Leaking petrol filter

[Crocodile]

I needed to check the under-cowl fuel bowl for water, the other boat had water in the fuel separator.
Same dubious petrol station at seaside resort town.
No water, but when I used the fuel line primer to re-fill the bowl, petrol leaked from a crack in the top of the filter unit.
Motor '2001 Yamaha 60HP 2 stroke.
1. motor has been running perfectly for the last three years.
2. how did it run with a leak in the suction side of the petrol system?, should it not have sucked air?
3. no previous history or work done on this part.
4. I suppose that any vapour would be sucked straight into the carbies, so I would never smell it.

Any thoughts on this one?

[Fed]

When you pump the bulb your filter is under pressure and leaking fuel but when the motor is running it is under suction and probably sucking some air.

[Roughasguts]

Obviously the suction from your fuel pump was greater than the amount of suction loss you got from the crack in the filter.

But with suction the crack may have closed off, but if under presure opened up a bit.

I would expect more loss from loose fuel hose conectors, and hard hoses, not so much small cracks.

Cheers