to the strainer so when I mounted the upper strainer housing the hose had to form to it and not the other way around, preventing the hose to determine how the the upper and lower seals where going to land.
   3.  Next I totally removed the water purge system as mine was showing fuel movement when I used the air purge feature. Thinking that the if the fuel can completely evacuate from the tube there must be an air leak upstream coming from the water purge valve or a connection, allowing air to come into the system. So I plugged the bottom of the Racor metal bowl.
    4.  Finally I took some JB black silicone sealant and I carefully smeared only the face of the O-ring that actually made contact with the metal housing grooves or lans. Yes it might be problematic down the road, but for right now I just wanted to get the coach running again.
    Then after all of this I started it up and I have never seen so much fuel going thru the strainer. In saying this I believe that I had an air problem and didn't know it, but I've only driven it maybe 2000 miles since owning it last November. Will see if there is a significant increase in power when I leave  Broad- Mill's shop in Hood River Or after having them pull the torque rods for me. Also if you want a slick way to reseal the torque rods, Eric has found some drop in seals, look up torque rods here on the forum and check it out. It is a Meritor part number 68324854.

Latter
Jeff

[Eric Maclean]

Thanks Jeff glad to of assistance.
Eric

[Gerald Farris]

Jeff,
The Racor plastic strainer is sealed with 4 O-rings not 2. There is an O-ring inside the housing at each end of the plastic strainer that is the actual sealing surface, and these O-rings need to be replaced anytime that the strainer is removed or about every 10 years or so to prevent fuel leaks and/or air leaks into the system.

Gerald   

[Jeff Johnson]

Gerald,
Boy am I confused.
When I took mine apart for the first time there was 1 o-ring on each end of the plastic strainer housing and nothing inside the mounting housing as what I think you are describing.
 I did replace the o-ring on the bottom outlet elbow housing that attaches with 3 screws, 2 bottom 1 on top.
On a side note I did find a small screw that someone had dropped into that same lower housing that had been there for quite a long time. Weird. Also my old strainer was filled with little translucent  gealtinous BB's or skittles. Never in my over 50 years of being around diesel engine have I ever encountered that.

Thank you for the tip Gerald but I'm not touching nothing for the next ten years or until it starts leaking! LOL.

Jeff

[Frank Bergamo]

Jeff, this might help, https://beaveramb.org/forum/index.php/topic,813.msg4824.html#msg4824

[Jeff Johnson]

Frank and Gerald,
Thank you again for the info on the Winn system. I had no idea that there was two additional o-rings. My strainer only came with one and I had to buy the second one of the same size when I bought the strainer from Oil Filter Services in Portland Or, 
Live and learn.

Thanks again,
Jeff