Oil & Fuel Ford 1920 fuel filter mysterious spring

[JC-jetro]

Seems like a bad design flaw…why not just have a single filter (like oil or hydro) with a outflow button on bottom for releasing water. Then it’d be like a normal filter change…

I think the reason is to have a filter that does not easily plug up and have a long life. The filter bowl is also called "sediment bowl". It lets sand or other heavier particle tend to swirl around and settle to the bottom so the higher portion of the verticallyplaced filter is less prone to getting plugged. Sediments can load up the filter quickly if in-line design.

 

[TractorTech]

Seems like a bad design flaw…why not just have a single filter (like oil or hydro) with a outflow button on bottom for releasing water. Then it’d be like a normal filter change…

The Asian tractors have done this for years and a sediment bowl design allows for seeing sediment and water earlier and easier. Also cheaper filter to manufacture.

 

[Danica]

Danica, the spring goes at the bottom of the filter to apply tension from the bowl so that it stays snug. You should be able to shut the fuel valve off, unscrew the filter ring, install the spring under in the fuel bowl so that it goes up against the filter. Shouldn't be too messy

Me again, ok get this…I’ve done all the work on my tractors for 20 years but this sediment bowl is giving me pure hell! It is plastic and should fit very tightly into the upper receiving fuel area. There is zero tolerance for any slight warping etc in the bowl. Reall, it should be glass (which many are). So, am I just not seeing something obvious or does the plastic sediment bowl have an almost imperceptible deviation from perfectly round? Hope this makes sense I have scoured the web and never seen anyone with same complaint.

 

[JC-jetro]

Me again, ok get this…I’ve done all the work on my tractors for 20 years but this sediment bowl is giving me pure hell! It is plastic and should fit very tightly into the upper receiving fuel area. There is zero tolerance for any slight warping etc in the bowl. Reall, it should be glass (which many are). So, am I just not seeing something obvious or does the plastic sediment bowl have an almost imperceptible deviation from perfectly round? Hope this makes sense I have scoured the web and never seen anyone with same complaint.

Can you snap a photo to show the problems you have with fitment? is it possible to remove the fuel hoses from top fixture of sediment bowl? if so , may be you can put it together away from tractor and mount it on as one assembly along with hooking up the fuel lines.

 

[Danica]

Can you snap a photo to show the problems you have with fitment? is it possible to remove the fuel hoses from top fixture of sediment bowl? if so , may be you can put it together away from tractor and mount it on as one assembly along with hooking up the fuel lines.

The photos wouldn’t really help you I’m afraid but your idea re removing it from the hoses and doing the fitting on a workbench makes a ton of sense. I did order another bowl which will likely be less flared at the lip (likely due to 20 year of being tightly compressed against the unit you showed pic of). So, if the one I ordered doesn’t fit I will do exactly what you’ve suggested which is to remove it from the hoses, assemble on work bench and then re-attach hoses. Only possible issue is clamping the in-bound diesel line with Vice grips I suppose.

 

[JC-jetro]

The photos wouldn’t really help you I’m afraid but your idea re removing it from the hoses and doing the fitting on a workbench makes a ton of sense. I did order another bowl which will likely be less flared at the lip (likely due to 20 year of being tightly compressed against the unit you showed pic of). So, if the one I ordered doesn’t fit I will do exactly what you’ve suggested which is to remove it from the hoses, assemble on work bench and then re-attach hoses. Only possible issue is clamping the in-bound diesel line with Vice grips I suppose.

Ok. On the inlet to the filter you do have a shut off valve. Once you shut it off you have a very lil diesel in the line. Remember you will have to bleed the air out any way. I the remote chance you do not have the shut off valve then you can pinch it with a lil vise grip. I out a cardboard between hose an Jaws of vise grip. On the hose going to fuel pump I would remove and keep it pointing up to limit fuel loss, you can use the previous trick or shove a pencil in the hose to plug it up. Again, you have to bleed them at least all the way to injector pump anyway. Good luck

 

[Danica]

Ok. On the inlet to the filter you do have a shut off valve. Once you shut it off you have a very lil diesel in the line. Remember you will have to bleed the air out any way. I the remote chance you do not have the shut off valve then you can pinch it with a lil vise grip. I out a cardboard between hose an Jaws of vise grip. On the hose going to fuel pump I would remove and keep it pointing up to limit fuel loss, you can use the previous trick or shove a pencil in the hose to plug it up. Again, you have to bleed them at least all the way to injector pump anyway. Good luck

Yep, got it! You’re right there is no cutoff on the inbound line so I will use the Vice grips approach with the cardboard or thick cloth. Yes, first shot of this I did have it all back together, blended it and it started fine. Thankfully I didn’t run it more than a minute because the stupid spring that started all this was left out (I never saw it at the bottom of the bucket) so went back in leading to my current predicament. New bowl arrives weds so rather than go out into 90 degree temps working directly in the sun I will first pin all my hopes on the new bowl which shouldn’t have the flared lip precluding relatively easy insertion and then the retaining ring. Thank u so much for ur help. I will post back re my success!
Danica

 

[JC-jetro]

Yep, got it! You’re right there is no cutoff on the inbound line so I will use the Vice grips approach with the cardboard or thick cloth. Yes, first shot of this I did have it all back together, blended it and it started fine. Thankfully I didn’t run it more than a minute because the stupid spring that started all this was left out (I never saw it at the bottom of the bucket) so went back in leading to my current predicament. New bowl arrives weds so rather than go out into 90 degree temps working directly in the sun I will first pin all my hopes on the new bowl which shouldn’t have the flared lip precluding relatively easy insertion and then the retaining ring. Thank u so much for ur help. I will post back re my success!
Danica

Nice, good to hear ..... as the one of my very old dear colleague used to tell me, Patience Grasshopper !! whipper snapper you!!

 

[Danica]

I think my first message got zapped, anyway, the new sediment bowl o-ring and spring replacement went fine. Bled it and started and same issue emerged. After 15 min it starts losing RPMs and eventually dies like it was getting no fuel or air. The filter I changed out was pretty clean. The only things I did before this problem emerged were topping off with a few gallons of 4 week old diesel and putting in a new battery. This problem doesn’t appear in the engine troubleshooting action of the big repair manual. Any thoughts? Thanks again in advance.
Danica

 

[JC-jetro]

It is pretty strange. I don't think you have issue with filter per se. Why don't you get small container to collect fuel, shut the fuel valve off, remove the hose on the discharge of of the bowl and invert the hose in the container. Then open the valve to see if you get a good and steady fuel flow. close and open the valve several time to see if it makes a difference. Now, what happened to my rig many years ago, I was not getting adequate fuel flow and it was due to small piece of plastic or something de-laminated that plugged the valve inlet in the tank. I blew air in to the tank from the hose and valve. I then also emptied the fuel in to a proper jug having a 1/8" of fuel on the bottom of the tank, I then welded a extension to my brass brush , used a drill and scrubbed the tank and shop vacuumed (wet) fuel and junks in a collection jar. The stuff on the bottom was nasty. Since then I have never had issue. I have done that work only once to the day.
I also used a coffee filer and a big funnel and reused all the emptied fuel back in the tank