Fuel filters

jr1983

Member
I have to ask what are issues that can be caused by a fuel filter on a sediment bowl system? I have one on everything I own and am not going to change that but I have heard several people say fuel film terms cause more problems than they solve. I'm wondering what the logic here is. My stuff is in a fence row or scrap yard when in get it.full of rust is a prerequisite. I usually have a filter from a 90's ford truck on them for a long time after I get something running. Use them because they will hold about two pounds of rust. I realize everything I have at least started out as junk but there was one person posted that a tractor won't run with a fuel filter. What's the school of thought here?
 
(quoted from post at 09:21:29 01/06/17) I have to ask what are issues that can be caused by a fuel filter on a sediment bowl system? I have one on everything I own and am not going to change that but I have heard several people say fuel film terms cause more problems than they solve. I'm wondering what the logic here is. My stuff is in a fence row or scrap yard when in get it.full of rust is a prerequisite. I usually have a filter from a 90's ford truck on them for a long time after I get something running. Use them because they will hold about two pounds of rust. I realize everything I have at least started out as junk but there was one person posted that a tractor won't run with a fuel filter. What's the school of thought here?
any people are often wrong but seldom in doubt!
 
I have thrown at least 30 of them away on machines I was called out to work on and ALL ran just fine with out them but would not run with them so I'll stick to what I say and to me they have been a pain in the back sides at least 30 times. I have one tractor that I have to dump the sediment bowl at least once a day when I am running it due to rust and have been doing that now for 10 years and not had any carb problem out of it since I first got it running. I run it say and hour and it will have a 1/4 inch or rust in the bottom of the sediment bowl and is has been that way since I got it up and running
 
You remove a clogged up filter, that was doing its job, and sure enough, gas & trash will now flow. What a revelation!
 
Those inline filters come in 2 different types The ones for a fuel pump system will not work on a gravity fed systems. You have to make sure the filter your getting is for gravity flow.
 
(quoted from post at 14:55:20 01/06/17) Those inline filters come in 2 different types The ones for a fuel pump system will not work on a gravity fed systems. You have to make sure the filter your getting is for gravity flow.
ou are not the first person that has said that, but no one ever explains why? I recently replaced the one on a fuel injected Chevy truck (fairly high pressure after pump filter) and holding it in my hand, I could use a funnel and pour gasoline through it in either direction. I see no problem.
 
Gravity feed systems work best with a screen type filter. Gasoline will not flow thru many paper type filters by gravity. The surface of the paper will restrict flow by gravity, a pump is needed to break through the surface tension of the paper material.
 
We have use this type of inline on an M for 30years with no problem. This filter can be bought at Autozone . Spectre performance fuel filter part number 5965 for carbureted applications and other companies also produce them.
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I run them on some of the old stuff around here,but not the cheap 5/16,I want a steel 3/8 inlet.
 
It's fairly well accepted that paper element inline filters are not recommended for gravity flow fuel systems.

There is a real possibility that the paper, even when new, will be restrictive enough to slow the flow, and won't take much contaminate to clog the filter media to the point it will not flow with gravity only pressure.

There are many variables from one tractor to another, the height of the tank above the carb, the routing of the line, the under hood temperature, the temperament of the carburetor, the type and quantity of contamination in the tank, all contribute to the "will it work or won't it" factor.

I personally don't like them. If there is no sediment bowl with a screen, or no in-tank screen, I prefer to use a screen type filter over a paper filter. These are usually found in the small engine section at the auto supply.
 
I think it's a crock too. I have a little Fram filter on my Super C to catch the occasional speck of rust that would stick in the needle/seat causing a drip when it sets. The filter must be 8 or 10 years old and runs like a Swiss watch.
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(quoted from post at 22:27:15 01/06/17) I think it's a crock too. I have a little Fram filter on my Super C to catch the occasional speck of rust that would stick in the needle/seat causing a drip when it sets. The filter must be 8 or 10 years old and runs like a Swiss watch.
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any "generally accepted" things that some people 'know to be true', simply are not.
 
I don't use the inline fuel filters any more with rubber hose. I have cleaned my tanks out and put one of these filters in tank and use all
the stock fuel filters and steel gas lines.
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I have used gravity feed one on a Farmall M between sediment bowl and carb. for years and never had problems. We even tractor pulled with it and it never starved for fuel.
 
(quoted from post at 17:13:35 01/09/17) I have used gravity feed one on a Farmall M between sediment bowl and carb. for years and never had problems. We even tractor pulled with it and it never starved for fuel.
nless someone comes up with hard evidence, I call this an old wives tale. I have many varied experiences & none support the proposition. If you haven't done it, then you are not qualified to offer "information". Further more, removing a clogged up filter & replacing it with a piece of line certainly does NOT result in the conclusion the inline filters are bad!!!!!!!! Wow??
 
You need to do some search because they have ones made for carb. engines with no pressure and others for engine with fuel pump using
pressure to pump fuel. The one i list above is for a carb engine no pressure.
 
(quoted from post at 02:22:09 01/10/17) You need to do some search because they have ones made for carb. engines with no pressure and others for engine with fuel pump using
pressure to pump fuel. The one i list above is for a carb engine no pressure.
o, tells us the specific difference between the two, besides the housing & connecting fittings, i.e., filter media.
 
The difference between the gravity flow and fuel pump filter has to do with microns of the filter. Your gravity flow filter will have a higher
number of microns making it a less restrictive flow of fuel. The fuel pump filter will have a lower number of microns making it a more
restrictive flow of fuel. So filters can look the same on outside but be totally different inside. So a fuel pump filter on a gravity feed
system will slow down flow of fuel to carb and under heavy load the engine could be starving for fuel.
 
(quoted from post at 11:07:57 01/10/17) The difference between the gravity flow and fuel pump filter has to do with microns of the filter. Your gravity flow filter will have a higher
number of microns making it a less restrictive flow of fuel. The fuel pump filter will have a lower number of microns making it a more
restrictive flow of fuel. So filters can look the same on outside but be totally different inside. So a fuel pump filter on a gravity feed
system will slow down flow of fuel to carb and under heavy load the engine could be starving for fuel.
ot any micron numbers for various filters?
 
I have first hand knowledge of what is said is true. A while back I had a riding mower that quit running due to fuel starvation. I changed the fuel filter and the mower would not start and no fuel was getting to carb. After checking all the fuel lines and getting good flow to the new filter I changed the filter from a paper type to a screen type. The mower started and ran fine afterwards.
This was a gravity feed system. So it does[u:fbbe133e0b] make a difference.[/u:fbbe133e0b]
 
This "near zero head pressure" gravity feed has performed perfectly for almost two decades! So, I am not buying yet! Lets see some numerical proof.
 
This strainer that D beatty shows is what I am using on all my gas engines now. Your tank becomes your filter bowl and water and rust collects there. If you have problems just remove it and drain the crap once a year.
 
(quoted from post at 19:11:49 01/12/17) Don't think those cheap Chinese filters have any specs.
ow, there, you have something I can agree with!
Remember that these old Ford carbs are not model airplane engine carbs or even chain saw engine carbs & the smallest fuel passages are about 500 microns, so you don't need to go nuts on small particle filter specs. Exactly why the maker used screens.......keeps the big stuff out & the 'littles' flow right on thru. Actually, water is the most common cause of filters to stop flow. A ceramic, paper, or sintered bronze element can be plugged by as little as one drop of water. So, I do not put any credence in "pressure" vs "gravity" filter differences, in terms of filtering capability. I still say, as before, it is the fittings & housing being able to withstand pressure. Would you trust the one on that Wolverine ATV with plastic slop on hoses on your 35 PSI fuel injected truck?.
 

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