MTFCA Forum

What is recomended for installing an in-line fuel filter for the typical Ford gas tank under the seat to carburetor application?

None... They usually don’t work. Or at least they usually don’t work long. Stick with the Ford sediment bulb. Buy a new one for $60. Take your tank out and have it professionally cleaned. If there is rust in it or it leaks, just buy a new one.

Oh - what to do ?? Some say yes, some say no....really, what is the best solution?

Paper filters have a bad reputation for gravity feed systems, yet a well known Carburetor expert recommends:

This is not to say there is no possibility of problem with this system, but 99% of the time it is caused by crap in the fuel line washing it's way into the carburetor/needle/seat. No gravity feed carburetor should be installed on any engine with out a good quality filter just prior to the carburetor and a shutoff near it. A cat hair will hold open the best needle and seat system in the world. There is not and can not be much pressure on the needle.

(From viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4400 )

Not much room to install an old style glass bowl filter close to the carburetor, is there? (Especially with a shut off valve there).

This discussion probably ranks right up there with oil type, MMM, water pumps, and why the chicken crossed the road. Maybe never will have an answer that satisfies all needs.

Enjoy the sunny days...when they come!

I believe this is the filter recommended by Stan Howe. It came from MODEL A GARAGE in Luray Va.
I have one on my 26 tudor with a U&J carb and my son has one on his 26 roadster with a Model B carb and both cars run great with no fuel delivery problems.

Photo

opinion : based on my experience, the stock setup, i.e. "spud" sediment bowl under the tank, straight-through line and OEM carb needs no filter nor additional plumbing. I've run tanks so cruddy the spud wouldn't drain without prodding the petcock, and a fair handful of rust and dirt would flush through. Occasionally, some mote of "stuff" would upset the carb float needle. Shutting off the gas and draining the bowl never failed to solve the problem. (Disclaimer - the "spud" is no better than the fine screen over the outlet - if it's damaged or missing it won't keep crud out of the carb. Currently my spud is missing the screen and it makes me uneasy - even with a new tank.)

That said, I'd reckon with the accessory carb Mark is now running, Stan Howe certainly knows its care and feeding. I would follow his advice, as a more refined (and complicated) carb will likely not respond to a T's rustic native environment and "rough 'n' ready" roadside remedies. Ask Stan what kind of filter to use.

Mark's original question was in regards to "under seat" gas tanks - not the "Improved" model with the cowl tank. Under seat tanks have less head pressure compared to the cowl tanks for apparent reasons.

Mark - begin with a spotlessly cleaned or new gas tank and the original style sediment bulb or a newer tractor style glass sediment bowl unit that is readily available - just my opinion.

The reason for the post is that King Howe suggested I use one for the U&J I just installed. It was a really long post ... but never mentioned which brand or type. I have never needed one before but I think his emphasis was on the viton tipped needle being fragile.

Having just fought gas system problems for several years, I had to remove the tank on my '13, which never had a problem until I got a bad tank of gas a few years ago. I still had problems even after that, so I bought one of Lang's kits. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but it's hooked up and ready to go.

By golly, the day has come when pigs are flying someplace !!

Original Smith is about to use something that did not come with Henry's model.

What else will happen this century???

I bought a 23 roadster a few years ago that had one of the paper filters installed. I live at the top of a nearly 10% hill and found that the filter gave enough restriction to flow to turn a 3 gallon hill into an 8 gallon hill. After backing home a few times I took the filter off and have had no trouble since.
Ralph

You can use one. I always did. The trick, if you want to call it that, is to go to a lawn mower shop and get an in-line filter designed for gravity fed systems which most riding mowers are. Works fine & no problems.

It really depends on what is meant by a 'filter'. The finer the filter, the more maintenance required and the more restriction in the system. An underseat T fuel tank gives marginal head pressure, and any restriction is to be avoided. There should be a fine screen on the outlet in the sediment bowl on the tank. Its job is to sieve out any particles of crud which might cause problems. Its 'siftings' remain in the sediment bowl, from where they can be drained away. Anything that can get through the screen is not likely to have an effect on a standard T.
A glass bowl sediment trap fitted near the carburetor will do the same thing.

Allan from down under.

My post was actually in regards to the under the seat tank and gravity feed to a U&J carburetor with a modern viton tipped needle. I’ve never had trouble before with the typical carburetors used by Ford in the model T. Just after installing the U&J I had a bad leak caused by some debris that probably came from installing a new gas line. I cleaned it out and the carburetor is performing fine. But it was suggested that I should use an in-line filter for this application.

I have been looking at replacing the Sediment Bulb with a Ball Valve/Filter and in the process I have gained some insight into the functions of the Sediment Bulb and some possible component replacements. Having said that, I also found some filters that look okay but further investigation nixed them. But first a review of the sediment bulb - which includes a brass mesh screen, i.e. filter, to block dirt, rust etc. Since the fuel line is above the bulbous portion, the bottom of the sediment bulb likely was intended to capture things heavier than the gasoline, chunks of rust, dirt and WATER (yes water). I have looked at various filters, some designed for gravity flow, others are intended to operate with a fuel pump and others that do about the same thing as the brass filter in the sediment bulb. The picture of the two inline filters: a K&N which is similar to the brass filter, is for high performance engines so fuel flow should be unrestricted. The Briggs filter pictured is for small horsepower lawn & garden engines - they have an identical looking one for engines with fuel pumps - (neither should be used). Now the only reason why I was looking to replace the Sediment Bulb was because of the valve design not the filtering. Today's gasoline is much cleaner than that it was back then, if it gets contaminated its likely water contamination. Bottom line - keep the sediment bulb, if it leaks buy some EZ-Lube to set the valve, if that doesn't work buy another one. I haven't found a method to take care of water contamination.

The one pictured first by DLMYERS is what I use on my Torpedo and believe it would work well on an underseat tank. Someone posted about a '26 which has a lot of head pressure compared to yours. It's a worth a try and very easy to see and take apart to clean anything that accumulates there. I got mine from Auto Zone.