In line filters

Charlie M

Well-known Member
Maybe we had this debate before - are in line filters better than a sediment bowl. Occasionally someone here has issues with fuel and the presence of an in line filter comes up. What happens to water in the fuel with an in line filter? Doesn't seem to me to be an advantage.
 
Inline filters will trap smaller particles but as you indicated, it may also pass water.

I believe sediment bulbs are better for gravity fed fuel systems in an agricultural environment.
 
You answered your own thoughts.
so perhaps a combo water separator/filter
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GOLDEN
 
There should not be any water in the fuel to start with. If there is, you are getting your fuel from the wrong place or it is getting contaminated where you are storing it. Water in fuel is dealt with by a water separator, not the filter.

In applications that use a fuel pump, the inline filter would be superior in performance because it would trap potentially harmful particles in the fuel. A sediment bowl does not do much filtering. It depends on particles in the fuel to sink to the bottom of the bowl while fuel is being drawn from the top of the bowl. Sediment bowls are primarily for applications that do not use a pump. In those cases, a filter presents resistance to the fuel flow, and could potentially starve the engine for fuel causing either a lean mixture or outright stalling combined with a lack of power.
 
I have found that "some" inline filters work OK with gravity feed fuel systems (like we'd find on most old tractors). Other inline filters seem to restrict or at least affect flow in a negative fashion. And I don't think you could even guess which would work and which wouldn't, you have to find that out the hard way by trial and error.
 
I just put an inline filter on my dozer before the transfer pump. I was rated at 6 gpm and 40 microns---appears to be doing its job and not starving the engine for fuel---the main filter will take care of any water--but i do bleed the tank bottom quite often
 
When buying in line filters you need to go to a place that knows the difference between gravity flow filter and pressure flow filter.There is a reason that I know this.
 
(quoted from post at 09:54:52 11/21/18) When buying in line filters you need to go to a place that knows the difference between gravity flow filter and pressure flow filter.There is a reason that I know this.

I have in line filters on several of my tractors. I have never asked for anything specific when buying them. I have never had any problems. I keep reading on these forums that they won't work, but no one has ever explained why, or what the difference is. I've used both the metal and the see-thru plastic ones.
 
The sediment bowl on a tractor that has the screen at the top between the glass or metal bowl and the base will trap anything that will plug the carb . and a lot of the carbs use to have a fine screen at the carb where the fuel entered and this was the back up plan . they worked well as long as you cleaned the bowl out every so often and did not over tighten them and warp the base due to them leaking because of a old hard gskt . But ya see the inlines a lot and they do case fuel issues of lack of power or stgalling under load due to fuel restriction because that filter was ment to be used with a pump.
 
Bought one for my Super C about 28 years ago to stop that occasional spec of rusty getting through the sediment bowl and into the needle/seat. It did the trick, never had any problems. Had some water in the gas years ago but that stopped in the sediment bowl, you can see that.
 
On my particular M, when i had it essentially triple filtered, bowl-inline-carb screen, the only times it acted up or stalled was when i was very low on gas. Maybe i had same strange venting thing going on. But never did when it was 1/4 tank plus. It was a annoyance. Now i just have shut off valve and a wix 3303 i believe. Works fine, but tractor has light usage.
 
First off many in line filters are made for systems with a fuel pump and a gravity flow system will not produce enough pressure to have a good gas flow. Also if you have a gravity flow in line filter like used on a motorcycle or lawn mower the line size is to small to let enough gas to flow. The U.S. Navy uses sediment bowl filters systems on there air systems on sub and the sailors breath that air every day so that should say something about the sediment bowl systems. With the correct screen etc. in a sediment bowl system they will work as good or better then any in line filter will. I have a D-17 with a very dirty gas tank but NEVER have had a problem with the carb as long as I dump the rust/dirt out of the sediment bowl when I see it needs it and it has been that way for over a decade now
 
I have inline filters on all my gas burners,do not have a problem unless there is water in the gas then it will swell the filter so nothing goes thru which is a good thing since water
doesn't burn in a gas motor very good.Now I do keep more than 1/32 of a tank of gas in the tank so I have a little pressure to make the gas flow.In my opinion to operate right most gas tractors without a fuel pump should always be run with at least 1/2 tank of gas in them anyway more is better.
 
I use both on my gas tractors. I always get the clear inline fuel filters that are mean for a lawnmower or other gravity feed engine. Never have had an issue. The only problem I have had is when grinding feed if the fuel gets too low it ?dances? in the tank and doesn?t feed.

A former IH mechanic came by the farm one day for a load of pigs and I was grinding feed. He went on and on about how that inline filter was going to make my M die and run bad. That was years ago. It had one when I got it and I change it every couple of years. Works like a charm.
 

Folks that know no better preach gravity and pressure flow I guarantee you fuel will flow just fine under gravity in a pressure style filter... It will flow so good you would never know a filter was inline :SHOCK: Those folks are full of it they do not understand what the original purpose of the filter was to begin with its to trap contamination... Water has a hard time passing thru any good fuel filter unless its under pressure of some sort...

Good clean fuel is hard to beat it needs a good clean tank to stay clean...
 
I currently have 5 H/M etc tractors. They all have inline filters.My 'old reliable' good Super M has had sediment bowl,inline filter and screen in carb for 40 years(the length of time I've owned it). Changed annually. There has never been any 'starveing' of any kind.It is putting out 60 (dynoed) horsepower.It can PULL its heart out all day and never falter.The only issue Ive eber had was the SuperH had enough rust in it's tank to plug up the tank outlet with rust. I like to think the inline saved that tractor from carb problems.
 
I've got seven gas tractors and don't have an inline filter in any of them. Totally unnecessary.
 
(quoted from post at 15:55:48 11/21/18)
Folks that know no better preach gravity and pressure flow I guarantee you fuel will flow just fine under gravity in a pressure style filter... It will flow so good you would never know a filter was inline :SHOCK: Those folks are full of it they do not understand what the original purpose of the filter was to begin with its to trap contamination... Water has a hard time passing thru any good fuel filter unless its under pressure of some sort...

Good clean fuel is hard to beat it needs a good clean tank to stay clean...
00% , Hobo! Probably, just like me, you have poured gasoline thru a higher pressure fuel injection filter and saw it gravity flow perfectly well. Those that haven't, just repeat what they heard at the coffee shop.
 

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