Fuel Filter - which way is it fitted?

[Lotus Boy]

I'm replacing my fuel filter so bought a new one from CC, which is a UFI one on the left.

It has an arrow on the side which I am guessing denotes the fuel flow direction but...it seems to contradict the way the old one was fitted.

 

Given the feed comes from the pump via the J pipe and then up through the filter to the top hard line I would expect it to be positioned this way up (see photo 1 below) when bolted to the car which would mirror the way the old Unipart was fitted. BUT the internals are different. Looking inside from the top the new UFI one has a metal plate near the threaded hole but on the Unipart the top opening is a deep hole and the metal plate is at the bottom.

Looking in the bottom hole of the UFI is like looking in the top hole of the Unipart.

 

Photo 1 - new and old. new showing flow direction

 

 

 

Photo 2 - looking in through the top. New UFI has plate near the top whereas the Unipart doesn't.

 

 

 

Photo 3 - flipping over the old unipart shows the plate which was at the bottom when fitted to the car

 

 

Hope I have explained properly and that someone can clarify which way I need to fit it (and can perhaps explain why the two filters are opposites re the internals)?

 

Thanks

David

 

Edited by - Lotus boy on 28 Jun 2014 20:34:48

[Grim Reaper]

Please don't tell us you paid £15 for the filter

A quick scan through the past years posts (search for Fuel Filter) would have got you one for under a fiver (delivered) here

 

As for fitting the new one, just follow the arrow, it's all you can be expected to do.

[Lotus Boy]

Ha yes Grim, rather naively I did but I was buying a fair few other parts at the time so seemed the easy option and knowing I was gettng the right one.

 

Does running a filter the wrong way not imped flow and effectiveness?

 

I agree it seems that I should fit in the way of the arrow but I am just puzzled that the old Unipart would suggest it went the other way.

 

Edit to add - looking ay Myles's site his looks like there is a hole at the top rather than the metal plate.

here

 

Just confused and don't want to fit the wrong way.

 

Thanks

David

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by - Lotus Boy on 29 Jun 2014 20:15:23

[Grim Reaper]

There's no 'one way valve' in the filter that I've seen (took my old one to bits to see if there was much in it last time-nothing worth mentioning after 10 years or so)

Whichever way around it is, the fuel needs to pass the plate end, the only difference is whether the fuel passes through the filter material one way or the other, so long as you don't turn it around at any point in the future I don't suppose it matters which way it's installed.

The only thing is, if you sell the car at some point in the future and the guy who bought the car finds the arrow pointing the wrong way, would he be inclined to turn it around and not realise he risks any already filtered bits getting flushed out and into his injectors?

I'd say install it as it is marked.

[BBL]

From the arrow marking on the side, you can be certain of the intended direction of flow of the new replacement filter. On the previous one it is replacing, the intended flow direction is less clear, but now that it is out of the car, it is irrelevant.

[elie boone]

It's most likely that the imprinted arrow is under the Unipart sticker.