Fuel filter location - where to put it?

[motoMark]

After having a few (what I assumed were) fuel related issues, I decided to pop the top of the carb and take a look. Glad I did! That's probably the most sediment I've ever seen in a carburetor in all the years I've been working on cars. I'm actually surprised the old gal ran as good as she did.

I ended up taking it off the manifold and doing a good-enough-for-now cleaning job with carb cleaner and compressed air. And I also adjusted the float level as it was too low. So far she runs nice with no issues.

So it's probably a good idea to put a fuel filter somewhere in the system but I can't decide where I want to put it. The easy way would be to get one of those metal canister types and spice it into the fuel line somewhere under the car. But I kind of like the idea of getting one of those glass bowl filters and put it somewhere under the hood, maybe even next to the carb.

I'd like to hear any of your thoughts or suggestions, even photos of what you've done.

Thanks

 

[Hickory]

I'm trying to remember my 49 Chrysler, I believe it had a glass bowl style on the inlet of the mechanical fuel pump 

[desoto1939]

I have a filter made by AC that also has a glass bowel and the unit is attached to the fuel line and also attached just before the line goes into the front of the carb. I have been running this setup for 35 years.  i like the glass bowel because i can see any junk in the bowel prior to getting into the carb. 

 

You can find these on Ebay:  Here is what I am using:  Rich Hartung

 

[DonaldSmith]

Glass bowel?  (He means bowl.)  An easy typo. I'll go back to my corner. 

[Doug&Deb]

I prefer placing the filter under the car. I have an electric pump near the tank for priming purposes and I have a filter upstream of it. 

[DJK]

With an electric pump, I have a plastic filter in the back and a metal filter near the carb inlet, no mechanical pump.

Edited July 1, 2023 by DJK

[DonaldSmith]

I've got a metal in-line filter on the tank side of the electric fuel pump on the frame rail, as recommended by the pump manufacturer, and a similar filter on the inlet of the mechanical pump.  And the mechanical pump has he glass sediment bowl,  I think I have it covered.   

 

[Dan Hiebert]

I have a fuel pump with the integral glass bowl sediment filter.  But, I also had problems in the past with contaminates from the fuel pump itself making their way to the carburetor.  (Probably detritus from the manufacturing process.)  I had a filter installed between the pump and carburetor, initially a plastic one, but I installed a new fuel line and metal filter a few years ago.  Both were just a simple splicing of the fuel filter and rubber hose onto the line.  I've always been a tad nervous about the heat in that part of the engine bay, but no issues with it thus far, but I live in a milder climate than a lot of you'uns.  I like the look of the glass bowl filters and will be installing one on the carb with a new fuel line later this year.  

[vintage6t]

I would caution installing a glass fuel filter after the fuel pump and in the engine bay. Glass can crack or break, then you're squirting gas all over your hot engine. IMO a filter before the fuel pump inlet is sufficient. Unless your fuel pump is self-destructing there really isn't anything between the pump and carb that will introduce debris in the system.

[Kilgore47]

I have seen carburetors a lot worse than that.  The 47 P15 had a glass bowl at the pump and at the carb when I got it.  I removed the glass bowl at the carb and replaced it with a metal filter.  Modern filters do a better job at catching the fine sediment. 

[Bob Riding]

I just finished installing Tom Langdon's EMPI 23/36 carb in the wagon, and I have to say, I'm impressed! Immediate starts, better throttle response, etc. I plumbed a plastic filter in-line just below the carb, cause that's what I had on the shelf. I think I want to do the glass "bowel" type eventually, cause it's nice to be able to see the fuel percolating through the filter.

[Sam Buchanan]

1 hour ago, Bob Riding said:

I just finished installing Tom Langdon's EMPI 23/36 carb in the wagon, and I have to say, I'm impressed! Immediate starts, better throttle response, etc. I plumbed a plastic filter in-line just below the carb, cause that's what I had on the shelf. I think I want to do the glass "bowel" type eventually, cause it's nice to be able to see the fuel percolating through the filter.

 

Having a plastic filter that close to the exhaust manifold gives me the heebie jeebies.........

 

Metal more better. 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Sam Buchanan

[desoto1939]

6 hours ago, vintage6t said:

I would caution installing a glass fuel filter after the fuel pump and in the engine bay. Glass can crack or break, then you're squirting gas all over your hot engine. IMO a filter before the fuel pump inlet is sufficient. Unless your fuel pump is self-destructing there really isn't anything between the pump and carb that will introduce debris in the system.

 What is really dangerous is when owners got to a swap meet and purchase those1-2 dollar inline plastic gas filters and then install them just above the intake and exhaust manifold. There have been instances inwhich the heat has melted the plastic and gas has dopped onto the hot manifold and caught fire.  The glass type filter that I have posted a picture of was also used on Corvettes and other high performance cars and V8 engines.  The glass bowl is thick and should not crack under the heat from the engine or manifold.  i have had one on my car for the past 30+ years.

 

Rich Hartung

[Bob Riding]

Points well taken!

[Dartgame]

I used a metal filter that threads into the supply side of the mechanical pump. Original application was for a late 60's early 70's ford V8 2bbl. These had 1/8 inch pipe threads on the filtered side and a 5/16 hose barb on the other.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Dartgame

[Sniper]

2 hours ago, desoto1939 said:

The glass type filter that I have posted a picture of was also used on Corvettes and other high performance cars and V8 engines. 

 

PART NUMBER!  lol

 

854444 AC Delco

[motoMark]

Thanks for all the input.

22 hours ago, desoto1939 said:

I have a filter made by AC that also has a glass bowel and the unit is attached to the fuel line and also attached just before the line goes into the front of the carb. I have been running this setup for 35 years.  i like the glass bowel because i can see any junk in the bowel prior to getting into the carb. 

 

You can find these on Ebay:  Here is what I am using:  Rich Hartung

 

Rich - would you mind sharing a photo of your setup? That's kind of what I had in mind.

[SteveR]

I had problems with rough running and found rust in my bowl. there was no filter in the fuel line at all. I have an electric fuel pump so I place a filter between the tank and pump and another one before the carb, It's been 3 years since I did this, So far so good.

[desoto1939]

On 6/28/2023 at 8:44 PM, motoMark said:

Thanks for all the input.

Rich - would you mind sharing a photo of your setup? That's kind of what I had in mind.

Attached is a picture of the metal and glass bowl fuel filter just before my carb. The silver stuff on the fuel line is to help keep the line cooler and stop peculating issues or vapor lock.

 

Hope this is what you are looking for. This filter has a paper element that is available via NAPA. And the unit looks period correct.

 In the second picture you will see a red handle clap that is attached to the head bolt. This is my positive connection from my battery tender charger.

 

I always keep a trickle charger on the car when in the garage.  The Negative clamp is attached to my stater motor because my car has the floor board foot lever to start the car and does not have the solenoid to engage the starter to the ring gear. Mine is a manual starter via the foot pedal plunger

Rich Hartung

 

Edited June 30, 2023 by desoto1939

[SteveR]

5 hours ago, desoto1939 said:

The silver stuff on the fuel line is to help keep the line cooler and stop peculating issues or vapor lock.

Are the cloth pins optional or are they a form of harmonic balancer to reduce the amplitude of the torsional vibration peaks which derives from a linear application of an intransigent pipeline to an acceptable level?

Or there just there to keep the silver thingy in place.

 

[motoMark]

11 hours ago, desoto1939 said:

Attached is a picture of the metal and glass bowl fuel filter just before my carb. The silver stuff on the fuel line is to help keep the line cooler and stop peculating issues or vapor lock.

 

Hope this is what you are looking for. This filter has a paper element that is available via NAPA. And the unit looks period correct.

 

Rich Hartung

 

 

Thanks Rich. Appreciate the photos.

[desoto1939]

9 hours ago, SteveR said:

Are the cloth pins optional or are they a form of harmonic balancer to reduce the amplitude of the torsional vibration peaks which derives from a linear application of an intransigent pipeline to an acceptable level?

Or there just there to keep the silver thingy in place.

 

The clothes pins are for inter glactical travel. Just another form of air cooling and art deco styling, just kidding.  Really, they help get the car up to warp speed so I can catch the starship Enterprise and Dr. Spock and Captain Kirk.

 

The use of the wooden clothes pins are an old trick to help with peculation issues. This was done back in the time when the engine would get hot even before the new crap gas that we use today. They also help to keep the lining in place.

 

My car can now get up to warp speed but trying to stop it intime before hitting the starship enterprise is another issue.  So Scottie has offered to always beam me up to get onboard the enterprise.

 

Rich Hartung

[greg g]

I have a metal in line spliced in the fuel line on the frame just ahead of the rear fender.  Coming out of my fuel pump, I have a rubber line to the pass side inner fender, there is a plastic in line there before it feeds the spliter for the dual carbs. I replace the one on the frame every other year or so, the plastic one when it shows sediment. 

[Sam Buchanan]

1 hour ago, greg g said:

I have a metal in line spliced in the fuel line on the frame just ahead of the rear fender.  Coming out of my fuel pump, I have a rubber line to the pass side inner fender, there is a plastic in line there before it feeds the spliter for the dual carbs. I replace the one on the frame every other year or so, the plastic one when it shows sediment. 

 

Plastic filter downstream from the fuel pump in engine compartment on same side as the exhaust manifold? Why roll the dice? Use a metal filter.

[Sniper]

For the EFI setup I am working, going on my 51 Cambridge, I have two filters.

 

The first filter is a 1 quart fuel filter that I am using as a surge tank, it is fed by the original mechanical pump. 

 

The 1st filter feeds the input of the EFI pump and I have smaller filter after that which feeds the fuel rails.

 

I am using one of those remote oil filter mounts with 4 ports.  Port  is the feed from the mechanical pump, port 2 feeds the EFI pump (this port has an extended pickup plumbed internal to the bottom of the filter), port three is the return from the fuel rail and port 4 is the return to the tank,

 

The big filter has a larger micron rating than the smaller one.