Racor Fuel filter/water separator-gctid817304

[Guest]

Hi... I have a 2007 Bayliner 175 with 3.0L mercruiser inboard.

Last year I went to local marine shop, told them the specifics of my boat (including that it was an inboard) and asked for a recommended fuel/water filter. They sold me a Racor. 320R-RAC-01. I went to install it yesterday and it says on the box that its for an outboard. Doing some research I see that for an inboard I should have bought a RAC-02. It appears that the only difference is in the bowl. The RAC-01 has a see-thru plastic bowl while the RAC-02 has an aluminium one. I also read that US Coast Guard requires the RAC-02 for inboards. So here are my questions:

(1) is the bowl the only difference in the two filters?

(2) why does US Coast Guard require RAC-02 for inboards?

(3) I'm in Canada... does Canadian Coast Guard also require RAC-02 for inboard?

Thanks for your help

[builderdude]

1 yes

2 metal bowl for inside the engine bay, no plastic bowls allowed as they can be cracked/leak causing fuel leakage within the engine bay., ya don't want that!

3 not sure but most likely.

[aluxury1]

buiderdude +1 right on

[talman]

Metal only required for inboard gas. Not required for diesel.

Got most of it right, Dave. haha.

[Timcup]

Metal bottom is required to reduce the likelyhood of a fire melting bowl if there was a fire in the engine bay.

For Outboards, they are not required as there is no engine bay.

Thought they were required for systems where it would be mounted in he enclosed space around an engine.