Topic: For those of you who run inline fuel filters

[TwoTired]

I now have a $500.00 leaf blower due to the lack of an inline filter. The filter in the tank failed and the screen in the carb got plugged up to the point you could not even tell in was a screen. I started wit tank filter and fuel lines, cleaned the carb, missed the screen, I messed with that damn leaf blower all day before Removed the screen in the carb and poked a hole in it. Well 6 hours later it lives again, this time with a inline filter

Mark

Only one?



Running-------------------->
 

[05c50]

Is anyone keepin score? I lost my score card about 3 pages back. Who's winning??

..........Paul

By the way........my GL's don't have filters in the tanks,come from the factory with inline filters and each carb has it's own screen........but that's another story

[billybobobrain]

I now have a $500.00 leaf blower due to the lack of an inline filter. The filter in the tank failed and the screen in the carb got plugged up to the point you could not even tell in was a screen. I started wit tank filter and fuel lines, cleaned the carb, missed the screen, I messed with that damn leaf blower all day before Removed the screen in the carb and poked a hole in it. Well 6 hours later it lives again, this time with a inline filter

Mark

Did someone say leaf blower?

[masonryman]

 
TT;

I also have another one that I could not get started last year, I think I will just replace that one

BBB;

OMG and I just got done watching Milk............

MM

[Hush]

Nice shot Billybobobrain, but I don't think that shade of blue does anything for your eyes.

[Johnny5]

Interesting thread as I was doing research on filters.

If Vic World uses them on his bikes, I will too. Hurts not a lot.

[Bodi]

Enough already!

Hands up, anyone who doesn't like inline filters...
OK, you guys: don't use them.

Now, the rest of you:
Go ahead and use them. If you feel like it.

Thankyou, goodbye.

[Vinylwasp]

One of the simplest reasons to run an inline filter is simple instrumentation.

There's nothing better than a visual check to see if you've still got:

a.) fuel in the lines.
b.) that's clean
c.) that's flowing

Secondly, I'd rather pull the in-tank filter out altogether, replace it with a good quality in-line one and then replace or clean that once a year.

TT's model of the self cleaning filter (fuel slosh) means that every time you add any dirty fuel to your tank, the total amount of crud goes up, as you're never removing any of it.

In addition to this build up over time, as you use fuel in day to day riding (so that you only have say 1/4 tank), the ratio of paticulates to fuel is rising to the point where after years of build you can end up with just a slurry sloshing around in your tank.
 
By using an in-line filter and maintaining it, you will actually lower the amount of crap in your tank over time (or keep it clean) if you follow the logic above, and you can chose either a regular period or a simple visual check to tell you when to fit a new one or clean the filter.

You can acheive or maintain a clean tank by either emptying and removing the tank and cleaning it thoroughly, or emptying the tank after mixing the fuel/crud by sloshing it around and then removing the petcock and cleaning the in-tank filter, but both of these methods still require you to do this periodically, even if it is every 5 years and require more one time effort than replacing the in-line filter many times.

Depends whether you believe:

A.) crud builds up in your tank, and
B.) you should remove it

 

[TwoTired]

Mankind is NOT a rational animal.  Mankind is a rationalizing animal.

I have bikes over thirty years old that still use the fuel tap filter that has never been cleaned.  They still don't need it either.
I also don't have children (of any age) adding crud to the fuel supply either.
The older Hondas I have with the sediment bowl get checked/ cleaned whenever I get around to it.
Any of the tanks I've encountered than had problems with any filter, also had tank rust issues, that a monthly (or hourly) in-line filter change will never cure.
I've never needed to bend down over the tank while riding to see clean fuel moving through a fuel line, nor do I ever expect to.  (Such a practice is rightfully self limiting.)
I can open the tank's gas cap and look inside to see if there is gas (almost always while parked).
If I see enough crud in there to effect filter flow, I'm removing the tank and turning it upside down to get that sh!t out of there!

If one wants to put band aids on a broken arm, I'm sure that if one thinks about it long enough, one will be able to justify it's use.  Let's see...
1 - It's cheaper than a cast.
2 - It's easy to lift so one can check if the wound is healing or if gangrene is setting in.
3 - They are available at any drug store and one can find a band aid in most inexpensive emergency kits.  (Try finding a real cast in there!)
4 - It helps keeps the dirt out of the wound where the bone pokes out of the skin.
5 - it's far more flexible than a cast, and if one needs rigidity, an ordinary twig can substitute, just use more bandaids to hold the twig on, further, branch bark can add natural healing enzymes to speed healing.  Disposal is natural and good for the environment. (The twig, that is.)
6 - If God had wanted us to use casts, he/she would have provided them in nature.
7 - One can write things on band aids with a sharpie, just like with casts.
8 - Band aids come in such pretty colors, and some are even shiny,  (oooooo, shiny!!!)

Yep, easy to see that band aids are as vastly useful as in-line fuel filters.

Hey, if you want to use an additional in line filter, go ahead (for whatever reason you wish to create).  Just stop trying to convince the unwary about their false importance over what was provided by the original manufacturer.
They are NOT there to clean the fuel.  The person filling the tank is supposed to ensure that.  They are there to keep neglect of the fuel system from requiring the overhaul of the carbs.  And, that is true if using the original filters or ones that were added by the neglectful owner.

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Oh ALRIGHT!!!!

What a silly waste of time this is ....   

So, what's the best oil should we use to pre-lube those in-line filters?   

[Gordon]

Oh NO!!!  You woke him up!!!!

However, if for some reason, one is not able or willing to fix or repair the intank or petcock type of fuel filter, in-lines are the next best thing, if sized correctly, and implemented compatibly with gravity feed systems.

[lordmoonpie]

Yes but just because it hasn't happened to you TT it doesn't mean it hasn't happened to anyone else. I've opened up untouched standard petcocks with OEM tank filters on them and the petcock is completely gooed up with crap - it's not always rock hard solids you're trying to stop reaching the carbs.....time to catch some zzzzzzzzzzzzzz's again man before you blow a gasket!

[sangyo soichiro]

I am actually running two inline filters...
But I don't think I have an in-tank one.   

I seem to be missing the tee junction (thus the need for two inline filters instead of one), and my petcock (I think) is not the original.  Something funny is going on for sure.  And the worst thing is that I have to run the lines below the carbs (so the gas has to run up hill just before it enters the carbs).

My petcock has two hose connections!  There is no little bulb thingy that normally houses the screen.  And it extends down too far causing me to route the lines under the carbs and creating an up-hill flow.

All that stuff is on my K2; my K4 is normal.

I would gladly revert to the tank screen only if I had the proper setup.  But someone along the lifeline of this bike jimmied with the petcock and I no longer have a choice.

[mystic_1]

That's odd indeed Soichiro.  Got a pic of that?

mystic_1

[Gordon]

And it extends down too far causing me to route the lines under the carbs and creating an up-hill flow.

That's fine.  What you need to avoid is having any kind upward bend, like an upside down "U" where an air pocket can get trapped.  

Okay, I guess one negative of having them routed the way you do is that you'll run out of gas a few seconds earlier than you would if the lines were going downhill the whole way.

[sangyo soichiro]

I don't have a close-up pic of it, but you can kind of see it on "pic 2" in my signature.  That pic is a little deceiving because it looks like I should be able to route the line over the carb, but there is another line coming off just behind the outer one.  I'm not happy with the setup, but at least it works. 

And I do think I have that "u" you were talking about Gordon.   

[Gordon]

And I do think I have that "u" you were talking about Gordon.   

You should be able to avoid that pretty easily.  The fuel inlets at the carbs can swivel so they point downward.  This will allow you to connect the fuel lines from the bottom without making them arc upwards at the end. 

[burmashave]

If I thought I had anything to add to this impassioned debate, I would post it here.

[78CB750CAFE]

like they say:
"let those who ride decide"

(lets make TT a T shirt that says " Use a filter, go to prison" or something....  )

[Frankenkit]

I want to know how anyone can be so impassioned about a piece of plastic that isn't an unobtanium choke lever or credit card.

same as oil.  you know what, bikes will run until they break, then they're rebuilt or used as parts.  Using the wrong kind of oil or oil filter or fuel or fuel filter isn't 'abuse'.  It could maybe be slight negligence but we're not all going to save the world one bike at a time.  We all learned from idiot POs and POs will do what they want regardless of sense or what the engineers intended (obviously.)  We can only do what makes sense to us and keeps our rides running.

[Porscheguy912]

Oh Geez, Do i Really want to post on this one......?

In a perfect world we wouldn't need any filters; Or for that matter motorcycles, because we could fly or tele-port.

I Always have run a external fuel filter. When properly mounted and routed it can prevent alot of problems. Especially when carb rebuild kits are so damn expensive.

In my mind, if you cant see the in tank petcock filter and you don't know how old it is or in what condition.... you cant really say that its doing its job.

Now... I found a fuel filter at my honda shop with a 90 degree inlet. That worked wonders on my F3 with the later style petcock.  3-4 inches total of fuel line straight down. (No Loop de Loops)

BUT.... I have had so much #$%* come out of my tank that it actually clogged my filter to the point that the bike would not start. (TinyRobot was there to witness it) So when that happens its time to clean the tank.


In defense of TT, He make valid points. They are his opinions and he is entitled to them.
Usually he knows his #$%* inside and out and when he posts i tend to believe what he says.
Granted in this debate we disagree, but this is an open forum and everyone can post regardless of opinion and that's what make this forum so useful. If everyone just nodded their heads and agreed with each other this forum would be pretty useless.

The difference is how people say things. TT and I have butted heads before because of the way his post can be perceived.

If we could just all manage to be civilized instead of cynical.... Then we'd be on to something.             

[buffalogt750]

Anyone know what jets I need with pods?

[Frankenkit]

I don't think it's jet size that matters, it's that you use synthetic oil with lots of moly in it... but try to avoid zinc.

[TwoTired]

Anyone know what jets I need with pods?

Either SR-71 or 747,  Depends on whether you have clubmans and a butt hump, or not.

[78CB750CAFE]

he he, he he, he said butt hump!
I wanna bike with a butt hump!

[lordmoonpie]

In defense of TT. They are his opinions and he is entitled to them.
Usually he knows his #$%* inside and out and when he posts i tend to believe what he says.
Granted in this debate we disagree, but this is an open forum and everyone can post regardless of opinion and that's what make this forum so useful. If everyone just nodded their heads and agreed with each other this forum would be pretty useless.

+1 Porscheguy912
- and that's why a) This forum is so great and b) TT is such a good contributor. Hell he doesn't have to agree or even be right but he does have an opinion and that's what makes the discussion the debate and the sparring fun!

I think we should have TTT-shirt "TT for President..."