Fuel Filters 101: Do They Matter? Is There A Difference?

[PTmowerMech]

I had no idea there was a difference.

 

[StarTech]

PT, I didn't think you were that dense. Of course there is difference in filters. Basically all comes down to the filtration level. Gravity fed system requires a looser micron level. Although I do use 25 micro filters on gravity fed riders without problem though they recommend 70 micron for these systems.

But in general you should use a smallest micron that works.

Now I didn't watch snaggle tooth's video but so I do not he mention it but you should never turn one around once it has been used.

 

[PTmowerMech]

PT, I didn't think you were that dense. Of course there is difference in filters. Basically all comes down to the filtration level. Gravity fed system requires a looser micron level. Although I do use 25 micro filters on gravity fed riders without problem though they recommend 70 micron for these systems.

But in general you should use a smallest micron that works.

Now I didn't watch snaggle tooth's video but so I do not he mention it but you should never turn one around once it has been used.

I knew that the smaller the micron, the better. I just didn't know certain details. Like the difference between the white Briggs screen filters and the red. And that a grain of sand is about 100 microns.

As far as those cheapo filters that come with an scamzon carb, those usually go straight in the trash. Because who knows what micro they are, or what they're even made of.

 

[StarTech]

Yes those from scamzon are junk.

And I had a clear grain of sand to do a number on a carb years ago. I would had never found it if I was using a 10x loupe. It had plug one side idle mixture port of twin barrel Nikki carburetor. It was however cause by the customer constantly removing the fuel filter and reinstalling it backwards.

Boy those crystal clear plugs are hard to see.

 

[ILENGINE]

I had no idea there was a difference.

The red ones are 150 micron and the white ones are 75 micron. I never use the red, just too open and allow too much debris through them.

PT, I didn't think you were that dense. Of course there is difference in filters. Basically all comes down to the filtration level. Gravity fed system requires a looser micron level. Although I do use 25 micro filters on gravity fed riders without problem though they recommend 70 micron for these systems.

But in general you should use a smallest micron that works.

Now I didn't watch snaggle tooth's video but so I do not he mention it but you should never turn one around once it has been used.

I have had issues using the 691035/84001895 filters on gravity feed systems when the tank has the vapor recovery system due to the slight vacuum created in the tank when running prevents the tank from having enough elevation above the carb to completely empty the tank. About the last inch in the bottom would create fuel starvation issues. Normally use the white filters on those, and use the 40 micron 691035 on fuel pump systems.

 

[StarTech]

Hmmm I keep eye out for those problem but so the Stens 120-436 has doing fine on gravity fed riders.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Micron ratings are nominal +/-10% on std paper filters
I bought a case of supposedly 75µ filters couple of years back and have been fitting them ever since with just a few gravity systems giving grief
From Made in China , direct from the factory 500 @ 15¢ each
I suppose one will pop up eventually but I have yet to come across a filter that was clogged.
Lots wth water in them .

 

[Scrubcadet10]

i use the 75 micron white briggs for gravity feed engines, and for pump feed engines i use the briggs 691035 on pump feed. no issues
and i keep the honda fuel strainers on hand too

 

[hlw49]

Had customer bring in a Troy Bilt mower. He had bought a chinese carb that came with the filter. Carb was the wrong one for the engine. Took his cheap chinese filter off you could shake it and the filter element was loose and would rattle around the in the housing. Boy that would do a great job of filtering the fuel.

 

[PTmowerMech]

i use the 75 micron white briggs for gravity feed engines, and for pump feed engines i use the briggs 691035 on pump feed. no issues
and i keep the honda fuel strainers on hand too

This has me to thinking about my Kawasaki engine on the Briggs mower. The water cooled, huge fuel pump engine. Just for grins, I put one of those cheap fuel filters between the pump and the carb, just to see if I could slow down the fuel rate and keep the carb from overflowing out the top. It worked 90% of the time.
If I hit a pretty big bump, the carb would overflow out the top.

Note: I also have a filter between the tank and the fuel pump.