Clean and Re-use Primary Fuel Filter?
 

AKA 'Just how cheap/eco-freaky are you??'

I rinse several times w/ detergent or simple green and blow them dry.

After my fuel tank was removed, cleaned and put back, I had some seriously nasty stuff coming into the pre-filter. It was obviously just gunky residue, so I removed, cleaned and reinstalled. I wouldn't usually do that though, it was a special case.

The way I look at it, there's small stuff in there that I can't always see and cleaning it may result in getting dirt on the clean side of the filter. They're cheap, just replace.

I would only bother to reuse them if I didn't have a spare available.

They are cheap and I only use about 1 a year per car or less (usually less)...so its nicer to put in a shiny new one. :D

An interesting question. I suppose used filters end up in the landfill. We have oil filter recycling here but not sure what would be done if they found a fuel filter or even if they would recognize it or care if they did.

I guess the question revolves around the cleaning solution (Simple Green or whatever) and what becomes of it and the material it removes. Is the cleaning process dirtier than the discarding process?

Another question involves the pre-filter and its ability to tolerate the cleaning process. Ever taken one apart to see what it's made of? You have apparently had experience with this process and obviously the internals don't 'melt.'

If I were to reuse a pre-filter, I'd run some diesel fuel, biodiesel, or one of the "miracle" fuel enhancement products through the filter backwards. The pre-filter should be catching only "big stuff" anyway and you should be able to rinse and reuse it. You could then filter the cleaning solution with a (for example) coffee filter and put the filtered stuff in your fuel tank. But now you have a coffee filter and filtrate to get rid of -- same problem! :eek:

Humm, you might be able too rinse out the oil filter and re use that too:D

Why???
 

Filters......Fuel, Oil, Air, Hydraulic (ATF&PS) are installed for a reason.....to remove unwanted detrius/debris from whatever system thry are filtering.....why jeopardize an expensive piece of machinery???

Follow manufacturers recommendations.....and toss 'em.....:eek:

SB

After a little consideration, I realized that whatever I used to clean it with probably cost a multitude of times over, economically and environmentally, what it would be to just discard such a small, inexpensive part.

(Don't forget what it costs, in both respects, to manufacture whatever cleaning solution is used.)

Roger that..LOL..thats what I keep telling my wife about cloth napkins:D

wow, not exactly the results I was expecting...
 

But I guess I should clarify, When I got my '80, it had a hella case of 'black death', I was cleaning primary filters @ less than 3k. I actually had 2 primary filters plumbed in-line so that I could pull the one closest to the tank and still have one inline. I guess I got used to cleaning them.

However, that being said...

PEOPLE!!! these are entirely PLASTIC filters, anyone who thinks that it takes more energy to use some CITRUS based solvent and a little hot water to clean and re-use them VS. Crude oil pumped from the ground in saudi arabia, pumped 500 miles to a tanker, unloaded @ some refinery in Turkey (or God knows where) Cleaned, Cracked, trucked to a blow molding facility, molded into 3 seperate pieces, those pieces joined, boxed (don't forget the trees), loaded into a container, Shipped ACROSS the Atlantic Ocean!!!, Unloaded @ NJ or LA or God knows where, Trucked to a warehouse, unloaded, trucked again to a pep boys, stocked, and then sold to the end user (complete with a paper reciept) is completely delusional!!!

RANT OFF!!:fork_off: :fork_off:

Yeah, maybe so. but do you really want to take a chance on a piece of machinery that cost several thousand dollars to fix and replace???? Not to mention,BUY??? There is a point in being penny wise and pound foolish!:dizzy2:

Penny wise - pound foolish.

Actually, the part that would concern me is using water to clean the filter. I could see rinsing it out with some diesel (or something else oil based), but I don't think I would want to introduce water upstream of the IP. Wouldn't it be easier to just order a handful of new filters?

I don't think water would be a problem unless you're dumping the fuel filters back on dripping wet and not letting them dry completely.

I got into re-using these (the pre-filter @ less than $2.00, not the $9.00 secondary) when I was getting a lot of black gunk after beginning to use UCO in my '80 300TD. I was getting fuel starvation sometimes within 200 miles. I usually just drained them out, sometimes rinsing (backwards, of course) with a little RUG. Steve