Glass Filter Fuel Bowls Issues, Tips and Tricks

[avgwarhawk]

All,

 

I installed a glass fuel filter bowl(OEM) on my 1960 Electra.   JohnD1956 made an interesting observation over the years concerning these filter set up.(and glad he did as this is a point to ponder as I had concerns with the securing mechanism for the glass bowl)   Specifically causing fires if not assembled correctly when new filter installed or simply having the securing screw come loose thus pouring gas on the engine with subsequent fire.     Can anyone offer a tip or trick  to help assure the set up does not come apart after a period of time driving?  What issues have you experienced with these type of filter set up?  

Edited April 6, 2017 by avgwarhawk (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

1 hour ago, avgwarhawk said:

simply having the securing screw come loose

 

Drill a small hole in the thumb screw flange and safety wire it to the bail. Easy peasy................Bob

[avgwarhawk]

11 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

 

Drill a small hole in the thumb screw flange and safety wire it to the bail. Easy peasy................Bob

 

 

That was my thoughts in my thread in Me and My Buick.  I have seen these with wires to stop the thumb screw from backing off.  

[avgwarhawk]

I have been searching the internet for experiences of others with this type of set up for fuel.   I found that Amazon sells these glass fuel sediment/filter bowls!!!  

 

How prevalent was a fire as a result of utilizing this set up?   Farm equipment as well as road vehicles used this set up for decades.  As the later part of the 50's approached vehicles received seat belts, padded dashes, collapsible steering columns, two reservoir master cylinders but the glass bowl filter systems lived on for quite sometime.   

[JohnD1956]

Note, I refrained from placing fire blame on this type of filter.  I said I suspect it is the cause.  By 1965, at least the Electra did not have this type of filter.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Those type bowls were on a lot of engines back at least into the 30's. I never saw or heard of a fire. In fact, the thumb screws were difficult to loosen, in my experience. Most farm equipment used something similar.

 

  Ben

[avgwarhawk]

1 hour ago, JohnD1956 said:

Note, I refrained from placing fire blame on this type of filter.  I said I suspect it is the cause.  By 1965, at least the Electra did not have this type of filter.

 

 

Got it sir!!  Truthfully, this set up is a point to be examined. I'm glad you pointed this out as I too wondered about a lose thumb screw allowing gas to leak.      I would imagine in a front end collision this set up could cause some issues.     

 

Whatever tip all can offer is helpful!  

Edited April 6, 2017 by avgwarhawk (see edit history)

[Guest]

I have driven cars and trucks with glass sediment bowls professionally and privately for over 2 million miles over 58 years and have never ever had one come loose.  I have had to use pliers to loosen the thumb screw, even once had to break the glass bowl to get it loose.  I think you are totally overthinking this situation.  These would never have been used if they were unsafe. 

[avgwarhawk]

36 minutes ago, Tinindian said:

I have driven cars and trucks with glass sediment bowls professionally and privately for over 2 million miles over 58 years and have never ever had one come loose.  I have had to use pliers to loosen the thumb screw, even once had to break the glass bowl to get it loose.  I think you are totally overthinking this situation.  These would never have been used if they were unsafe. 

 

 

That is good to know!    My thoughts concerning safety and the length of time these were used is a good indicator the set up is overall good.   I would think these sediment bowls were slowly removed from manufacturers for reasons of cleaner gas not requiring a sediment bowl, reduced cost and reduced weight? 

Edited April 6, 2017 by avgwarhawk (see edit history)

[Bob Engle]

Just as the oil bath air cleaners and  canister oil filters went to paper and self contained canisters, the glass bowl gas filters followed suit.  It would take one heck of a wreck to break the bowl if it is properly mounted to the engine thermostat housing.

 

Bob Engle

[avgwarhawk]

4 minutes ago, Bob Engle said:

Just as the oil bath air cleaners and  canister oil filters went to paper and self contained canisters, the glass bowl gas filters followed suit.  It would take one heck of a wreck to break the bowl if it is properly mounted to the engine thermostat housing.

 

Bob Engle

 

Makes sense for the glass bowl filter set up to go the way of the air and oil filter.  Cost, weight, size, location.

 

For my application on the 60 pictured above, without the glass bowl setup the gas siphoned to the the pump and eventually the tank with a inline filter.  Longer crank times required.  It appear the glass bowl remedied this problem.

 

Searching the net further some replacement gaskets do not work well.  The gasket swells when gas is introduced.   These are rubber based gaskets and or cork with rubber mixed in.  I used a Hastings and the gasket appears to be made up of a fiber material.        

 

  

[60FlatTop]

I thought the only fuel related fires prior to fuel injection were on 1966 Toronados. I never considered the glass bowls to be an issue.

 

When I was 17 I ran the fuel line up to the filter on the wrong side of the water pump and the belt nicked it. I learn quick and haven't done that since.

 

Thinking about it, I can only remember seeing one burned Buick. It was a red '71 convertible in about 1973 and that was finance related.

 

I think I have a paper filter in mine now. I'm not sure. I have a thumb and two fingers on my left hand that don't take well to monkeying with that stuff. I know I was farting around with it during the winter, don't remember if it got back in. They aren't needed.

 

Watch out for internet advice, maybe even mine.

In December my idle started messing up and the car stalled at stops with increasing frequency. I checked the usual suspects and thought "Well it's been 9 years since the carb was apart and I read about all the corn licker laced gasoline online, so I figured my luck had run out. The carb must have a colonization of Monsanto organisms. AND I think the filter had been out for most of the 9 years.

 

I put the carb on the table and pulled the air horn.

 

So much for my experience with Ethanol. That's how it looked when I took the cover off. What's the filter do? I think I put a new air horn and base gasket on, but even that is foggy. I did end up reusing the old fuel lines. I cut some for it but the new line was in MM, the old fractional. The original Corbin clamps are too large.

 

I think the key to the clean carb is keeping the tank full, using Mobil gas from the same station (not price shopping with unknowns), running a lot through the car (keeping the MPG down by putting my foot into it and driving fast), and driving it late in the season and getting it out early.

 

There you go, personal experiences from a glass bowl user, the fuel kind.

Bernie

 

Oh, the stalling problem turned out to be the ignition condenser.

Edited April 6, 2017 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

I just scrolled back. You might want to route that fuel hose under the water manifold.

B

[avgwarhawk]

39 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

I just scrolled back. You might want to route that fuel hose under the water manifold.

B

 

Currently behind the generator bracket away from moving pulleys and belts.  I did not go under the manifold as it may have created an odd angle where the hose meets the filter in port.  I was also concerned with a hot water manifold touching and heating the gas possibly creating vapor lock. If this is the correct routing I'll move it to that posit. 

[Beemon]

 

I've never had an issue. When I first installed it, it gushed a little bit at first start up. I learned real quick that the best way to check if it's tight enough is whether or not you can rotate the glass bowl when it's finger tight. Once it's that tight, I also give it another quarter turn. I got mine with the stone element, but I figured the ethanol would eat it up. I haven't had an issue with it since.

[Smartin]

These things are notorious for warping and will hardly (or not even) seal when tightened.  The last one I did required a pair of small channel locks to tighten enough not to leak.  I hate them, but are a necessary evil for originality.

[avgwarhawk]

I did read a few other forums concerning these glass bowls. A few stated the same. 

[60FlatTop]

20 hours ago, Smartin said:

a necessary evil for originality

What's the difference between "necessary evil" and evil?

 

Bernie

[Smartin]

If it were just evil, I would toss it in file 13 and buy a metal in line filter

[60FlatTop]

I got a peek under the hood over the weekend and my hose really does run the same way.

 

I think the angle of the first picture made it look closer to the belt. The generator looks like it is sitting different as well.

 

Notice there is no filter in the glass bowl. I was pretty sure I didn't put one in and I don't think anything has been in there for 9 or 10 years. I drive the car a lot and always fill up at the same Mobil station. In the summer I usually top everything off late Sunday afternoon, my little parade. Keeping the tank full and running a lot of gas through probably keeps the particulates down. My carb bowl is pictured above.

In the mid-1990's my daily driver was a '56 Olds that had set in a garage for a long time with no fuel. The tank was full of tiny rust particles they were always suspended in the gas. It ran fine and never gave a problem, but it was a surprise to pull the plugs and find the porcelain tips orange.  Otherwise they were fine.

 

As I age, each year the chasm between theoretical and empirical grows deeper and wider. Somehow, things get more predictable.

Bernie

[avgwarhawk]

The rubber hose is plumbed like yours. Drove the car 100 miles this past weekend.  No issues. I have purchased a new fuel pump.  Plan on rebuilding the carb.  Newer rubber products. 

[BuickBob49]

My 1949 Super Model 51 has its original Stromberg carburetor and original Carter sediment bowl assembly with the stone element.  The bowl screws into the cast metal cap, with a bale tucked underneath it.  The key to keep the assembly from leaking is the rubber gasket between the bowl and the cap.  

 

I can obtain the rubber gaskets from NAPA and always have a few extra ones on hand in case I remove the bowl to dump sediment.  No leaks when using fresh gaskets.

 

The NAPA part no. is 730-9506.  They also have a rubber gasket for a larger bowl, no. 730-9510. (I purchased the wrong one once by mistake.)

[avgwarhawk]

10 hours ago, BuickBob49 said:

My 1949 Super Model 51 has its original Stromberg carburetor and original Carter sediment bowl assembly with the stone element.  The bowl screws into the cast metal cap, with a bale tucked underneath it.  The key to keep the assembly from leaking is the rubber gasket between the bowl and the cap.  

 

I can obtain the rubber gaskets from NAPA and always have a few extra ones on hand in case I remove the bowl to dump sediment.  No leaks when using fresh gaskets.

 

The NAPA part no. is 730-9506.  They also have a rubber gasket for a larger bowl, no. 730-9510. (I purchased the wrong one once by mistake.)

 

 

Thank you for the part numbers! 

[60FlatTop]

Thank you, good numbers. I might stop today and order a few. I have been buying the filter combo with gasket for $4 and just using the gasket.

 

Every ten years, I'm 68. I guess I'll get half a dozen of each. That should give me a couple of spares.

Bernie