Fuel filter into fuel tap - is it threaded or just press-in?

gpzkat said:
I had a look, the threads on the left one in the picture aren't cut down enough to allow the nut to back off and give enough threads to grip in the tank. The one on the right backs off to where it bottoms out on the ridge and was fine. They have different lettering on the 'On, Off, Reserve' so they don't match in that way either. I got them from Walridge. I cheaped out on these, they are probably the least expensive ones I could find. The metal is soft, so combined with lack of threads holding it in, it shredded them after a couple times snugging them up.

I like the original style and figure if they leak it would probably be due to a lot of lever on/off, since it's a metal seal, will see how they go. I just leave one on and one off, and shouldn't have to lever it much.

The rest of the bike has been so good, so I won't beat myself up over missing this. I am rigging up my tach gearbox so I can get back to riding. My tach cable and tachometer will be non-functional fore a while, they should last a long time that way!

Fuel filter into fuel tap - is it threaded or just press-in?
Click to expand...
Beware of shearing the threads on these taps
I've done it a couple of times
 
baz said:
Beware of shearing the threads on these taps
I've done it a couple of times
Click to expand...
Yes, I learned the threads are weak. I am using the other style, the steel is much better and they don't have the problem of not enough threads like the one that let go. I blanked off the tacho gearbox with my bolt and a nickel to cover it, and made a gasket from a cereal box. It's great to have it sorted. I just had a nice long ride, it's running beautifully.

Fuel filter into fuel tap - is it threaded or just press-in?
 
MichaelB said:
Not that I'm aware of.
I'm sure you've had the BAP's apart and notice the design.
Down, around, through the little groove in the handle and then out again.
In my little garage testing, they don't flow as well as the straight through designs, new.
I question whether a single BAP flow enough for a hard running, Twin carbed, Norton.

I haven't departed or tested a Paoli, so I can not comment on them.
Click to expand...
I too questioned the flow volume.
I tested with my Ratio-Rite mixing cup & stopwatch. I forgot the data points, but at the time, I deemed it more than adequate, based on data found here (I think?)
 
concours said:
I too questioned the flow volume.
I tested with my Ratio-Rite mixing cup & stopwatch. I forgot the data points, but at the time, I deemed it more than adequate, based on data found here (I think?)
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Probably, however the way the Amals are tied together from A to B, I question if there is enough head pressure from the BAP's to keep the further carb properly fed. The old style of fuel pipes fed different and may be more efficient.
Yes, I know, overthinking it. Just that 40+ years in commercial construction, I prefer 'Full Port' ball valves for optimum flow.
 
gpzkat said:
Yes, I learned the threads are weak. I am using the other style, the steel is much better and they don't have the problem of not enough threads like the one that let go. I blanked off the tacho gearbox with my bolt and a nickel to cover it, and made a gasket from a cereal box. It's great to have it sorted. I just had a nice long ride, it's running beautifully.

Fuel filter into fuel tap - is it threaded or just press-in?
Click to expand...
Very Nice!!!
 
o0norton0o said:
I use the BAP fuel taps. the originals leaked, got very stiff and hard to turn on and off, so I bought the BAP's. Also a filter inside the tank is less user friendly than an inline external, clear plastic fuel filter. I can see if my fuel is flowing or not and certainly also see if the filter is clogged... In the 43 years I've had this bike the last 35 years it had the BAP taps with tygon fuel line and external filters and I haven't gone up in flames yet.. nor has it ever failed

How can you see if your inside the tank filter is clogged?? Look in the filler cap? X-ray vision? it's not an issue with an inline fuel filter. I can also change the filter with a full tank of fuel by just turning off the tap and removing the old filter, replace and reconnect. Can you do that with the in the tank filter?..... of course not...

My fuel lines have never come apart because I used nylon double row hose clamps on them from mcmaster-carr like these...

Fuel filter into fuel tap - is it threaded or just press-in?


I use one of these fuel filters on each fuel line. When I open the fuel tap, I can see the fuel flowing to the bowl, then I see it flow again when I bleed the carb.....


Fuel filter into fuel tap - is it threaded or just press-in?
Click to expand...
Yup, i thought the samecascyou and ran similar externals for a few yrs. Then just in past few montjs Ive had two failures on these clear plastic units. One broke the the spigot to body joint, another at the body joint. One went while at speed on highway. Didnt see fuel pouring out until i stepped off bike at road side. Could of gone really bad.

Ive taken all such filters off for now. I think the ones on market can be of lower quality than in the past, cant trust them. I will explore other types like the alloy or glass types ive seen.
 
baz said:
Beware of shearing the threads on these taps
I've done it a couple of times
Click to expand...
Additional info:

The taps I use/sell are from Wassell and I've never had any trouble with them. For a short while Wassell was out of stock, so I bought three pairs on eBay. Every one of them broke when tightening to the tank. Looking at the break, it was clear that they were cast out of metal that was extremely grainy. I have no idea where those came from.

I'm guessing that the same company made those as the ones you and gpzkat are talking about. Also, the taps in the post #1 picture have a rough surface - the Wassell taps do not.

I don't know where the Wassell taps are made, but probably not the UK as they normally say so when things are. For the same reason, I don't think they are EMGO.

Fuel filter into fuel tap - is it threaded or just press-in?
 
We all gotta go with our gut feeling as to what is safe based on our experiences. I'm a big risk taker, I use external filters in my fuel lines.... ;)
 
o0norton0o said:
We all gotta go with our gut feeling as to what is safe based on our experiences. I'm a big risk taker, I use external filters in my fuel lines.... ;)
Click to expand...
IMHO, they are just another potential failure point if you have AMAL carbs as the screens in the banjos are plenty. If you have Mikuni, then they are a requirement. Other carbs - I have no idea.

One caveat: AMAL banjos are made correctly. Others are sometimes too tall, and the filter does not reach the bottom and therefore are not doing the job.
 
I cut the gauze off the fuel taps, because they get choked and that’s a breakdown.

I fit inline filters because they’re really too big to get choked and you can see into them anyway.
 
marshg246 said:
IMHO, they are just another potential failure point if you have AMAL carbs as the screens in the banjos are plenty. If you have Mikuni, then they are a requirement. Other carbs - I have no idea.

One caveat: AMAL banjos are made correctly. Others are sometimes too tall, and the filter does not reach the bottom and therefore are not doing the job.
Click to expand...
There is no question that Amals will run just fine with half a tank of sand, whereas Mikunis and Keihins become incontinent with the merest spec of dust invisible to the naked eye.

Ok, I might be exaggerating a tad, but the point remains valid, Amals are really surprisingly tolerant, whereas the Japanese carbs are very fussy / particular.

A tap filter / screen is not fine enough to protect Japanese carbs.
 
Fast Eddie said:
There is no question that Amals will run just fine with half a tank of sand, whereas Mikunis and Keihins become incontinent with the merest spec of dust invisible to the naked eye.

Ok, I might be exaggerating a tad, but the point remains valid, Amals are really surprisingly tolerant, whereas the Japanese carbs are very fussy / particular.

A tap filter / screen is not fine enough to protect Japanese carbs.
Click to expand...
I totally agree
In fact I have this very problem at the moment with the VMs on my rocket 3
 
Fast Eddie said:
Strip the float bowls and clean them, especially the float needle and seat, and fit some good in line filters Baz.
Click to expand...
Yep I'll be doing that tonight (again) I'm running filters but the left carb needed a tap to stop it flooding
And I suspect one of pilots are plugged as it's running bad at low revs but fine once it's revving
 
marshg246 said:
IMHO, they are just another potential failure point if you have AMAL carbs as the screens in the banjos are plenty.
Click to expand...

Do you think the standard connector link on a drive chain is introducing another failure point? Do you mount your drive chains and use a rivet spinner to make a solid connector link or do you introduce a failure point and use a master link?? Ridiculous, right? Is a riveted connector link more secure? Of course it is! Is using a clip on master link introducing a potential point of failure? according to your logic, it is. So which do you use?

At some point, the guy who thinks that fuel lines must have steel braided protection is going to come along and claim that you could go up in a fireball if you blow a head gasket and it ruptures your non-braided fuel line...... Once you subscribe to the hyperbole, it never ends...

The benefit of the external fuel filter is obvious as I said, and as Triton Thrasher also noted,... You can see whether the clear filter is clogged or flowing, so there's no need to disassemble to check for blockage, nor check for flow. The can be changed easily without emptying the fuel tank in about a minute or two. I bet they "fail" less than the chain master link that occasionally pops off leaving the rider stranded... Just ask Jerry...
 
o0norton0o said:
Do you think the standard connector link on a drive chain is introducing another failure point? Do you mount your drive chains and use a rivet spinner to make a solid connector link or do you introduce a failure point and use a master link?? Ridiculous, right? Is a riveted connector link more secure? Of course it is! Is using a clip on master link introducing a potential point of failure? according to your logic, it is. So which do you use?

At some point, the guy who thinks that fuel lines must have steel braided protection is going to come along and claim that you could go up in a fireball if you blow a head gasket and it ruptures your non-braided fuel line...... Once you subscribe to the hyperbole, it never ends...

The benefit of the external fuel filter is obvious as I said, and as Triton Thrasher also noted,... You can see whether the clear filter is clogged or flowing, so there's no need to disassemble to check for blockage, nor check for flow. The can be changed easily without emptying the fuel tank in about a minute or two. I bet they "fail" less than the chain master link that occasionally pops off leaving the rider stranded... Just ask Jerry...
Click to expand...
You must like fruit! That's what mixing apples and oranges is!

BTW, a master link, of any kind, is not an added failure point but is failure point. True, a properly riveted master line is less likely to fail that a standard master link but I seriously doubt that any of us are installing a riveted master link that is as strong as the links of the chain. In fact, I've been stranded only once by a chain - one with a DIY riveted master link by the owner.

Also, I've never had a fuel line fail on an AMAL equipped bike and I have had an inline fuel filter fail - dumped a couple of gallons of gas on my garage floor. When I replaced the owner's fuel lines, with the ones from AN, I certainly did not cut them and add inline filters!
 
I'm doing something entirely wrong. My fuel doesn't have any sand in it. :)

I think I'd need 1/2" of grit in the bottom of my fuel tank and the petcock filters would have to snap off before enough crap would get in the float bowls to make the engine quit.

I drop the fuel bowl drain plugs on the Keihin FCRs once in a while. I've never seen anything in the drain plug cup that wouldn't pass the needle jet. Usually there's nothing in there but a little fuel. Yeah, I know the FCRs have more to them than a needle jet.

Not only that, my tank is lined with 31 year old Kreem tank liner that hasn't failed yet. :oops:

Talk about living dangerously!!
 
Schwany said:
I'm doing something entirely wrong. My fuel doesn't have any sand in it. :)

I think I'd need 1/2" of grit in the bottom of my fuel tank and the petcock filters would have to snap off before enough crap would get in the float bowls to make the engine quit.

I drop the fuel bowl drain plugs on the Keihin FCRs once in a while. I've never seen anything in the drain plug cup that wouldn't pass the needle jet. Usually there's nothing in there but a little fuel. Yeah, I know the FCRs have more to them than a needle jet.

Not only that, my tank is lined with 31 year old Kreem tank liner that hasn't failed yet. :oops:

Talk about living dangerously!!
Click to expand...

I have had that N15 tank's cork gasket disintegrating gradually and leaving bits in the tank. I ran one day without a filter as I was tuning it, and a speck got in the float valve and it dripped gas through the overflow. First time I've every had any such swarf in a tank in dozens of bikes over too many decades. I think maybe rubber would be better. I don't want to start a rubber vs cork fight tho.
 
My point is that an inline fuel filter adds the same amount of extra risk of failure as not wearing your tin foil hat to block the microwaves giving you cancer..... how do you like them apples? 🤣

So you would look at my fuel lines and think, "OMG, look at the risk that guy is taking!!!".... I think I have a picture from the 1980's with the same set up and it's never leaked or failed....

Clear as day,..... I wish I had mowed the lawn before I took that picture...

norton on the grass.jpg
 
Last edited:
o0norton0o said:
My point is that an inline fuel filter adds the same amount of extra risk of failure as not wearing your tin foil hat to block the microwaves giving you cancer..... how do you like them apples? 🤣

So you would look at my fuel lines and think, "OMG, look at the risk that guy is taking!!!".... I think I have a picture from the 1980's with the same set up and it's never leaked or failed....

Clear as day,..... I wish I had mowed the lawn before I took that picture...

View attachment 114914
Click to expand...
So should I put in lines like was pictured early in this thread back on my two bikes and see if they fail again? Twice in a few months. Two different failute points on similar filters, one a 90 degree elbow type, one a straight through. Both out of that hard clear plastic. One failed at spigot, other at body "weld".
I do like having in line filters but can longer rely on suppliers offering dubious quailty types. The alloy or glass ones look well made but all see rather large for commando fitment.

My chain link has been fine for 20k miles now, BTW.
 

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