Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Hi all;

I am going to pick up a Tecumseh fuel filter tomorrow. I was wondering where is the best placement of this? The fuel filter looks to be clear in some pictures and others it is complete grey. I am unsure which it will be right now, but if clear it makes me wonder on the placement.

Should I put this in line below the fuel tank and before the petcock (shut off valve)? Or should I put it after the petcock, prior to the engine?  My thinking is if it is clear, maybe after the petcock so that when I shut the gas off, nothing is sitting in the fuel filter.

The in line fuel filter is Fuel Filter Tecumseh/34279B and its pictured below



Last, I am also planning on cleaning out the tank as there looks to be a little settiment in there. Is there something I should be cleaning it out with (solvent?), or just swish a little new gas around to rinse it out?

Cheers

Any thoughts on this?

I use the inexpensive $4.90, Chinadian Tire fuel filters on my machines (ATVs, dirt bike etc.).  Don't have one on the snow thrower though.  Never thought of it.   I'd put it below the fuel valve.   It will be easier to change.  As far as cleaning the fuel tank, bad time of the year but what I normally do is flush the tank with water.  That's right, water.  I stick a garden hose right in the tank as far as it will go and put the pressure to it.  I usually clean the tank when it's off the machine.  That way I can turn it upside down and really get the crap out of it.  Being that it's winter, that's probably not a good method.   What I'd do,if I were in need of cleaning sediment from the tank is put half a liter of fuel in it, let it settle than uses a piece of 3/8" hose to siphon everything off the bottom of the tank.  Like a liquid vacuum cleaner.  Repeat the process until no more residue comes out. 

Hi Guys!

Goofienewfie-

I'm a little bit leary of anything in line on a snow blower fuel system. The gas we get today absobs moisture from the air due to it's alcohol content and that water can freeze in the filter medium or screen of an inline fuel filter. I use a water separating funnel by an outfit called Mr Funnel as I pour fuel into the tank. Water and any sediment that gets into my fuel can is removed. The water separating funnel is usually available through places like Boaters World.

If you are finding that your carb is being clogged regularly by sediment I would change my fuel line. The modern gas causes the old type fuel line to degrade over time. My OPE dealer told me that the new fuel line material has been reformulated to deal with the alcohol content in today's gas.

Marc 

Thanks Borat.  I never thought of the trouble it would be to replace when the time came, after the valve seems like the only logical place now.

mml, thanks for that heads up. I have seen a few people using in line filters on the blowers and I never thought it could be anything but good. I was unaware that it could actually cause harm. I have nothing clogging my carb as of yet, its a new machine. I was just hoping that by placing this on the unit, it would ensure that I would have less of those problems in the future.  Your post has me second guessing the whole thing. I do wonder if the water freezing would not be a issue if the filter was placed after the valve and the gas shut off and engine ran dry after each use.

That mr funnel looks like a get idea and I will have to keep my eye out for one of them. There is no boating world here, but there is a few decent size marine supply stores.

Pretty much all cars on the road today burn the same fuel that we use in snow throwers and they have usually one or more fuel filters.  The alcohol in the fuel that is mentioned, absorbs the water and allows it to remain as a liquid to be mixed and burned with the fuel.   That's why we add alcohol to our fuel  when we have a fuel line freeze up.  I doubt that you will have a problem with your fuel filter due to alcohol in the fuel.   Using a very fine screened funnel is a good idea though.  I use one myself.