Spring present in Qjets for fuel filter?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 763
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From: FBO Florida
Spring present in Qjets for fuel filter?
Do all quadrajets use a spring in front of the fuel filter? I replaced my fuel filter yesterday on my 1973 but dont remember there being a spring present when I took the old filter out where the fuel line enters the carb.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Yes, I believe so. Its purpose is to hold the filter in place to ensure all fuel going in passes through it. Without the spring, the filter would be loose it its housing. 
Last edited by Jud Chapin; Mar 31, 2008 at 09:42 AM.
Race Director
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From: West Chester OH
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St. Jude Donor '08 thru '13
The spring holds the filter against the inlet side of the filter housing. Normally all the fuel will go through the filter. If the filter gets plugged fuel pressure will cause the spring to compress and move the filter away from the inlet and allow fuel to bypass the filter.
Moral of the story - use the spring and change your fuel filter regularly. If it's dirty you might as well not have one.
Moral of the story - use the spring and change your fuel filter regularly. If it's dirty you might as well not have one.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
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From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
- From Carbs Unlimited - they sell just the fuel filter spring
- You can order the Holley bronze fuel filter kit - it comes with the spring. Don't use the bronze filter - use NAPA part number 23051 for the short filter or 23052 for the loing filter. These filters have the checkvalves in them.
- You can break open an old defective choke pulloff for a Q-Jet. The spring inside the pulloff is identical to the filter spring in the plastic pulloffs. The steel pulloffs use a longer spring that you can cut down to the correct length.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
The spring is behind the fuel filter - not in front of it. Yes - you have to have the spring there or the fuel will bypass the filter. You can get the spring in 1 of 3 ways:
- From Carbs Unlimited - they sell just the fuel filter spring
- You can order the Holley bronze fuel filter kit - it comes with the spring. Don't use the bronze filter - use NAPA part number 23051 for the short filter or 23052 for the loing filter. These filters have the checkvalves in them.
- You can break open an old defective choke pulloff for a Q-Jet. The spring inside the pulloff is identical to the filter spring in the plastic pulloffs. The steel pulloffs use a longer spring that you can cut down to the correct length.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 763
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From: FBO Florida
So the order when installing is spring, filter, car inlet fitting, then reattach the fuel line.
While we are on the subject. What is the best wrench for taking off the 1 inch carb inlet fitting. I have always found it hard to get a wrench on. Apparently I am not alone as I always see various degrees of damage/rounding on these.
While we are on the subject. What is the best wrench for taking off the 1 inch carb inlet fitting. I have always found it hard to get a wrench on. Apparently I am not alone as I always see various degrees of damage/rounding on these.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,465
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From: Orange Park Fl
I use a 1 inch wrench and a pair of special Vise-Grips made for holding hex nuts (not just standard Vise-Grips) for removing the fuel line. It's one of those tools you'll wonder how you did without. Then once the fuel line is off, you use the box end of the 1" wrench on the fitting. God bless, Sensei
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
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From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
The inlet nut comes off with a 1" box wrench. The inlet line comes off with a 5/8" flarenut wrench using the 1" box to back up the inlet nut.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Northeast
Along the same line when talking about the paper filter.
For those of us who only use the car a few thousand miles a year and are put away for the winter, does the filter dry out and become brittle. Should it be replaced every couple of years, and not by mileage?
For those of us who only use the car a few thousand miles a year and are put away for the winter, does the filter dry out and become brittle. Should it be replaced every couple of years, and not by mileage?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
I've never had any trouble with mine drying out and the car sits for several months at a time on occasion. I haven't changed it in ten years or so come to think of it.
