Gasoline and fuel filter housings 2 questions

[Steve Meltzer]

Some years ago, I noted what I thought was rust and corrosion within the fuel filter housing of my 330 GTC. I cleaned up the inside of the housing and painted it with a fuel tank preserver called "Red -Kote". About two or three years later, I discovered that the "Red-Kote" material had come off, and was obstructing the flow of fuel from the filter, as well as the pump. So, I cleaned it up one year ago and meticulously repainted it with the same stuff. Now, again, there's a modest amount of what appears to be corrosion debris in the filter housing. So, we ain't doing that again.

I've got the housing cleaned up once again now. Should I just leave it naked, as is, or should I try POR – 15. Bill Hirsch also makes a paint that is supposed to be fuel resistant. I don't want to keep going through this every year. Apparently, there's also a process for fuel tanks called "Renu". The debris is not coming from the tank, which I believe is fiberglass anyway.

Part B: Getting alcohol free fuel here in Houston is nearly impossible. I have found some alcohol free fuel within a reasonable distance, but it is 87 octane. Now, these Ferrari engines are not high compression jobs. Can I use ETOH-free 87 octane plus maybe some octane booster from Lucas and see how it goes? It seems like I would be ahead of the game if I could get rid of the dreaded 10% or even more, ethanol that plagues the gas here in Houston. I do drive the car modestly hard, but not for a prolonged amount of time. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated thank you, Steve.

[DWR46]

Steve: The 330 engines are low compression ratio motors, so I would give the 87 non-ethanol a try. Just keep an ear out for any "knocking" under load. Royal Purple also makes a very good octane booster (I use it on the 427 Corvette). Keep searching for 90-91 non-ethanol (we have it here).

[Steve Meltzer]

Thanks Dyke, The station that has the 87 ethanol free did have 92 ethanol free, but they discontinued it because they couldn't sell enough to make any money. I was probably one of the few people who bought it! I'll give the 87 a try with some octane booster. Thanks, s.

[DWR46]

Steve: I would first try without the octane booster and see what happens. You may be surprised.

[tyang]

The fuel filter housing is some kind of alloy and does not rust, but corrodes like aluminum. I wouldn't coat it with anything.

Tom

[DWR46]

Tom: Agree on the filter canister, no coating.

[Steve Meltzer]

To the Pros from Dover: Thanx again. I am glad not to fool around with any sort of coatings inside the housing. I will just be bead blast it once more and we'll it give it a go. Thanks again, Steve.

[tyang]

the outside of the canister is painted a grey color and has a yellow stencil, but the inside is bare.

Tom

[Steve Meltzer]

Thanks Tom, My gray canister has a yellow sticker, not a stencil. It seems to me I got it sometime ago from Kilimanjaro. Thanks again Steve.

[tyang]

Thanks Tom, My gray canister has a yellow sticker, not a stencil. It seems to me I got it sometime ago from Kilimanjaro. Thanks again Steve.

That was what was available, but not 100% correct. They can't see the label when judging so it's not an issue on a concours level.

Tom

[250gtgt]

Hello Steve. this is an unrestaurated filter.

Its a kind of blue metallic with yellow label.

However its from 1959 ,1958 or 1960

Don't know if it was changed in color later on.

Best

C

[250gtgt]

For those guys ,who wanted always every thing 100% on there cars in the right color

did find in my trash black examples .

so let it be

but for sure later models 60th or 70th ?.

but untouched .

nice weekend

C.

[Melchior]

I wasn´t happy with the available sticker too and thought about using a stencil first, but the letters are so fine that I wasn´t sure whether this would work. Finally I tried to replicate the yellow label with a stamp. The alloy canister is not perfectly round which makes it difficult to roll the stamp without blemish. It needed several attempts to get it done but at the end the result looks good to me.

Does anybody have experience with using a stencil?

[mechaniker]

I also had a stamp made. Looks very good, if you finally manage to get a good print.


But I kept a try with a slight mistake. It just looked natural to me.

[tyang]

I saw a video once of a machine applying stamps onto an cylinder and it was a two step process. Ink was applied to a flat stamp, then it was stamped onto something that looked like a balloon, but probably with more wall thickness. The balloon with the imprint would then transfer the stamp to the irregular surface. I wonder if that would help with this stamp. Of course you would have to get the stamp made in reverse for the extra step in this stamp process. It sounds like a fun project and a challenge!

Tom