P38A Thor engine fuel filter?

ar1g3 · Mar 6, 2023

This concerns my 1999 4.0 V8.

Nope, not the usual 'where is fuel filter??' kind of post. I have established that there is no fuel filter other than the in tank one on the Bosch engines. Which to me is absurd. May be fine when the car is new but since its 24yr old now I have no confidence in that setup.

Anyone any tips for fitting an inline filter? I have a GEMS engine fuel filter which was part of the filter kit I bought. Type ESR4065. Would like to fit that inline as stock looking as possible. Any tips, experience, advice?

kermit_rr · Mar 6, 2023

I've just swore blind on another thread that there is an in-line filter, but it's dark, cold, wet and my car is on the bump stops so i can't go see.
Maybe it's been retrofitted

biketeacherdave · Mar 6, 2023

The thor engine has no inline fuel filter

romanrob · Mar 7, 2023

On a GEMS the filter is in-line below the driver. On the one hand it's accessible, but on the other it is exposed to all the elements/ road salt etc, and mine was fully rusted and a PITA to change. if you do fit it under the car maybe cover the threads with your favourite wax compound

Gord Wedman · Mar 9, 2023

ar1g3 said:
This concerns my 1999 4.0 V9.

Nope, not the usual 'where is fuel filter??' kind of post. I have established that there is no fuel filter other than the in tank one on the Bosch engines. Which to me is absurd. May be fine when the car is new but since its 24yr old now I have no confidence in that setup.

Anyone any tips for fitting an inline filter? I have a GEMS engine fuel filter which was part of the filter kit I bought. Type ESR4065. Would like to fit that inline as stock looking as possible. Any tips, experience, advice?

The only way your fuel pump/filter combination is going to fail is by plugging up. A second filter will not help that. Since the P38 fuel tank is plastic you are not going to have rust plugging up the the filter which was a common problem in "the good old days" when I was young. If you are still concerned the only way to correct the situation is to install a complete new fuel pump assembly.

ar1g3 · Mar 11, 2023

Thanks guys!

Gord Wedman said:
The only way your fuel pump/filter combination is going to fail is by plugging up. A second filter will not help that. Since the P38 fuel tank is plastic you are not going to have rust plugging up the the filter which was a common problem in "the good old days" when I was young. If you are still concerned the only way to correct the situation is to install a complete new fuel pump assembly.

My concern is not that it would fail. My concern is that the filter sock that is on the fuel pump does not filter sufficiently fine particles, which may be okay with a new car but not after 20 years. Because all cars have this kind of pre-filter just to protect the pump, but then have another filter with a finer mesh to protect the injection system.

Gord Wedman · Mar 11, 2023

ar1g3 said:
Thanks guys!

My concern is not that it would fail. My concern is that the filter sock that is on the fuel pump does not filter sufficiently fine particles, which may be okay with a new car but not after 20 years. Because all cars have this kind of pre-filter just to protect the pump, but then have another filter with a finer mesh to protect the injection system.

A filter actually becomes more efficient as it is used. The pores are shut by debris starting with the larger ones first. After 20 years, assuming original, it will be filtering fine particulates. Same applies to your oil filter. I change mine every second oil change.

Datatek · Mar 11, 2023

Gord Wedman said:
A filter actually becomes more efficient as it is used. The pores are shut by debris starting with the larger ones first. After 20 years, assuming original, it will be filtering fine particulates. Same applies to your oil filter. I change mine every second oil change.

And as the larger pores are blocked, so the flow through your oil filter is reduced to the detriment of the engine.

ar1g3 · Mar 11, 2023

Gord Wedman said:
A filter actually becomes more efficient as it is used. The pores are shut by debris starting with the larger ones first. After 20 years, assuming original, it will be filtering fine particulates. Same applies to your oil filter. I change mine every second oil change.

Yes but the question is: what is the size of the pores when new?

Montyjohn · Mar 12, 2023

Has anyone experienced or heard of Thor injectors bunging up? If not then there probably isn't a problem to fix.

Gord Wedman · Mar 12, 2023

Datatek said:
And as the larger pores are blocked, so the flow through your oil filter is reduced to the detriment of the engine.

So when do you suggest changing the fuel pump? I changed mine when I bought the car because you don't know when they might fail but it's a dead pump that will stop you, not a plugged filter.
Edit: On thinking further I recall that I only changed the pump. I used the old housing that contains the filter. That was 6 years ago. Car runs fine.

Gord Wedman · Mar 12, 2023

Montyjohn said:
Has anyone experienced or heard of Thor injectors bunging up? If not then there probably isn't a problem to fix.

Well I had to replace one in my car to cure a missfire so they can fail for some reason. Doubt it was plugged though as you would expect others to be plugged as well.

Montyjohn · Mar 12, 2023

Gord Wedman said:
Well I had to replace one in my car to cure a missfire so they can fail for some reason. Doubt it was plugged though as you would expect others to be plugged as well.

I wonder if they felt that with the higher fuel pressure on the Thor it wasn't likely to block. Or the fuel filter they had couldn't handle the extra pressure and deleting it was the easier option.
Something to consider if fitting a GEMS filter I guess. Can it candle the fuel pressure?

Datatek · Mar 12, 2023

Gord Wedman said:
So when do you suggest changing the fuel pump? I changed mine when I bought the car because you don't know when they might fail but it's a dead pump that will stop you, not a plugged filter.
Edit: On thinking further I recall that I only changed the pump. I used the old housing that contains the filter. That was 6 years ago. Car runs fine.

The pump filter does not filter down to microns like an oil filter and if it's like the one on the diesel, it can be cleaned.

kermit_rr · Mar 12, 2023

People do talk about fuel injectors gumming up and the need to spend money on injector cleaner, however, never seen it myself

P38A Thor engine fuel filter?

ar1g3

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