Saving Old Seagulls

when i got my seagull the in-tank fuel filter was damaged beyond any use. i removed it and ran for awhile without a filter while looking for something to replace it with. i didn't want to cut the fuel line and add an external filter.

got the idea that maybe women's panty hose material might filter well. checked to see if the material they're made from (nylon 6,6) would stand up to fuel. found a data sheet that said its resistance to gasoline/alcohol was good to excellect. did my own test and soaked a piece in fuel. after a few days there was no detriment. i still have the piece soaking and check on it once in awhile, but i'd think that if it was going to be a change i would have seen it by now.

so...i took a piece of 7/32" dia brass tube (from a local hobby shop). cut it about 1 1/8" long. drilled small holes starting 1" from the end.

soldered the lower 1/8 " of the tube (w/o holes) into the top of the seagull's fuel valve. while doing that i added a wrap of copper wire between the petcock and the section where the holes are. buffed all rough edges smooth with fine sandpaper and rinsed in alcohol to remove any flux residue.

wraped a piece of the panty hose material over the tube and secured with a wrap of copper wire. the wire i soldered on keeps this wrap from slipping off.

it works fine. hose material seems to trap crud at least as small as the oem filter did, and doesn't seem to impede the flow of fuel at all. took about 15 minutes to make.

there might be a better way known by you segull veterans- but this method seems to do ok for this newbie. thought i'd pass it along.

Mcmaster Carr sell Bronze mesh in the US.

sure - but you can buy a load of brass tube and panty hose for what you're going to pay for minimum order requirements and postage from mcmaster carr.

Nice one Jerry, if you flush out your tank and lines then filter your fuel as it enters. You shouldn’t need a filter at all, but I do like your ingenuity and resourcefulness. Keep up the good work and post a picture.

Just visited with a long time, old outboard tinkerer, we ran a bunch of motors over several days. Gas into tank through 100 mesh filter funnel, end of day syphon out fuel from motor tank back out through filter funnel into gas container. Different gas containers for each mix, Mainly 10:1, 16:1, 24:1 Says he is finished with cleaning carbs after initially working on motor.

i actually contacted mcmaster carr without success but eventually found a great product in my own back yard so to speak! imported from somewhere i think,it is 80 mesh 39 gauge stainless steel. really tough stuff. just roll it round a pencil or whatever and it stays intact without any fastening.cut to size crimping the end in the process and presto.... a new filter in seconds! now all i need are some instructions on how to solder it into the tap as i would not have a clue what solder to use even! cheers

Zinc chloride liquid flux, regular 50/50 lead tin solder. If you can't find the flux, try a welding supply shop, or take a small amount of hydrochloric acid [muriatic acid] from plumbing supplier and dissolve as much zinc in it as you can [produces hydrogen, take care, no open flame]

thanks phil ..... at least i know what stuff to get. have never soldered anything except guitar cords etc.

Forgot to mention, degrease first. Boiling water and dish soap, or lacquer thinner, or acetone would work too.

50-100 watt soldering iron, heat, dip or paint flux on filter end, light coat of solder known as "tinning", also tin fuel tap after heating and clean away any dirty bits. Heat both, shove together, add a bit of solder if joint looks starved, done.

Always best to practice on scrap first.

Will stainless steel tin?

Sure as long as you use the proper flux. Sometimes it needs a little coaxing, brushing it as you tin, not quite as easy as copper or brass, especially if the stainless isn't quite clean enough.

Have built, repaired, and modified quite a bit of equipment for food processing [maple syrup and honey] of stainless steel usually 16-24 ga. and probably 304 stainless as that is what is commonly used in food processing. Stressed seams being rivetted then soldered, non-stressed seams just soldered, lead free solder of course. Do not know how wide spread the Kester name/trademark is, but that is what I have always used. Appears to have been discontinued in the last couple of years. Came in a white plastic bottle [4 oz.] with blue lettering and inexpensive, there are several more expensive liquid fluxes available at welding supply shops here, just ask for a liquid flux for stainless steel soldering.

My father-in-law an "old school" European educated sheet metal tradesman told me about the dissolving zinc in hydrochloric acid, said that is what they had to do before liquid fluxes for soldering were readily available.

Certainly welded is better but you often get warping on light gauge material, thinner than 16 ga. when welding

applied solder with success today after a bit of practice. what a difference it makes with the right flux eh? thanks again phil
Bill

Super, glad it worked for you. Phil