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MG MGB Technical - Clear, glass Gas/Petrol Filters

About a year ago, some friends who are professional mechanics recommended a clear, glass gasline filter. I have been using them in several cars and find them to be very superior to the metal or opaque plastic filters I have used in the past. Recently, I was running a club rally when the 79 LE I had just gotten on the road died. Tach was still showing rpms as it wound down (tach dies if it is an LT ignition circuit problem), so I thought fuel system. Checked the filter and it was full of crud. Took it apart (one of the advantages of these is it only takes two 1/2" wrenches to open them up), cleaned it out and finished the rally. I have found two brands available. One is the Spectre brand which costs about $10 and is available from Checker. It comes assembled, but does not have the inlet and outlet nipples installed. Three sizes of nipples are included with the filter, with the MG using the 5/16" nipples. The second was similar in design but had cast in nipples of 1/4" size and cost about $7 at BAP. Both have replaceable filter elements (about $4 for three with new O rings included). I have been using these filters on all my cars and am amazed at how much crud they trap, how easy it is to keep track of the condition of the filter and how easy it is to replace the elements when they become clogged. Hope this will be of use to the rest of you. Les
Les Bengtson

Yep, I've been using them too. They sure make troubleshooting alot easier. Mine came from walmart but sounds like you Checker. Anyone without one is asking for trouble!
gerry masterman

I use them too, Les. They have all the benefits you describe and the glass is pretty stout too, so they can be used at the rear underneath from the tank to the pump too.

The Spectre ones I bought at Schucks/Kragen/Checker also come with a heavy plastic shield that snaps in place over the glass once the filter is fitted. I use this shield to protect the glass from rocks and crap on the road from under the car.
Bob Muenchausen

I also use them. In our area they are available at Advance Auto. Theirs come
with all the necessary fittings for installing them. Clifton
Clifton Gordon

I got mine at Advance Auto. One in the line between the fuel tank and the fuel pump protects the pump, one in the line before the carbuterors protects the carburetors. If the one that protects the fuel pump shows much dirt, I replace it with the one from the engine compartment and put the new one in the front. That way the carburetors are always well protected. I checked last weekend and they were clean as a whistle. Great product. A real "Must-Have".
Steve S.

I may be the sole dissenting voice here, but I wouldn't touch those takeapart filters with a ten foot pole!

About 20 years ago when I was teaching Basic Auto Mechanics, one of those fiberglass MG T-series replicas with a Volkswagen chassis came into the class. (I know, I had to grit my teeth and be nice, since I was the instructor). Anyway, the engine in this car is accessed through a hinged fiberglass panel that resembles the gas tank and spare tire of the "MG".

One day, this car came in reeking of gasoline. The owner shut the car down and we opened the access panel, which was hinged at the top. We were greeted with about a quart of gasoline that poured out of the well created by the "spare tire". The cause? The takeapart glass filter had separated slightly and had been spraying fuel all over the engine bay.

It was not a case of the filter ends simply loosening up. Careful inspection revealed that the potmetal casting that formed the threads had failed, and the end had separated slightly. Enough fuel was still passing through the filter to keep the engine running despite the leak. I could not tell if the failure was due to a manufacturing defect, a failure from vibration, or if someone had cross-threaded the end cap at one time. In any case, this filter caused a near-catastrophe.

I only use metal clad inline filters on my cars, and keep a spare in the boot in case one plugs up.

Don't risk your investment with poorly designed aftermarket parts!

Safety Fast,
Paul Kile
Paul Kile

I use the glass filters also. On the one before the fuel pump I slipped a piece of rubber hose over it (before the line was attached) for protection. The inside ID is just large enough to allow me to slide it back and see the condition of the filter. Just couldn't see letting a rock ruining my day.
Lowell Wakefield

Paul:

Perhaps that is another function of the newer unit's protective heavy plastic cover? It is designed to clip round the hex ends of the filter, effectively acting as a locking device to prevent either end from loosening up once snugged up. My guess would be that either someone cross threaded the ends, or as with so many things from the Taiwan of years gone by, the casting and threading were suspect. A lot of the success with the current units is dependent on how they are handled.

The older versions of this filter were as you describe and I am sure that someone's lawyers, if not engineers, advised the maker's to include a locking device as I have described. I would be PO'd too if it sprayed gas all over. Not very good engineering at the time, but fortunately, things do change.

One can gain the same effect (transparent, easy to see if clogged) as one of these using the nylon bodied inline filters similar to the Fram G-1 and G-2. I have had these sustain an obvious direct hit from some sort of solid road trash and come away as unaffected as the metal case ones you mention.
Bob Muenchausen

Bob,

I use the Fram G-1 (or is it G-2?) plastic filter on my car. I have not had any trouble with it, but...

Back about 1970, I was driving my mother's 1968 Plymouth Satellite, with a 318 V8. I stopped somewhere and went into a store. The car had been running fine when I left, but when I returned the car cranked and cranked but wouldn't start. I got out and popped the hood. Whoosh!!!! Flames shot about 3 feet high.

I don't remember how I got across the parking lot. The next thing I remember is standing on the sidewalk about 100 yards away, gawking along with the other people about the car that was on fire on the other side of the parking lot. Someone had the presence of mind to call the fire department.

After the fire was out, we looked under the hood. Fortunately, the only real damage was to the sound insulation on the underside of the hood. The plastic inline fuel filter next to the carburetor had split right down the middle and spilled fuel all over the intake manifold. Apparently, it had been doing this for a while, and filled all the little nooks and crannies in the manifold. When I tried to start the car, there must have been a spark and when I opened the hood, it finally got enough oxygen to burn.

Needless to say, my father and I went to an auto parts store and got a METAL fuel filter.

As I said, I've never had any trouble with my plastic Fram filter, but everytime I open the hood (bonnet) on my MG and see that filter, I'm reminded of that fire.
Paul Noble

You're not alone, Paul...

I use a Fram G1 (or G2?), G12 or a Wix 33002. They're all clear plastic. Not frosted. The G12 is plastic
bodied, but the exit end and hose barb is metal. I find it reassuring to be able to see the works inside
the filter. Lately, however, the clear Frams are becoming harder to find in L.A. as the frosted filters are
more and more prominate on the shelves.

I used to have one of those glass take-apart filters and it was great - but a long time ago an SCCA
tech inspector had me remove it before I was allowed to run a few laps at Willow Springs. He said
something about having seen them leak, vibrate apart, break and shatter. In fact, I believe the SCCA
shuns any glass fluid container anywhere on a car.

Slipping on a heavy plastic hose entirely over a glass filter would seem to be good safety practice for those who want to keep using them.
Daniel Wong

Dunno, I've been using the glass filters on both my classics (MGB and VW Beetle) as well as on all the boats I've owned throught the years. I've been 'saved' several times out on the bay when some stuff would come up throught the tank and stop up the filter. All I had to do was remove the filter (2 wrenches) clean it out and reinstall. Both the MG and the VW have the glass filters before the fuel pumps and the carbs and yup, stuff still gets through to the carb filter though I can't for the world figure out how. None, so far have leaked on me.

Luis
Luis

It only takes one engine fire to ruin your whole day. The idea of a glass barrel, two O-rings, and two threaded end caps taking the place of a single metal canister puts additional complexity and failure points into the system.

It's just not worth the risk for the minor convenience of the clear filter. If I get a filter clog, I just take my spare metal filter out of the boot and install it. Takes less time than wrenching open the glass one, cleaning the element, and putting it back together.

As we say in Aerospace - KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Cheers,
Paul Kile
Paul Kile

I am not going to argue the merits of KISS, but just as a technical point, the glass in question on these has been dropped from the workbench with no ill effects and appears be a rather heavy walled tempered and finished glass, not the cheezy crap of years gone by.

By far the biggest factor in the success of any of these is the human one. After that, thought given to placement, and then care in reassembly (if necessary) and installation become determining factors.

My own limited experiences with automotive products has shown me that even the best of them have a bad apple every now or then, resulting in split metal/plastic oil and fuel filters, bearings someone forgot to lube, and all the various other screwups associated with human manufacturing.

It is always interesting to me that the fuel fittings and products "fit" for service in automobiles and trucks, far and away the most common statistic producers on the planet from an underwriter's point of view, are generally NOT fit for use on general aviation or aerospace equipment. An interesting commentary on the duality in our thinking.
Bob Muenchausen

K & N also makes a cleanable gas filter machined from stainless, rather expensive at around $50 US, but it looks good and filters effectively, they also make an excellent plastic filter with a clear window for around $5 that is disposable. The quality of K&N products in general is superior, although you pay for it.
Joe

This thread was discussed between 29/11/2001 and 02/12/2001

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