Cool Fuel 3 IIII Raw Water Hose Fitting Repair Method

SeaAyeOwe

Member
Dec 17, 2013
495
Vancouver BC Canada
Boat Info
2005 Sea Ray Sundancer 320
Merc. 350 MPI Stern Drives
Blue Hull
Zodiac C285S Dinghy w/ Yamaha 15H
Engines
2 x MERCRUISER 350 HORIZON 300 HP gasoline engines w/Bravo III Drives
I ORIGINALLY USED A BRASS FITTING HERE AND SOMEONE KINDLY REMINDED ME ONFTHE ISSUE OF USING BRASS IN SALTWATER SO I CHANGED THE BARBED CONNECTOR TO PLASTIC AS BELOW.

So I have had a saga that caused me to have to do the dreaded repair to the hose fittings.
The saga of mention is here http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/74272-350-MPI-suddenly-Cut-Out-at-3700-rpm

Below is a description of the method I used to fix the hose barbs.

image.jpg

In effect there are four or five options to fix the plastic broken pressure fittings used for a short time on this unit as follows.
1) - buy a complete new unit for a couple of boat bucks.
2) - buy a new unit casing with the new type of black plastic fittings as shown

image.jpg

3) - buy a two bib replacement hose (the compression nipples are not sold seperately) - part number 865317T01. THE PRICE IS $80 -item 10 on the following drawing

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4) - buy just the new type connector from 2) above and tap out the hole so the new plastic fitting works MERCURY QUICKSILVER part number 22-8M2010476 CONNECTOR

5) fabricate some kind of fix. This is the way I did it - others on here's have also done similar jobs. I did not want to try to tap out the unit as the material is very thin.

You need either a plastic barb as shown - available from any homedespot or Lowedowns.

View attachment 41490

Or if you are better prepared - an even better choice is a 3/8 MIP x 1/2 plastic barb. This is harder to get hold of but is a much better fit on the existing hose.

You need some 4200 (if you want this to be workable as I did) or 5200 if not. You may prefer another sealant.

image.jpg

If you use the dpubled barb connector you will to cut one side of the plastic Barb to a length that allows the metal clamp to comps the Barb into the metal body - you can see what I did in the pictures below.

View attachment 41491
View attachment 41492

You need two hose clips that will expand to 5/8 and close to 3/8.

You will need to replace both the primary and secondary filter for a cool fuel filter set for the Gen III COOL FUEL unit (cartridge 35-866171A01 and tray 35-892665, plus o-ring). I ordered two complete sets. The primary filter is I the bottom of the filter bowl and can be pulled out with set of long nose pliers.

image.jpg

If you have a water separator filter like a racor unit I would also change that.

Clean the plastic material out of the raw water holes on the cool fuel unit and use some form of fluid to wash out the raw water cavity. I used some CLR,let it stand, then flushed it. You can see the broken plastic parts here before I flushed the unit.

View attachment 41469

You will need to try to keep all of the hose from the original bib as they are not very long. The best thing to do is crush the plastic inside the hose and dig it out carefully.

image.jpg

If it did not break it would look like this.

image.jpg

After I had cleaned out the raw water ports and the cool fuel unit I placed 4200 generously around the barb on the side I cut. Then screw the unit into the port - you will find the fit is snug and the 4200 is pretty dense material. Be careful not to get any material inside the water flow path.
Do this for both barb fittings and then use the original clamp to pull the fittings flush into the port and keep them in place. It will look like, this when finished.

image.jpg

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The original hose will now be a snug fit over the top of this tubing and you will use the hose clamp to secure the original hoses to this fitting.
 
Last edited:
Outstanding 'How to' !!! Thanks for taking your time to document the process so clearly.
 
One comment on the choice of materials. Use of brass fittings in contact with raw water systems on a boat is considered a bad practice because it is prone to rapid corrosion failure. Faster than unpainted mild steel. The correct choice would have been to use bronze. It may also explain why Mercruiser opted for plastic fittings in the first place.

Personally I swap out the brass fittings ASAP.

Henry


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
One comment on the choice of materials. Use of brass fittings in contact with raw water systems on a boat is considered a bad practice because it is prone to rapid corrosion failure. Faster than unpainted mild steel. The correct choice would have been to use bronze. It may also explain why Mercruiser opted for plastic fittings in the first place.

Personally I swap out the brass fittings ASAP.

Henry


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Henry - you make a great point - though the brass is not in contact with the alloy - which is what I was worried about, I completely forgot the brass saltwater thing. I also bought plastic 3/8 x 1/2 barbs so I have now changed them out and updated the thread above.

I have had this cool fuel unit in and out so many times I just whistle at it now :grin:
 
Last edited:
Excellent info SeaAyeOwe?

My 05' 320 Sundancer is now experiencing leaking cool fuel module connectors and I like your idea. Curious on how this mod held up? Thinking of trying it this weekend.

Also wondering if you could repost some of the pictures. Not all of them appear in the original post anymore. In particular, the barb fitting and how you cut it to desired fit?

Thanks
 
I am also now experiencing leaking cool fuel module connectors and I like your idea. Curious on how this mod held up? Thinking of trying it this weekend.

Also wondering if you could repost some of the pictures. Not all of them appear in the original post anymore. In particular, the barb fitting and how you cut it to desired fit?

Thanks
 

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