Fuel Filters Compatible with E85

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E85 and S.E./Carolinas Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 11, 2002
While researching compatible fuel filters for E85, I found this:

Common Fuel Delivery Mistakes by: Barry Grant

5. Unsuitable fuel filter
Fuel filters with conventional paper elements must not be used with alcohol. Because alcohol absorbs water, the paper and the bonding materials deteriorate quickly. ............. Further, it's equally important on alcohol applications, to avoid filters with inadequate flow rates, and inlet and outlet sizes that are too restrictive.

I have found the following fuel filters with stainless steel filter media:
Aeromotive: Note: they currently do not have a 10 micron SS filter
PN 12304 - 100 micron (-10AN in/out)
PN 12302 - 100 micron (-12AN in/out) - 0.15 psi drop @ 1,200 lb fuel/hr

MagnaFuel:
PN MP-7009 - 74 micron (-10AN in/out)
PN MP-7008 - 24 micron (-10AN in/out)

Barry Grant:
PN BG5000 - 8 micron (-10AN in/out) - Compatible w/ alcohol (Stainless???)
PN 170055 (DryBreak) - 8 micron (-10AN in/out) - Comp. w/alcohol - SS??
PN 171042 - 8 (?) micron (-10AN in/out) - Comp. w/alcohol - Wire Mesh
PN 171040 - 8 (?) micron (-8AN in/out) - Comp. w/alcohol - Wire Mesh

Hope this helps.
Conrad

ps...if you know of another brand, post it here.
 
Derrick,
That is great! thank you for sharing it with us. How long have you been running alcohol in your filter? What is the Wix P/N?
Conrad
 
i always run Wix filters- oil and fuel- and just get them at whatever parts store is closest. they can just look up your car on the computer and get it for you. the NAPA filters are just re-boxed Wix parts, so if NAPA is closest, get it there.
i've been running E85 in various mixtures since i got the car in '04, and the 10% alcohol blend that's in every pump in MN in everything i've driven for the last 17 years..
 
If the stock filters work, as they appear they do, why get something aftermarket
unless it is a plug and play replacement filter, I do not want to alter my stock fuel line set up unless it is absolutley necessary, on that note, is their a after market filter for our cars that is plug & play??

Ron
 
ON the stock type fuel filter for our cars, that conversion I had with Joe Collette who works for and ethanol co. that I mentioned in a earlier post, the filters they use to filter the e100 when they receive it is paper just like in our fuel filters and they have never ever had a problem, when you here stuff from the horses mouth their is a lot of misconceptions with ethanol, maybe
they are confusing the two with methanol?

Ron
 
Ron,

Looks like the best policy is for each of us to contact the filter manufacturer and see if they think their paper filter is E85 compatible.

According to Jarod at Aeromotive, their 10 micron paper (?) filter element is NOT compatible with E85 at this time.

Conrad
 
Earlier this week I spoke with Joe who is a friend of mine and the parts manager for a large GM dealership here in Boise and we spoke about the
o rings that go on the fuel lines and filter being e85 safe, He said that is a good question let me look into it and I will get back to you, later that day
he did some research to see if there were any different o rings used and could not find any info on this even after speaking with GM people, so his thought is that the o rings that they have been using are e85 safe, he is sending me a package of 5 of the two sizes and I will stick them not in e85 but e100 and see what happens to them, I will post back after I do this, I'm
thinking a month submerged in e100 should give us some kind of answer.

Ron
 
There is alot more components on our cars that are perfectly safe with E-85 than most people think. The reason for the confusion I believe is for 2 basic reasons:

1. Confusion with Methanol and its asscoaited problems. Ethanol is a very distant cousin to Meth, major accent on the word VERY.

2. No one has ever asked the questions we are now OR tried running it for that matter. As we go down this road people will be suprised how well our cars component wise will handle E-85.

I've run hundred of gallons of E-85 through my stock fuel system, filters etc
 
Last week I replaced my A/C fuel filter with a new one, has been in the car about 3-4 yrs. maybe a bit longer, really can not remember, but not that many miles, 4-5k in that area with about 6 months of E85 and some some straight E100 also, cut it open and it looked brand new on the inside with
no deterioration of any kind that I could tell, paper felt and looked solid
with no falling apart of any kind. Thought I would share this info with you folks.

Ron
 
Last week I replaced my A/C fuel filter with a new one, has been in the car about 3-4 yrs. maybe a bit longer, really can not remember, but not that many miles, 4-5k in that area with about 6 months of E85 and some some straight E100 also, cut it open and it looked brand new on the inside with
no deterioration of any kind that I could tell, paper felt and looked solid
with no falling apart of any kind. Thought I would share this info with you folks.

Ron

Thanks Ron, another myth has been dispelled. :rolleyes:
 
"O" rings, please explain further, if you was wondering if their was any deterioration in the o rings, the answer is no, also I have in a gatorade jug both sizes of o rings sitting in E-85 for about 7 months now in my shop at home and when I go out there I shake the jug and the o rings look to be fine, now I have not taken them out yet to see the condition but will in a few more months.

Ron
 
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