Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Fuel filters
| Re: [GMCnet] Fuel filters [message #328075 is a reply to message #132941] |
Tue, 09 January 2018 00:37   |
Rick Staples
Messages: 126
Registered: May 2014
Location: Johnstown, Colorado, USA
Karma:
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I've followed this discussion with some interest, esp those who report finding rust/dirt in their systems, and also the comments about water and alcohol. Thought I'd throw in my .02.
A. Water in the fuel is rare, but once you've got it, it's nasty. We got a tankful of bad gas once, on our first cross-country trip ~20 yrs ago. Filled up at a small-town gas station in Pa, and the dance was on. Drygas, filter change, helped a little, but it was several thousand miles before the hiccups faded away. Moral: Buy gas from a large, busy, station when possible.
B. In my former life as a mechanic/service manager in Massachusetts 25 yrs ago, I often dealt with waster/ice in fuel systems, so I did some research about it. Seems alcohol-laced gas is even MORE susceptible to water than plain gas. As I understand it, alcohol has a MUCH greater affinity for water than it does for gasoline. In fact, oil companies add things to get the alcohol and gas to stay mixed. If you get much more than a few ounces of water in your tank, the alcohol will part company from the gasoline, join up with the water, and sit at the bottom of the tank. You CAN run a car on pure alcohol (They do it in Brazil.), but it won't vaporize in cold weather, and it takes TWICE as much fuel per volume of air, so it won't burn in a normal vehicle.
C. Many places I've worked changed fuel filters at every major (annual, biannual) service, even though NOT recommended by the manufacturer. This was done to insure that no money was left untapped in the customer's wallet, IMHO. I recall the Nissan manual that simply said "If the fuel filter becomes clogged, change it." I have seldom if ever found a clogged fuel filter, unless the the tank was rusted badly, or run without a gas cap. The one time I thought I had a clogged fuel filter, it turned out to be a rusted-out fuel line sucking air.
D. About 15 years ago, I dropped the tanks of "The Dancing Bear", and replaced most of the hoses and O'rings. Last year (2016), fuel was spilling over when filled full, so I dropped them AGAIN, replaced ALL the hose with SAE70R9 and/or steel, and pulled both pickups to replace O'rings. I found (to my surprise) totally clean tanks and totally clean fuel socks. I found one pickup sat rather high off the bottom of the tank, so I bent it down a little. Finding NO debris in the glass bowl filter of my electric pump's prefilter, I removed it as an unnecessary flow restriction. It's amazing how many different sizes of hose are needed for all the fuel lines, vent lines, fill vent lines, fill pipes, generator fuel line, ad nauseum. This job took longer than last time, now that I'm on the wrong side 70, so I hope it's the last time. Afterwards, the tanks even built up a little pressure as they should. Vapor lock is greatly reduced (but not totally eliminated).
HTH
Rick Staples, '75 Eleganza, Johnstown, CO
"Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the Wise to the Wise, and all paths may run ill." -Tolkien
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