In-Line Fuel Filters

So I am sitting here at work bored and thinking about my cars instead (so what's different about that. Ha!:rolleyes: ) and I thought I would ask a goofy question:

Its been a few years since I purchased an in-line fuel filter, but this weekend I had one of the old closed style clog on me, so I thought I should look into what's in NEW in the market.

I am running a slight modified GM350 with a Holley650 in one car and a stockFord302 with an Edelbrock600 on the other, so nothing fancy or fuel injected.

So what is your opinion on the best in-line fuel line filter?

• I like the glass barrel style since I can check to see if any junk is in them, but I am always afraid that they make crack!
• The closed metal style woked fine but you can't check to see if anything has been trapped.
• I once owned an Edsel and it had the old glass bowl style and that looked cool but was even more of a cracking/breaking risk.

I am partial to the Fram in-line Cannister type-

i purchased a mister gasket glass gas filter. within a day it started to leak. i use a plastic clear one. never had any problems and i can see when it needs changing.

I also like the glass style inline filters so you can see what you have in there. Ran one a couple years until I was replacing a cooling hose from the tranny to radiator. Hose was tight and I was pulling hard, when it finally gave way smashed the glass filter against the motor... :eek: I've run a metal one ever since :HMMM: ...

-Chris

I`d recomend anything but glass, The anodized Russell ones are not bad

Is there a problem with running a filter after the mech fuel pump, up near the carb, or should it go prior the fuel pump. Seems to me, alot of guys run a filter up near the intake (maybe thats just for bling...???)

How 'bout one of these from Speedway?

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Originally Posted by Gusaroo

Is there a problem with running a filter after the mech fuel pump, up near the carb, or should it go prior the fuel pump. Seems to me, alot of guys run a filter up near the intake (maybe thats just for bling...???)

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Rules of thumb I was taught:eek: :LOL:

Electric pumps = before the pump
Mechanical = after the pump

It seems to me that having the filter near the carb, gets thedebrie right before it goes where you don't want it to go. I haven't heard of anyone with problems related to standard in-line fuel filters. On highperformance high fuel demand engines, I don't know? I also like the glass ones for the visability factor, but have also experience the glass shatter(on my motorcycle, now I use a billet one, and just routinely check the filter screen when I do an oil change. Works well! Barb I like the idea of the plastic ones, I just wish they were prettier!:D :LOL:

I just put an inline Trans- Dapt glass filter between the pump and carb on my '65 Rambler.. had to use it because of it's small diamater w/ the valve cover and air cleaner..

I use the Fram cannister type like 35Window uses. In the 57 I have it mounted in the engine compartment on the fender just before the fuel distribution block (to the 3 carbs). The 57 has a SW electric fuel pump mounted in the rear under the rear bumper. On the 34, I have one mounted on the frame just after the Holley electric fuel pump which is mounted on the frame behind the real wheel. Also have a standard in line metal one between the fuel tank and the pump.

The cannister type is easy to change and the replacement filters are reasonable at about $6.

Couldn't find this photo before. This is what I really wanted to use but had to go to the Speedway shown above. I really wasn't too happy that my exhaust was within 2" of the canister. This is a Summit/Fram clone and real pretty.

Never - ever will I ever use a glass filter - they break. Been there - it got real hot. But I can look at it in a positive manner - my fire extinguisher test was successful. Did I say never a glass body filter - at least on one of my cars:D ??

i have mine mounted about 2 inches before my carb. after my mechanical pump. As Stovens stated it is not the prettiest but it is very functional.

I use two... one before the electric pump and one just before the carb... a little added assurance...

-Chris

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Originally Posted by Gusaroo

Is there a problem with running a filter after the mech fuel pump, up near the carb, or should it go prior the fuel pump. Seems to me, alot of guys run a filter up near the intake (maybe thats just for bling...???)

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I typically run them both before and after the fuel pump. That way I catch the big junk before it gets to the pump and anything small that gets past that has one more shot of being caught before the carb.;)

I been to couple shows sponsored by local car clubs. Glass tube filter are not aloud. For fear of braking causing fire. I have filter befor and after pump.

i have used the frams but a pain in the butt to get apart under the car with fuel all over and playing with the O ring . i have used the in lines to they work but the last 4 jobs i have used the marine type that look like a oil filer they are much better then the frams to work with

I don't use anything but metal filters, whether it's at the tank or at the carb..... I don't like the thought of glass or plastic filters....IMO the metal canisters are a lot safer.... The convenience of being able to see what's in the filter is far outweighed by the vulneribility of plastic and glass filters to fire due to damage or accidental breakage......

I had a stamped metal inline type.didnt get the job done,ended up pulling my new holly apart and finding a 1/4 inch of rust sediment in the bottom fuel bowls of my new carb.ended up putting in a fuel cell, new lines ,fuel pump and a clear fuel filter I can see in and a new set of plugs due to fouling from the stuck needle valves in carb.a little extra money for a good fuel filter is a wise investment

Well, to each his own.... Think I'll stick with a metal filter out of the engine compartment area.... It's good enough for the majority of the race sanctioning bodies, so I guess that's good enough for me.... Just don't like the idea of plastic or glass full of fuel hanging over the top of my engine......
Regular fuel system maintenance and starting out with a clean system will pretty much eliminate the problem... That, and knowing the quality of the fuel you buy.....

I have used the clear ones for years and many cars the one that comes apart and has saved me on catching a plugged filter with garbage from old vehicle just kept cleaning and changing till things cleared up. never a problem, but thats me and I can see people not likeing them, if so don't use them then. ED

Until you've had a fire and a chance to test out that fire extinguisher you ALWAYS carry with you (YOU DO carry one, don't you??), any old fuel filter is fine. I had two underhood fires on my '79 truck. The first was a split o-ring on the back bowl fill tube on the @#$%$# OEM Holley carb the second was a broken glass fuel filter that I installed with an E-brock carb. This settled 2 questions in my mind - never use a single feed Holley 4160 and never use a clear glass (or even plastic) fuel filter. It gets expensive plus time consuming to repair the damage - control and lights wires, vacuum hoses, ignition wires, under hood insulation, air filters, etc.(luckily, no hood paint either time), and without the extinguisher, maybe the entire truck. But with that said - to each his own........:whacked:

I use a Mallory electric fuel pump and a Mallory inline filter as shown.

Dave wrote:

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That, and knowing the quality of the fuel you buy.....

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Well, that could be a problem. I don't usually have problems with gas, local or otherwise, but I have had some bad experiences on the road. On the way to the Turkey Run several years ago we stopped in South Carolina for gas at a Sunoco station. After refueling I just got off the lot when the car started acting badly. Pulled over at the next station and had to dump the gas filter. Had gotten some water and a little crud from the station. Luckily, I had a spare filter and after installation we were back on the road with no more problems. Never can tell what you might run into at an unfamiliar gas pump.:eek:

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Originally Posted by mopar34

Dave wrote:

Well, that could be a problem. I don't usually have problems with gas, local or otherwise, but I have had some bad experiences on the road. On the way to the Turkey Run several years ago we stopped in South Carolina for gas at a Sunoco station. After refueling I just got off the lot when the car started acting badly. Pulled over at the next station and had to dump the gas filter. Had gotten some water and a little crud from the station. Luckily, I had a spare filter and after installation we were back on the road with no more problems. Never can tell what you might run into at an unfamiliar gas pump.:eek:

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Always a good idea to carry a spare filter!!!! Especially road trippin'!!!! On the 'maro I've got an inline with a stainless cleanable element, and one of the good old reliable Fram canister filters with the replaceable element....

Fuel pressure gauge is always the first indication of a filter problem.... I put a small mark on the gauge face where my pressure is @1,000 rpm, anything less then that and the first thing I check is my filter....

I ran two Russell filters on my Cobra. One at the fuel tank and the other just before the carb/carbs. I faithfully cleaned them at every oil change and never had a problem. Glass filters were not allowed for safety reasons at most open track or auto-x events.

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Originally Posted by G.R.

I ran two Russell filters on my Cobra. One at the fuel tank and the other just before the carb/carbs. I faithfully cleaned them at every oil change and never had a problem. Glass filters were not allowed for safety reasons at most open track or auto-x events.

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GR, I was considering running two of the cleanable filters, but wasn't quite sure the filtration was good enough.... Did you ever have any problems with contaminents making it to the carb, or did the filter it ok????

I never had problem with my setup. I was running, intially,a 4bbl, then went to Weber 8 carb stack induction. Webers are notoriously finicky...until you get them set right.
I rarely got any crud in the filters when I cleaned them. I ran them for about 4 1/2 years on my mild build 325 hp sb Ford before I sold the car. I used the mechanical fuel pump and had an electric fuel pump hooked up that I never used, though it was installed with a dash switch to toggle it on.

Thanks GR... Think I might just do away with the replacable and get another cleanable!!! Never was sure I could trust them, but if they keep things clean enough for Webers, they will certainly work fine for a Holley!

Thanks to everyone for the words of advice and experience.
I think I will follow the trend of both a canister type before the fuel pump and a smaller in-line just before the carb.

Thanks

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Originally Posted by GulfCoastGasser

Thanks to everyone for the words of advice and experience.
I think I will follow the trend of both a canister type before the fuel pump and a smaller in-line just before the carb.

Thanks

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If you're going to be racing at a sanctioned track, might want to first check with their tech people and see if they allow a filter in the engine compartment..... the plain old parts store in-line filters with a rubber hose and clamps on a racer-type car IMO is just creating an opportunity for a big old fire to start.......

Don't know about drag racing but doing SCCA open track and auto-x as long as you are using AN lines and filters there isn't a problem with have a fuel filter at or before the carb/carbs