Savage_Greg wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:

I have reinforced clear fuel line to let me see flow (though it's not much more than a trickle in actual use) as the filter isn't one of the glass types.  The Amal's fuel tap is a banjo fitting that can be pointed to either side of the carb and I have it on the left.  Yes, several of the clear plastic filters ended up bending the tubing at one end or the other.  This was probably due to a little tension on the fuel line and enough heat over time to allow the plastic to bend.  In one case it bent enough to form a hairline crack that sprayed fuel onto the inside of my thigh at high revs.  It didn't leak at idle.  I decided I'd prefer something sturdier and I like the idea of reusability too.  I just clean when I clean my K&N air filter.  I also keep spare fuel line in my tool roll.

Arthur provides us yet another indication of the need for the much finer filtration levels provided by folded paper type filtration.  

BTW, my stock petcOck filter screen was partially plugged up with brownish varnish deposits last time I took my petcOck off.  I think the fine brown powder he is finding in his tank are solids that parcipitate out of the gasoline (leftovers from the cracking process that are coming out of solution over time).  I had the same stuff inside my tank.  

Some refer to the brown stuff as rust particles, but I don't have any physical rust on the sides of my tank that I can tell and rust wouldn't coat a filter screen like this brown stuff can.

The screen type filters don't always cut it as varnish and fuel oxidation build up on screen surfaces (mainly because bikes can sit too much in the cold part of the year).   The little bits of varnish powder that do make it through the screen mesh aren't going to do your fine jets any good and they are going to build up in your float bowl.

But opinions do vary.  As do the approaches to keeping all the trash out of your carburetor.

And we wouldn't be having this somewhat detailed discussion if it were springtime and the weather was nice, because we would all be out riding.  

Winter can get boring.


Lancer, any news on the cam chain order?


Oldfeller

Oldfeller--FSO wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:

Wow.  I never dreamed that I'd beens so lucky during 40 years of riding.  How ever did I escape all these nightmare scenarios in all my bikes?  I guess the Savage is a lot more "high tech" than even I knew.  

A lot of the stuff in your tank has to do with past maintenance practices on your bike.  Water, old gas and dirt.  The photo above is not a photo of a petc0ck from Ron Ayers.  That is mine after 7 years of use.  See any varnish?  (I know, I must have cleaned it up, right?)

Sure you get some dirt from the fuel, but the fact that things were stuck in your filter proves that it does it's job.  Stuff that goes through the screen is actually able to go through your carb, too.

Let's not just talk about "fine" jets, either.  Let's be more accurate.  A main jet orifice (#145-155) is from 1.45 to 1.55 MM which means that the diameter is .057 to .061".  That's almost 1/16".  If you have stuff clogging the main jet, you've got bigger problems to worry about...(I'll let you calculate the other jets and orifices)

IMHO, if you want to over engineer it, that's just fine.  However, that's doesn't mean that it's necessary to keep your carb clean.  There is a drain on the bottom of your carb, too.  Open it up from time to time, and let that fine stuff out.

Oh...and once you feel that your fuel is spotless and clear, don't forget that water still goes through the tank and inline filters.  Water can condense from the air or come out of the gas pump, so regular maintenance is still a good idea anyway.

Good luck.

Savage_Greg wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:

cant find a pm schedule for the carb in the owners man or the ssm..
so if i was a young new rider and had no Handy experience id think bout installin an external fuel filter cause i have some mechanical aptitude and i love my bike and want her to last..an external clear fuel filter IS
preventive maintenence.....
why do ANY mods that dont make her go or stop??

  Put some SeaFoam in your gas once every couple months it will clean the carb without taking it apart. Also run a tank of high octane gas which has cleaners in it every couple months.SeaFoam also lubes the slides in the carb.

barry68v10 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:

Arthur wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:


Sorry Arthur, I wasn't trying to bust your chops, I was just pointing out there are a myriad of options if you're not going to stick to stock.  I've considered switching to a full-sized auto filter on my M/C, I've already plumbed in an oil cooler.  If I had a fuel pump, I'd consider a better fuel filter as well.  I'm not sure where to draw the line between "motorcyle application" and "automotive application" since there is so much overlap.  I know somebody has to think inside the box, but some of us don't.  

If I've offended you, please forgive me, it certainly was not my intent.  

As for the TP filter idea, it will also filter down to about 0.1 microns AND it will absorb water from the oil.  Unless I'm mistaken, it think it requires about 15 psi to do an efficient job, but as long as you only allow a small amount of flow, and flow from a pressure port into a non-pressure area, it should still work as advertised.