Plastic Fuel Filters

[jg61hawk]

If I may add a thought.... Vinegar will dissolve rust....If you can drain the tank...fill it with vinegar let it sit about 48 hours or longer...then flush...flush flush.... No more rust. When I say fill it...I mean fill it...!!! WHATEVER YOU DO...DO NOT USE A VACUUM CLEANER TO PLAY AROUND NEAR THE GAS TANK...THE GAS FUMES WILL EXPLODE IN THE VACUUM CLEANER AND YOU WILL BE NO MORE.

 

[Werner]

It is magnetic.

 

[Gene F]

Gosh some some ideas. I didn't see anyone adding the chain, and having a helper adjitate.

Whatever you do, do not take it to a radiator shop to have it boiled out. A shop will simply change the metal chemistry, and give you a giant screen door.

 

[Ernie Vitucci]

Good Morning all...I've had the same issue of fine rust in the fuel tank. Years ago, like in the mid 60's an old guy told me to do two things. First, to put a magnet into the glass bowl on the firewall. Second, purchase a glass fuel filter for a 1955 Thunderbird, or other car from that time and put it into the fuel line, down in the area where the line is horizental (sp) and put a magnet in that glass bowl as well. This simple system allows me to see when the first magnet has turned red and then when a bit of rust is building up on the second magnet and it is time to take the bowls off and wipe them out and clean the rust off of the magnets...It's worked for me for years...not quite stock...but then neither am I! Ernie in Arizona

 

[David in San Antonio]

From what I’ve read, pure iron oxide is not attracted by a magnet, but what comes out of our tank may be other stuff that magnets do attract, and the iron oxide clings to that other stuff. At some point there may be tiny flakes of iron oxide that are not clinging to another material so will bypass the magnet.
People on this forum have shown a “dead leg” to help more particles settle out of the fuel before going to the carb. It’s basically a T fitting interrupting the horizontal fuel line, with a tall (several inches) pipe descending vertically. The original cast iron sediment bowl (not the glass kind) is not very deep. I am guessing the dead leg would work even better if the fuel flow velocity across the top is slower, giving the particles more time to settle out. This would suggest the cross section of the horizontal line should be as large as is practical.
(I searched online for “dead leg” and got a variety of other meanings, so maybe this is not a typical usage of the term.)

 

[katy]

Are the clear plastic fuel filters resistant to regular gasoline w/10 or 15% ethanol in it?

 

[Tom F OHIO]

We took my brother in laws tank to a Renu dealer. I guess their everywhere. He cut three holes in the bottom of the tank and then sand blasted the inside to get around the baffles and then welded them shut and primed and pressure tested. The best thing that he ever did. The gas is as clear as can be. You will have to repaint your tank with this process.

 

[katy]

Did they coat the inside?

 

[BButturff]

Are the clear plastic fuel filters resistant to regular gasoline w/10 or 15% ethanol in it?

As I stated earlier, my first option would be to properly clean and seal the tank to avoid having to deal with the rust for a very long time. However, if that wasn't an option due to time or expense I would add a metal in-line filter.


There are automobile manufacturers that use plastic fuel filters from the factory and those have documented time/mileage replacement intervals. If I had to use an ethanol blend I would change them more often than recommended. I have seen non-OEM plastic fuel filters that are labeled "ethanol resistant" on the packaging but what does that even mean? How long between replacements?


My choice for an in line filter would be similar to the Fram G15 which has a metal housing. Yes, you can't see through it but you can remove it from the car periodically and back-flush it with solvent to see how much debris there is. Plus they're inexpensive (about $10 USD) and readily available.