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Author Topic: Best fuel filter?  (Read 3987 times)

Offline Scott Richlen

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Best fuel filter?
« on: June 11, 2018, 01:28:35 PM »
I normally use a Sullivan No. 187 fuel filter, but in my newest airplane it won't fit.  It is too long.

What is the best short filter available?

Thanks,
Scott

Offline Brett Buck

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2018, 01:37:13 PM »
I normally use a Sullivan No. 187 fuel filter, but in my newest airplane it won't fit.  It is too long.

What is the best short filter available?

  I like the ones Dave Shadel used to sell (you might also get them from Randy or Dub). They are the diameter of silicone fuel line and about 3/8" long (with the inlets and outlets about 1/4" each). They are teeny-weenie, the smallest you can get. They also have a teeny-weenie little chip of mesh for a filter medium, to they are much more prone to getting clogged up than the Sullivan, so you might keep an eye on it for the first 50 flights or so.

    Brett

Offline Wayne J. Buran

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2018, 02:11:27 PM »
I would recomend the Brodak BH-935 filter. It is small and short.  Never had a leaker and has 80 mesh screen. Great service  from Brodak.
Wayne
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Online Dave_Trible

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2018, 03:29:26 PM »
I use the smaller Dubro filter.  It's a little larger diameter but not very long.  That diameter allows a larger screen so takes a lot longer to clog than smaller ones. 
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Offline Scott Richlen

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2018, 07:47:27 PM »
Thanks guys!  That gives me a wide choice.

Offline Dan McEntee

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2018, 09:12:21 PM »
  If it's a profile, almost anything will do. I just make sure I can clean it. The Perfect/Sullivan units used to be prone to leaking so I have never used them. The small ones Brett speaks of are what I use in a cowled in installation. If you can run fuel line where you need it, you can put a filter in. Taking them apart is tricky, and you can loose the tiny chip of mess, so I just usually back flush them. Make sure on whatever filter you use, put the high volume end toward the tank, so junk can collect and still flow fuel and not quickly clog it up. I think these are easiest acquired from Dub Jett.
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Offline Lauri Malila

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2018, 11:57:47 PM »
The transparent crap trap (Sullivan?) is good, but not allways between tank and spraybar. With engines with low fuel consumption flow rate is too slow for its volume, and sometimes aif bubbles stay bouncing about inside filter. It causes some anomalies in running. In that place I prefer the small filter from Randy that Brett allready mentioned. L

Offline Frank Wadle

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2018, 01:00:22 AM »
For the same reason that Lauri mentioned I'm using this filter:

https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXBNU8&P=7

It is very small an light.
And to prevent any possible leakage I put a silicone tube ober it and the two attached fuel lines.

Regards
Frank Wadle

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2018, 10:00:05 AM »
Looks like those are on back order.  I always liked the little blue ones Eric at RSM Dist. used to carry.   Don't see them listed any more. D>K
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Offline Dave Harmon

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #9 on: June 12, 2018, 10:14:04 AM »
The transparent crap trap (Sullivan?) is good, but not allways between tank and spraybar. With engines with low fuel consumption flow rate is too slow for its volume, and sometimes aif bubbles stay bouncing about inside filter. It causes some anomalies in running. In that place I prefer the small filter from Randy that Brett allready mentioned. L

I have had problems with the crap trap filter.
As the engine sucks fuel the fittings on each end of the plastic tube allow air to be sucked in....probably why you are seeing air bubbles.
Not good.
I think the name of this filter says it all.

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2018, 10:18:54 AM »
When I used those I would put a couple of wraps of wire around the tubing like I do on the fuel line connections. D>K
John E. "DOC" Holliday
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Offline Reptoid

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2018, 11:02:52 AM »
Fourmost #157  Fuel Filter   Using them for 20+ years in stunt, sport, combat, and racing; never had a failure or plugged needle. Just backflush it once a year and you're good to go.
Regards,
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Offline bobsrc

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #12 on: June 12, 2018, 11:12:00 AM »
Sig sells some made by Kavan in Germany that have a replaceable filter element.

Offline Lauri Malila

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #13 on: June 12, 2018, 01:14:46 PM »
I have had problems with the crap trap filter.
As the engine sucks fuel the fittings on each end of the plastic tube allow air to be sucked in....probably why you are seeing air bubbles.
Not good.
I think the name of this filter says it all.

At least pressure check was fine, but perhaps vacuum works in a different way..? Anyway, I'm quite sure they were not leaking.
You can also shrink the transparent tubing with heat a little more. I also put heat shrink over the ends & silicone tubings.
They are just fine in filling bottle and before tank, but as I said not between tank and engine.
I once gave them for Yatsenko's and soon after that was the only time I have ever heard them cursing. L

Offline Steve Helmick

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #14 on: June 12, 2018, 05:22:55 PM »
I've used the Sullivan "Crap Trap" for years and years, with zero problems. Watch that you install them with the flow direction correct...course mesh screen goes on the tank side, fine screen on the engine side. Never had a bad one, but I could see some old stock ones might leak. I tend to replace them every 2-3 years.

If you can't fit one into your plane, what exactly did you do when you were mocking up the engine/tank installation? It doesn't sound like the OP did the whole job, with fuel filter, hoses, etc. Planning for all that stuff sooner helps a ton.  y1 Steve   
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Offline Scott Richlen

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #15 on: June 12, 2018, 07:09:13 PM »
Quote
If you can't fit one into your plane, what exactly did you do when you were mocking up the engine/tank installation?

uhhhhhh....... :-[

Online Carl Cisneros

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #16 on: June 13, 2018, 12:56:50 PM »
 LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~  VD~ VD~
Carl R Cisneros, Dist IV
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Offline Tom Luciano

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #17 on: June 13, 2018, 05:54:02 PM »
I would recomend the Brodak BH-935 filter. It is small and short.  Never had a leaker and has 80 mesh screen. Great service  from Brodak.
Wayne
This is the only filter I have used in my entire life. Mine are the original H&R brand. They do what they are  supposed to!.
 The only thing I don't like about the brodak is both halves are the same color. The H&R had gold and silver to distinguish flow. On the brodak one  I just disassemble and mark the rear with a sharpie.

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Offline Ruslan Kurenkov

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #18 on: June 20, 2018, 05:32:17 AM »
Hi
I and my friends F2B athletes for a long time, more than three years we use this fuel filter.
 It is produced by Hobby King under the brand name of the Turnygy.
 The filter is very light - 1 gram, collapsible, easy to clean, has a large area of the filter element. The filter consists of three parts. The length of the filter is 35mm, the inlet and outlet for the fuel are 2mm. It is designed for a silicone fuel tube with an internal diameter of 2-3mm. At the refueling pipe, I install the same filter when refueling the aircraft with fuel.
Regards,Ruslan

Offline phil c

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #19 on: June 20, 2018, 12:12:20 PM »
I've found the best filter to use is the Sullivan sintered cone filter that goes on the fuel line in your fuel bottle.  With a bit of care it is easy to keep the fuel syringe, or whatever, clean, the ends the the fuelling lines used clean and very rarely have problems.  No filters to leak or come apart on the plane, less leaky joints in the fuel line to the engine.

Another problem I had with the DuBro crap trap, especially with castor oil fuel, was it would at times collect a nearly invisible, clear gel on the finer screen that would give erratic needle settings.  The engine might start lean when it was set rich, get adjusted, and then go rich during that flight or the next one.
phil Cartier

Offline Norm Furutani

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #20 on: June 20, 2018, 12:30:08 PM »
Fourmost #157  Fuel Filter   Using them for 20+ years in stunt, sport, combat, and racing; never had a failure or plugged needle. Just backflush it once a year and you're good to go.

X2 - These are manufactured by a superb aeromodeller and are now available direct. See: http://www.fourmostproducts.com/our-products/fuel-fittings/

He also has a one way valve that eliminates the need for the uniflow plug (makes uniflow plugs, too).

Offline Lauri Malila

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #21 on: June 20, 2018, 12:34:01 PM »
I've found the best filter to use is the Sullivan sintered cone filter that goes on the fuel line in your fuel bottle.  With a bit of care it is easy to keep the fuel syringe, or whatever, clean, the ends the the fuelling lines used clean and very rarely have problems.  No filters to leak or come apart on the plane, less leaky joints in the fuel line to the engine..

I fill the tank with a big syringe (from Brodak if I remember right) that has a black rubber piston.
Before that, I filled directly with a squeeze bottle and then removed from tank what's necessary with a syringe.
I'm usually very carefull with filters and fuel system in general, and the only time since early 90's I've had engine problems because of blocked fuel system was when I changed the filling system.
Like Phil, I figured that it's clean enough if I fill the syringe through a filter but during first weeks of use there was lots of black stuff coming out of the rubber piston. It never made it to needle valve because it completely blocked the fuel filters.
So, I strongly recommend to use a filter syringe tubing too. It's a bit more fiddly as you must not fill the syringe through the same filter:)

Lauri

Offline Brett Buck

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #22 on: June 20, 2018, 01:57:40 PM »
I fill the tank with a big syringe (from Brodak if I remember right) that has a black rubber piston.
Before that, I filled directly with a squeeze bottle and then removed from tank what's necessary with a syringe.
I'm usually very carefull with filters and fuel system in general, and the only time since early 90's I've had engine problems because of blocked fuel system was when I changed the filling system.
Like Phil, I figured that it's clean enough if I fill the syringe through a filter but during first weeks of use there was lots of black stuff coming out of the rubber piston. It never made it to needle valve because it completely blocked the fuel filters.
So, I strongly recommend to use a filter syringe tubing too. It's a bit more fiddly as you must not fill the syringe through the same filter:)

Lauri

     Get the replacement delrin "end" for the plunger, and use the orange silicone o-ring instead of the big black neoprene plunger.

   Brett

Offline Lauri Malila

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #23 on: June 20, 2018, 02:09:12 PM »
Good idea. The rubber thing is also getting quite tight, especially in hot weather. Maybe I'll make it by myself. L

Offline Scott Richlen

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #24 on: June 20, 2018, 03:47:09 PM »
When we were kids we used a big red rubber squeeze bulb.  Of course, kids expect stuff to last forever so imagine our surprise when we found that the big red rubber squeeze bulb was filling our tanks with all kinds of tiny pieces of red rubber in addition to fuel.  Tiny pieces of red rubber are not a desirable fuel additive....

Offline Massimo Rimoldi

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #25 on: June 21, 2018, 12:13:00 AM »
So, I strongly recommend to use a filter syringe tubing too. It's a bit more fiddly as you must not fill the syringe through the same filter:)


To solve this problem I install a fuel filter on the tank tube that I use for filling (uniflow tube).
In this way there are also a couple of advantages
1) the installation is done in the shop with calm and clean
2) the filter also works by filtering the air entering the tank and trapping any foreign bodies.

P.S .: Since I am paranoid, I do not delete the Sullivan sintered cone and the filter on the fuel line to the engine .....

Massimo

Offline Dave Harmon

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #26 on: October 20, 2018, 01:25:56 AM »
Fourmost #157  Fuel Filter   Using them for 20+ years in stunt, sport, combat, and racing; never had a failure or plugged needle. Just backflush it once a year and you're good to go.

Based on what you said and after a look at his site....I ordered a handful of them.
So far so good and I really like the small size!
Thanks for the tip Rep!

Offline Peter Grabenstein

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #27 on: October 20, 2018, 04:20:02 AM »
I fly this one,
it's a take apart filter,it can be cleaned and it's small enough to fit in my Vector 40/LA 46 Combo.

https://www.conrad.de/de/reely-110-kraftstoff-filter-filtereinsatz-sinter-filter-234747.html

I really don't need it ,...because my refueling Syringe has the same filter too.
I allways keep tanks clean much as possible.
I flush them , time to time , with car brake cleaner.

 H^^
Peter
« Last Edit: October 20, 2018, 09:38:17 AM by Peter Grabenstein »
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Offline Gary Dowler

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #28 on: October 20, 2018, 10:16:40 AM »
The best one is the one that you took the time to actually install in your plane.  A cheap one that is in place is better than the best one sitting on your bench.

Gary
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Online Dave_Trible

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #29 on: October 20, 2018, 11:06:37 AM »
I fly this one,
it's a take apart filter,it can be cleaned and it's small enough to fit in my Vector 40/LA 46 Combo.

https://www.conrad.de/de/reely-110-kraftstoff-filter-filtereinsatz-sinter-filter-234747.html

I really don't need it ,...because my refueling Syringe has the same filter too.
I allways keep tanks clean much as possible.
I flush them , time to time , with car brake cleaner.

 H^^
Peter
I too have a filter on my fueling syringe but still always have one on the plane.  On new tanks especially soldering flake can come off at any time and head toward the engine.  I also fly open vent uniflo over a grass field.  Dust and insects from the air get in the tank pretty often.  The filter and the panty hose over the venturi are the last line of defense.
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Offline Steve Helmick

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #30 on: October 24, 2018, 04:43:02 PM »
I fly this one,
it's a take apart filter,it can be cleaned and it's small enough to fit in my Vector 40/LA 46 Combo.

https://www.conrad.de/de/reely-110-kraftstoff-filter-filtereinsatz-sinter-filter-234747.html

I really don't need it ,...because my refueling Syringe has the same filter too.
I allways keep tanks clean much as possible.
I flush them , time to time , with car brake cleaner.

 H^^ Peter


The filter that Peter's link shows appears VERY similar to the one that Ruslan shows from Hobby King. I'd guess that the HK filter would be cheaper. May or may not be as good.

I'm dead set against using a syringe to fuel my planes. I've seen too many guys crack open a gallon jug of fuel, suck out some fuel through a filter on their syringe, lay it on the asphalt while they put the lid back on the fuel jug, then fuel their plane. Note that this will suck contaminants into the syringe and then blow them into the fuel tank. I like the idea of having a filter on the uniflow inlet, but I've been hooking a hose from the uniflow tube into the backplate cavity. This is mainly to prevent rich/lean bs when going up/downwind, but it also keeps out the tiny bugs and seeds that mysteriously show up in our filter between the tank and spraybar.

I use a mustard/epoxy pump on a gallon jug, with one or two R/C car filters in the outlet. The pumps are all nylon, except for the stainless steel spring. Normal procedure is to fill the tank and then suck out any overage with a 1 oz syringe, which is emptied back into the jug via the overflow fitting. The pumps last for a decade or more, and I store the fuel jug with pump installed over the winter without any problems.  H^^ Steve
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In 1944 18-20 year old's stormed beaches, and parachuted behind enemy lines to almost certain death.  In 2015 18-20 year old's need safe zones so people don't hurt their feelings.

Offline Larry Fernandez

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #31 on: October 24, 2018, 05:03:24 PM »
     Get the replacement delrin "end" for the plunger, and use the orange silicone o-ring instead of the big black neoprene plunger.

   Brett

Where would one find the replacement delrin “end for the plunger?

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

Offline Reptoid

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Re: Best fuel filter?
« Reply #32 on: October 24, 2018, 10:40:09 PM »
Based on what you said and after a look at his site....I ordered a handful of them.
So far so good and I really like the small size!
Thanks for the tip Rep!
You're most welcome Dave. Love his products especially the filters. Simple, foolproof, never leak. They last indefinitely although I have lost a couple on combat airplanes that were mid-aired :o
Regards,
       Don
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