Trouble Finding Fittings for Racor 500FG

[wunderluster]

I searched through the posts without finding anyone mentioning my problem so I'm asking for help.

I purchased a new Racor 500 filter from West Marine yesterday. When I got back to the boat I realized I needed to purchase the fittings for the inlet and outlet holes to connect my 5/16 fuel line. Back to WM, they could not find a fitting with the correct thread. I went to NAPA and they ordered fittings for me. This morning, I went to pick them up just to find they would not fit either. But, while waiting on those to come in I looked in WM catalog and on page 583 it shows the part number of the fitting. Back to WM, the part shown in the catalog is not the correct thread. The online instructions state it takes a 3/4 -16 UNC. Went to Home Depot but no luck there. No one I have talked to yet has heard of a UNC thread.

The questions I have are: 1)Why would Racor use a thread that is so difficult to find when a NPT would work just as well. 2) Does anyone know where I can find the fittings on Sunday?

If I don't get them tomorrow I'll go to a plumbing supply house on Monday. I'm really surprised the fittings are not readily available given the popularity of the Racor filters.

[perchance]

UNC= unified national coarse, 3/4 diameter, 16 threads per inch. Take the housing to a shop that does diesel repairs and they should be able to fix you up.

[Jd1]

Originally Posted by wunderluster

The questions I have are: 1)Why would Racor use a thread that is so difficult to find when a NPT would work just as well. 2) Does anyone know where I can find the fittings on Sunday?

The Racor system uses an o ring seal instead of a tapered pipe thread and is superior in my opinion.
Racor makes (or sells) all kinds of appropriate fittings for the filter - you have the choice rather than the choice being forced on you. You want straight - no problem, you want right angle - sure

Re question #2 - I would be very surprised if you would find the right fittings anywhere on a Sunday. These fittings are not found in consumer 'stuff' that you would find at a home improvement store. You MIGHT have some luck at a well stocked automotive parts store but even that is a 50/50 proposition. Any industrial hose shop/hydraulic shop etc will have the fittings or adapters to go to tapered fittings but these kinds of stores are not usually open on a Sunday (at least not around here).

[onestepcsy37]

got mine at a store that sells hydraulics, air compressors, makes hydraulic hose; don't know what you call that kind of place but you might find one looking in the yellow pages for hydraulics or some such thing...

[SvLetitgo]

Fittings for Racor

Will not help you for tomorrow but could help somebody doing a search later

I got all my fitting and the 1/4 npt valve for bottom from those guys, if you don't find call they have everything you need

[HopCar]

I was told that Racor uses a straight thread because you could crack the top casting if you over tighten a tapered thread. You should be able to get genuine Racor fittings at any good marine store. I'm suprised that WM didn't have them in stock. You may have just picked the wrong sales clerk. We carry the common ones in stock and can get the rest usually within a day. If you have trouble finding them in St. Pete, give me a call, I can mail them to you. I don't think we have them up on the website yet but I guess we should do that.

[Ironhorse74]

Racor is a division of Parker hose. A town of any size will have a Parker hose distributor. The Racor filter use nut with an o-ring which is far superior to taper pipe threads.

[Lancerbye]

Any decent Industrial supply place will have the fittings. #8 ORB to hose barb or JIC connector would work. These are not the type of fittings that can be purchased at your regular hardware store on a Sunday afternoon.

[JoeRobertJr]

Updating this old thread, because it came up in a search, and I found it helpful.
The "fittingsforracor.com" link posted upthread no longer works, but www.racorstore.com/racor/racor-fittings.html had what I needed. West Marine had a few, but not the style I wanted.

Here is a good picture showing examples of suitable fittings:

[GordMay]

Racor Fittings come with either ‘JIC’ [37°] or ‘SAE’ [45°] Straight Thread with O-ring; OR ‘NPT’ Tapered Thread, for fuel.
➥ https://www.racorstore.com/PDF/Racor-Fittings.pdf

[s/v Jedi]

Why skip Defender?
https://defender.com/en_us/catalogse...acor%20fitting

[JoeRobertJr]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Why skip Defender?
https://defender.com/en_us/catalogse...acor%20fitting

I checked Defender first, but ...

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by JoeRobertJr

I checked Defender first, but ...

Yes, many supply line problems. Best to give them a call in cases like this when there is no easy alternative source. I have found them very responsive and adequate for handling such cases.

[Cheechako]

As GordonMay said, Racors have come with various types. Some were just plain pipe thread (older) Some are the special fittings shown above.
3/4"? Wow, they are now huge I guess?
They probably decided eventually to make money on special fittings.

[glenn.225]

Most hydraulics shops will have these. I get them from Princess Auto.

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