Prefiltering Fuel

Ok, most of our motors have an inline fuel filter on our motors, but how many of us prefilter our fuel before using it?

I learned the hard way that prefiltering is a good idea. I ruined a carb when I got water in my gas, and recently I bought some avgas from EKY that had some kind of impurity in it. I wouldn't have caught it if I hadn't let the fuel sit for a few days - it was in translucent white gas can. After sitting in the garage for a few days, I noticed a 1/2 inch of crud had settled to the bottom. I would have hated to run that through my engine.

I've found that the best filter our there for prefiltering your gas is a Mr. Funnel. It will take all kinds of crap out of your fuel, including water.

They come in three sizes and I find that the small is best suited for my purpose, it has a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute. I often buy my fuel in one can, filter it into another can before mixing, and then filter it again as I pour it into the tank.

Tom Olenik at Olenik Aviation carries these filters at a good price, a small one will run you $15 plus shipping. Here's the link.