[VideoArch]

Recently refinished my 1978 Spider fuel tank and am now installing a new sending unit and .Airtex E8778 Electric Fuel Pump. The Airtex filter sock FS1 seems unlikely to fit in the sump. Has anyone used this filter successfully or should I just make one out of stainless steel mesh?

 

[pantera928]

Recently refinished my 1978 Spider fuel tank and am now installing a new sending unit and .Airtex E8778 Electric Fuel Pump. The Airtex filter sock FS1 seems unlikely to fit in the sump. Has anyone used this filter successfully or should I just make one out of stainless steel mesh?

Not sure exactly what it looks like but the original sock filters were a bear to get in. The sock filter should be oriented parallel to the rear bumper. That is to say, left to right, (not front to back of the car) with the long end facing the right side of the car.
This enables it to be worked under the baffle in the tank.

 

[VideoArch]

Not sure exactly what it looks like but the original sock filters were a bear to get in. The sock filter should be oriented parallel to the rear bumper. That is to say, left to right, (not front to back of the car) with the long end facing the right side of the car.
This enables it to be worked under the baffle in the tank.

Thanks. The old one was more circular. The FS1 looks like this. So trying to keep it in place during installlation seems a bit of a fantasy. Possible but I would never really know for sure.

 

[pantera928]

Thanks. The old one was more circular. The FS1 looks like this. So trying to keep it in place during installlation seems a bit of a fantasy. Possible but I would never really know for sure.

View attachment 1677226

Well the orientation of the top is critical for connecting the fuel lines. Just press it on the pump so it is oriented left to right and try to angle the longer end down to fit under the baffle although it looks like they are equal. You might be able to get a better fitting one at a local auto supply. They are somewhat universal and I have gotten them from several of the major auto parts chains. That one truly looks a bit large for an Alfa tank

 

[VideoArch]

Well the orientation of the top is critical for connecting the fuel lines. Just press it on the pump so it is oriented left to right and try to angle the longer end down to fit under the baffle although it looks like they are equal. You might be able to get a better fitting one at a local auto supply. They are somewhat universal and I have gotten them from several of the major auto parts chains. That one truly looks a bit large for an Alfa tank

Yes large it is. Centerline sells the same one in appearance at least. Theirs could be smaller but looks identical to mine. Mayeb I will go over to Napa and see if they have something a tad smaller. Thanks.

 

[zedsn]

I had a hard time to get the sock to fit as well and ended up raising the sender a wee bit with an extra black used tank sender gasket and that worked for me.

 

[VideoArch]

I had a hard time to get the sock to fit as well and ended up raising the sender a wee bit with an extra black used tank sender gasket and that worked for me.

Novel idea. My old one is in decent shape. Maybe a layer of hylomar to the old and add the new. I was also thinking about cutting the old sock a bit shorter adding stainless steel mesh to the cut and stapling with SS 304 staples. Would not be a huge difference in size but might help in the install

 

[pantera928]

Novel idea. My old one is in decent shape. Maybe a layer of hylomar to the old and add the new. I was also thinking about cutting the old sock a bit shorter adding stainless steel mesh to the cut and stapling with SS 304 staples. Would not be a huge difference in size but might help in the install

Not a fan of a double seal. The corona virus was called "novel" as well.
I would really recommend a smaller sock filter oriented correctly.
JMHO

 

[bianchi2]

in tank lifter pump?

 

[VideoArch]

OK all done. Thanks guys for all the input. Here are a few observations should anyone else stumble on this thread. If you are doing this for the first time, like me, remove the tank and do this on a workbench. Much easier way to learn. Once you know how, life is good.

Aitex FS1 sock filter and Carquest FS260335 are the same size and both seem to work. The Carquest filter is made of a more flexible material and pulls in and out of the sump easier. Pulling the sender/pump out adjusting, measuring resistance, refitting just took me many tries before I was confident I had done it correctly.

I used POR-15 to refinish the tank. Usually I try to use this when the air temp is around 60-70. That way I can have two attempts to remove excess from the sump as it dries slow at this air temp. Despite my best efforts I still had a small amount accumulating down there. Which raised the floor a wee bit for the sock filter. So I shaved a bit of rubber off the connecting hose for the sender/pump and everything fit fine.

Now onto the main 3 port fuel pump........joy joy joy.