Dave is correct. This method is an expensive way to go. In addition to the Racor filter it requires Swageloc and Parker stainless steel fittings which are approximately $20 ea. as well as 3/8" Goodyear 30R9 fuel injection hose at $5-$6 a foot. Many of the fittings are special order and freight is additional. By the way, in the pictures I used a 2"x3" aluminum angle bracket which I am going to replace with a 3"x3" 3/16" thick steel angle bracket. The 3"x3" steel bracket will bring the filter in-board a little more which will provide more room for all the wiring and other stuff behind it in the frame rail, better align the from-pump tube, and be more robust to hold up to repeated jar removal and reinstallations.

To get a better deal on the parts, I bought 2 of everything so I plan to offer a kit on ebay with the stuff shown here and the pre-drilled steel bracket. I plan to add $50 to $75 over cost, which should put it in the $200-$225 range - so it won't be cheap. But I list the sizes for the fittings below to help others who want to gather the parts themselves:

3/8" 4-port Racor PS120-2 Strainer/Pre-Filter (1) (Has a clear hard, thick plastic jar which screws into the aluminum base.)
3/8" ss Hose Barb fittings (2)
3/8" ss M-NPT to 5/16" Compression fitting (1)
3/8" ss F-NPT to 3/8" Compression fitting (1)
3/8" Goodyear 30R9 Fuel Injection Hose (5'-6')
3/4" blue split loom to put over and protect the Fuel Injection Hose. (Ford used blue convoluted loom on its fuel line ends.)
#16 ABA Sweden ss Fuel Injection Hose Clamps (4) (These have slightly turned up edges which supposedly don't bite into the fuel line.)
3"x3"x3/16" Steel Angle
8mm(?)x70mm 10.9 bolts, and ss washers and nyloc nuts (2 sets)
6mm(?)x20mm 10.9 bolts, ss washers and nyloc nuts (2 sets)
5/16"x12" ss Tube (1)
3/8"x12" ss Tube (1)
3/8"x3/8" ss Compression fitting (1)
5/16"x5/16" ss Compression fitting (1)

 

Additional pictures

 

I like the filter. Will probably go with that eventually...

I noticed you only got 12" of 5/16 for the return. Did you decide not to bend it around the float?

 

Vans are different. Check out the photo closely and you will see that the float is on the opposite side to the return line. FYI, the bend was already in the return line, so I chose to cut a hole in the baffle rather than try to put a new bend in the stainless steel 5/16" return line above the existing bend. The 12" 5/16" tube is sufficient to direct the returning fuel onto the other side of the baffle.

 

Great job and thanks for the pictures. Not sure how the vans are with fill ups, but mine is sooo much easier with the mods done. I can easily put 25-27 gallons in it when the first click happens. Another couple of quick clicks and full. Fuel in the neck full.
I have been using the small inline filters, even used the 3003 style for a couple of thousand miles, but am about to upgrade to a spin on, probably not as pricey as a Racor though.

 

Remember, E350's, F450's and F550's have a steel fuel tank which Ford painted to keep the fuel away from the zinc in the galvanized tank. So, I am the guy with the paint flaking off the inside of the tank. (And the flakes aren't stiff, they are rubbery like little 1/8" - 1/4" pieces of saran wrap. And they really clogged up my filter and pickup foot as you can see from the thread below.) So, I went robust with my filter/strainer to avoid fuel starvation and clear so I can see how dirty the filter is without removing it. But, like Dave Norwood says, do what is comfortable to you. My problem is severe. Those with plastic tanks, likely not so much.

Ford Painted the Inside of the Fuel Tank! ???:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...fuel-tank.html

 

sorry I missed that.

 

Here's what I put on mine when I did the in tank mods.
It's all you really need:

New Show Car 5 16 Inline Glass See Through Cleanable Fuel Filter Nize | eBay

 

I am guessing that the 3/8" ss F-NPT to 3/8" Compression fitting was used on the pick up tube?

Looks great! Thanks for sharing!

 

Yes. And that is what forces one into using stainless steel for the compression fittings. Swageloc and Parker reps (and even the guy at the Ace hardware store) warned me that brass compression fittings will eventually lossen on stainless steel tubing. Ford used stainless steel on the 5/16" tubing coming out of the fuel pump and, as you pointed out, on the 3/8" tubing coming out of the fuel tank.

So once you go to a disconnect arrangement which uses compression fittings, you are stuck with using stainless steel if you want to do it right.

Now I suppose you could get away with using brass hose barbs if you wanted to. But I stayed consistent with what Ford did, which was use stainless steel, not brass, for its fuel fittings. I don't know if what I did was "right." So, I did what I thought was "right" given the severity of my problem and the available information on FTE.

 

You are absolutely going to kill me.... The other end of the tube in this picture has a quick-disconnect to the fuel pump. That's where air gets in.

 

It looks good.

 

First of all, no one, including me wants to kill you.

Second, are you saying that the end of that tube which connects to the fuel pump has a quick disconnect which introduces air?

I realized that the fuel pump does have a quick disconnect, but it is not the air conditioning-type of quick disconnect one of which is at the fuel tank and the other which is attached to the end of the tube I/you pictured). So, I assumed that it was fine.

If the quick disconnect at the back of the fuel pump does introduce air, I will refine my design. So tell me how you redesign to replace the quick disconnect at the back of the fuel pump?

Remember Tugly, I am "learning slowly..."

 

Your affinity for compression fittings notwithstanding, I just jammed a hose on there and clamped it. It ain't sexy, but it works. My earlier design kept the QD in place... just like yours is doing. I then relented when I put the new fuel pump in.

 

Guys, here's a link to my Hutch mod and frame mounted pre-pump & filters.

Used the Diesel Site kit, added a Facet pre-pump and Fuel Depot 100 micron SS strainer.
All quick-disconnect fuel connections are removed and I have double clamped each connection.

I'm going to copy Tugly's bash plate idea next to save the stone strikes on the filters.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1077641...71274068425874