My bike has a small, inline fuel filter right after the petcock from the previous owner, is it needed? I think that fuel sometimes has trouble getting through there (it is set up correctly). Anyway to make it flow better? I don't really understand how, but sometimes unless a vacuum is created gas wont flow out of it, even when the petcock is on prime.
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In-Line fuel filter?
- Thread starter Cmarino
- Start date
You don’t need any inline filters and can/should get rid of it
Suzuki didn’t think you needed one. According to you, it’s actually keeping gas from getting where it needs to go. People use filters if they’re worried about particles from the tank getting through the petcock screen. Get rid of it.
Once off, verify function of petcock. Fuel should flow freely on Prime, with no vacuum applied. Fuel should not flow on ON or RESERVE unless vacuum is applied.
Once off, verify function of petcock. Fuel should flow freely on Prime, with no vacuum applied. Fuel should not flow on ON or RESERVE unless vacuum is applied.
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Yep, the petcock works great, but there are definitely times when I have it on prime with the fuel filter attached and it just wont fill up with gas. I'm gonna just get rid of it.
A filter designed for a gravity feed system, like a lawn mower, is fine to use. A bubble inside seems normal so I wouldn't worry about that. You can test it by turning the petcock to prime with the feed line disconnected from the carbs. If fuel flows easily the filter is fine.
There's already a pretty good fuel filter on the petcock inside the tank. Pull the petcock out and see if it's torn or missing.
And as was mentioned there's yet another coarse filter above the carb float needle and finally, the carb bowl itself is a "settling" bowl .
An inline fuel filter is handy if the one on the petcock is no good. Otherwise it's duplication, complication, extra dangle and, can even cause trouble if the air bubble is in the sun...
And as was mentioned there's yet another coarse filter above the carb float needle and finally, the carb bowl itself is a "settling" bowl .
An inline fuel filter is handy if the one on the petcock is no good. Otherwise it's duplication, complication, extra dangle and, can even cause trouble if the air bubble is in the sun...
I could never figure why an inline filter was wanted or needed as long as "you are certain" the OEM screen is there & in good condition. But like he said if you use one that is for gravity flow system it should be fine. For me it is always more aggravating to deal with an inline filter than just the plain fuel line.
Been a while since we had an oil thread, but a fuel filter one will do.
Fit one - fit a good one that flows properly. The stupid little ones don't, and as you have seen cause a problem.
First time you get stranded at the side of the road because the stupid little filters in the carb inlets have choked up, you'll wish you fitted a decent inline filter that you could see was getting dirty.
Fit one - fit a good one that flows properly. The stupid little ones don't, and as you have seen cause a problem.
First time you get stranded at the side of the road because the stupid little filters in the carb inlets have choked up, you'll wish you fitted a decent inline filter that you could see was getting dirty.
Don't know about your GSs, but mine don't have a fine fibre filter on the petcock - it's a fine open mesh that will let finer fibrous material through, eventually clogging up the fine mesh filters on the carbs.
Another drawback of the fine mesh is that age and old fuel varnishes up the holes, so that a mesh that looks clear actually isn't, which leads to a tank that's half full running out of sufficient fuel to feed the engine.
During my ownership and trial of one of the cheap petcocks, I noticed the fine mesh was much much clearer than I'd seen mine for years, so when I tossed the useless petcock to one side I retained the pickup mesh and fitted that to the rebuilt petcock for a while.
Mary Hinge
Forum Apprentice
Suzuki fitted them to some models, my brother had a mid 2000's GSX750 that had one as standard so guess one of those would do the job if you wanted to fit one.
G
Guest
Guest
There is a fine mesh filter on the petcock that prevents anything from getting through. An additional filter could restrict flow.
I've never seen a finer mesh on any add-on filter than the one in the tank. It's pretty much the standard mesh for carburetors in all sorts of vehicles with gravity feed tanks and a carb bowls as water traps ...Paper ones are finer but they are usually seen in concert with a fuel pump, for cars or diesels that use injectors.
But, hey. Be happy. Add another if you want.
G
Guest
Guest
In the 40 years I've had my bike, I've tried the filters, several types, they all ended up in the trash can. Filter free.
I used to have that same attitude. Back in the day a "Buddy" came up with some clear fuel line and a bunch of us grabbed some of it. Didn't take too long to figure out WHY he got it so cheap, it dissolved and got into everything. Cleaning some crud out of an otherwise clean carb is no big deal, doing it half a$$ed drunk at 3am in the dark is a different story.
But a filter wouldn't have helped either...(hose after filter).
Other than that, what Grimly says applies. Though I have to add that I've had no major trouble with the mesh filters on my petcocks (other than them getting dislodged, but an easy fix once you know it happened), but also: regular fuel around here has no Ethanol added and is of rather high quality, and I've either had to put my PO-abused petcocks through the ultrasonic (cleaning the mesh) or had to replace them altogether.
My personal conclusion: In a healthy GS fuel system that doesn't need to ingest fuel of dubious quality or is ridden close to the Sahara, additional filters are unnecessary at best.
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