i want to use a glass fuel filter made by HELP! (Dorman). the auto parts store i work at sells them. they're real glass, not the plastic crap like the mr. gasket clearview ones. it looks good quality. my question is i want to mount it before the stock fuel filter but where's the best place to put it? they're safe to use, right? also, what size fuel line would be on a stock 83 firebird LG4 with a quadrajet?

https://www.dormanproducts.com/cgi-b...tegory_list=:0

^^ thats a link to the filter

thanks guys.

 

Stock fuel line is 3/8" and the return is 5/16". That thing is too small.

 

they make it in 3/8''

https://www.dormanproducts.com/cgi-b...tegory_list=:0

is it a good idea idea or should i just stick with the stock one?

 

I have a serious aversion to those things after reading about the guy's car burning because of one... I don't recall if it was plastic or glass but anything I can see through is now avoided. I just got my Earl's filter plumbed in tonight and it's beautiful... Why are you wanting a clear one?

 

a) to keep the stock filter clean and avoid having to change it as often b/c i've heard that over time the stock filter housing can strip out rather easily
b) being able to see when the filter is dirty rather than guessing
c) having 2 filters never hurt anybody

and i read that story about the fire. it was the crappy plastic mr. gasket one. apparently it was a defect in the housing that caused the fire.

 

I had one of the glass filters come apart while driving on another car I owned and pour gas all over the hot engine, luckily no fire. Since then I stick with the metal filters. NAPA has decent ones.

Just my opinion...
Mike

 

do you happen to know the part # off that metal napa filter? do they have the replaceable filter cartridge or do you have to replace the whole thing?

 

I have used a glass fuel filter for so long I can't even remember when I installed it. It sits just below the pass. side fresh air intake for the air cleaner.

Auggie

 

I had one of these too, my car started stumbling, turned out the glass filter has loosened and leaked gas and sucked in air. I'm lucky thats all that happened. The one I had could be taken apart by unscrewing it. Not sure if thats the way they all are, but there is no way I know of to make sure it doesn't loosen. I wouldn't waste my $$$ on it, unless you're using it temporarily to check how clean your gas is.

 

I wouldn't bother. It's just one more thing to maintain (and break) and one more fitting to leak. The stock one is $6, replacing it when recommended is cheap and reliable. I've never heard of problems with the stock fittings getting stripped unless you install the filter wrong.

 

I agree with firebirdjosh that the stock filter is sufficient. I recently replaced the in-carb filter in my quadrajet. Just be careful with the fittings and you won't strip it. I don't have the part number for the NAPA filter, I just asked for a 3/8" metal fuel filter.

Mike

 

My local track (Mission) doesn't allow any glass or plastic fuel filters, they have to be metal. Just something you should check out with your local track if you ever plan on going.