The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 1948 original style fuel filter, where to install?

I have a '48 1.5ton w/235 with Rochester carb, someone added a Fuel filter at some point in my trucks life.
I have recently removed the governor (lowering the carb & fuel line) about 3/4 of an inch. Which obstructs my original horn in its original location on the intake manifold. I am heading to my local yard to pull a stock style optional fuel filter from one of their trucks, and I am planning on bending a hard line from the pump to carb and would like to instal the new filter in-between. Was there a common place that filter was fitted too? I have read at the carb inlet but I think that would ride against my horn? The shop manual photos that I have seen show the fuel line running diagonally from parallel the valve cover to the carb inlet. To avoid the horn. I was thinking if I have room placing it on the diagonal, or along the parallel portion. Any opinions?

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/accessories/1951am/51aim20.htm

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2238852450051990781MetGfz

The above pic is not my truck. That member made a brass fitting. Looks good.

I have a filter under the tank

here is a filter that can thread right onto your carb.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...ing=search&isSearchByPartNumber=true

Dont know if that filter will clear your horn.

I'd suggest using a 45 degree "street ell" threaded into the carburetor to move the filter away from the horn. A little blue LocTite on the male thread of the elbow will keep it from trying to unscrew itself from the weight of the filter and normal engine vibrations without having to tighten it into the carb body excessively. If it ever needs to be removed, heating the fitting with a big soldering iron will loosen the thread locker.
Jerry

Yes, the fuel line must be bent to clear the horn when a fuel filter is used on your '48.

The 1951 Accessories Installation Manual shows how to cut and bend the fuel line for the fuel filter to avoid touching the horn mounted on the intake manifold. The manual specifies a 60-deg fitting between the fuel filter and the carb. The 60deg fitting was necessary in order to use the bend in the original fuel line. This is the original 60deg fitting (2nd from top)

I don't believe that the fitting is available. The pic that Gus (DADS50) posted shows a 60deg fitting that AD_Pickup had custom milled for the operation. Since you are bending new lines, you can use a 45deg fitting. This is a 45deg fitting on the 1953+ Durex filter on my '54. Note - The '54 horn did not mount to the manifold, so I bent the line as I saw fit.

The GM fuel filter accessory used in 1948 was probably a #986128 Durex. Short glass bowl with thumbscrew bolt though the bowl and metal filter. It is pictured in the 1951 Accessories Installation Manual (on a car). Here are some close up pics of the filter.

A number of glass bowl filters could have been used on your '48. They pop up on ebay pretty regularily. Reproductions of AC filters (which started in 1956) are available from most vendors. Here are glass bowl filters from the 40's and 50's.
<Pic>
Left to right ... Carter ... AC Repro ... '50-'54+Durex Moraine (with spring incorrectly inserted upside down) ... '40-'49 Durex Moraine (with cut-down Durex filter to fit)

Chevs of the 40's and Ecklers have the clips to bind the vac line to the fuel line.

Since the fuel filter was a dealer or owner installed option, just about anything you use will be "appropriate."

Nice write up Lonnie,

I will correct the above post.

I have one of those fittings and its a 45.

Thanks

There is a short bowl Durex filter for your '48 on ebay "Buy it now" $35. Item #300638610178

LonnieC Thank you so much for all the information and links!
I was surprised that I did not find any filters today at the yard.
However thanks to your links, and eBay suggestion (which I
just purchased) the filter is on its way, and I feel confident in my
abilities to create a new line.
I will post pictures when I complete it. Thanks everyone this is the
Best forum I have ever been involved with, great people and information!

Glad it all worked out. I believe that the filter you purchased is pretty rare. It is absolutely correct for your '48. Looks like you got a good deal at $35 if the filter element is good. Pretty easy to cut a new cork gasket using the body of the filter and the pics that I posted.

Lonnie my filter arrived today everything looks great! This might be a stupid question, should there be a small gasket on the bolt where the exterior of the glass fuel bowl and the bolt seats? I know there are no pictures of such a gasket on your pics of the filter, unless it is on the bolt hidden from view. Thanks again.

Curt -

Maybe someone who has a shallow-bowl Durex filter with the thumb bolt through the bowl can give a better answer than I can.

Seems like there should be a gasket where the bolt goes through the glass bowl. I don't have that model Durex filter, so I don't know for sure. I looked at the photos that I have gathered and didn't see a gasket either.

My vote is to cut a cork gasket to fit under the lip of the bolt. Can't hurt, might help. Just be ready to shut off the engine the first time you start it with the filter in place. It's amazing how much gas the fuel pump pushes past a bad gasket ... don't ask me how I know this!

By the way, here is a good article on the benefit of replacing cork fuel gaskets as they age. (Lower right corner of the page.)

Post some pics of your new filter when you finish the installation. It's a neat filter.

A Stovebolter who has a shallow-bowl Durex filter can give the definitive answer.

However, I checked the 1929-1954 Master Parts Catelog. Group 3.890 FILTER UNIT and PARTS, Gasoline, part #5451941, 1940-1949 All "SCREW, thumb, w/gasket". This implies to me that there is a gasket between the bowl and the thumb screw.

LonnieC, I have not had any luck finding a 60 degree NPT, and the 45 degree one I tried will not work. So I am going to add two 90's to the filter. One connecting to the carb inlet, the other to the new hard line. Is there any reason why this would be a bad idea?
Also I think with out a small gasket like we discussed, the filter would be more like a spigot. Here are the gaskets I made up last night.

I searched for a 60-deg fitting with the same result that you had ... none.
Here is a Stovebolt discussion about the 60-deg fitting. You might want to contact "AD_Pickup".

If you use two 45-deg fittings on the fuel filter, will the filter hit the horn? (I don't know, because my horn is in a different location.)

If the filter with two 45's hits the horn, then two 90's may be the answer. Here are some pics that I found in Denny Graham's and Gus's (DADS50) on-line albums.

Denny:
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2418709310098611668MRDBui
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2900381040098611668fmjEQz

Gus:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103098517476416596131/UntitledAlbum03#5470910103796589554

Your cork gaskets look like they will do the job. I cut the cork gasket for my Durex #986640 by sticking blue painters tape to the gasket material, then attaching a paper pattern to the blue tape with spray adhesive. I make the cuts with a single edge razor blade and punch holes with a leather punch. The blue tape is pretty easy to remove from the cork. Paper with spray adhesive applied directly to the cork material is a bear to remove.

I read the discussion about the 60 degree fitting last week when I was searching through the archives, I did not notice at the time that you were one of the people posting. With the 45 degree it positioned the filter right into the horn, even with the 90 it is close. I had considered doing something like "denny" did, but I also like stock styles, so I am currently trying something like "Gus" has done.
Here is a picture with out the hard line. My flare tool should arrive the end of this week or beginning of next then I can finish my fuel line and hook her up! Thanks again for all of your help!

Glad to help, but all I did was to quote other people and documents.

Your filter is really gonna look good. Probably a good idea to clip the fuel line to the vac line and to follow Jerry's suggestion to keep the filter from unscrewing itself from the carb.

The filter element and spring look like new. I say again -- you got a good deal at $35.

Well I spent most of the day bending and trimming up my new vacuum & fuel lines. It probably took me six times longer then anyone who has ever created their own lines, but I excepted there to be a learning curve, and I am very happy with my final result!
Drivers Side
Passnager Side
I only had the truck idling for 10-15 minutes and found no leaks. Hopefully tomorrow I can run her a few miles and really see how I did!
Thanks again for everything Lonnie, it is more then just quoting other people and documents, I truly appreciate your help!

Looks good. Nice job