Beware of NAPA FUEL FILTERS

[myaerocars]

Just completed a frustrating job.

Finally finished install of new gas tank, rubber barrier hose and partial steel line replacement. Used a new NAPA Gold metal fuel filter. Try to start car.. turns over fine but won't start. Double check everything...try priming carb. Still no luck.

Decide to remove fuel line from sending unit to pump. I had already blown out all of the steel hard lines but thought I would just double check. They were totally clear. I cleared all the vent lines as well.
Surely can't be the new fuel filter.......

Yea.... the NEW filter has defective and would not pass anything. What a huge waste of time. THANKS NAPA !!

Lesson learned: ALways check a new fuel filter to be sure it will actually flow something.

Good thing I was not breaking in a new engine... lots of wasted cranking.....would have wiped a cam lobe for sure.

just venting.. thanks.

 

[wannadrag]

Sure you had in on in the right direction?Some of those only work one way.

 

[Red63440]

Just completed a frustrating job.

Finally finished install of new gas tank, rubber barrier hose and partial steel line replacement. Used a new NAPA Gold metal fuel filter. Try to start car.. turns over fine but won't start. Double check everything...try priming carb. Still no luck.

Decide to remove fuel line from sending unit to pump. I had already blown out all of the steel hard lines but thought I would just double check. They were totally clear. I cleared all the vent lines as well.
Surely can't be the new fuel filter.......

Yea.... the NEW filter has defective and would not pass anything. What a huge waste of time. THANKS NAPA !!

Lesson learned: ALways check a new fuel filter to be sure it will actually flow something.

Good thing I was not breaking in a new engine... lots of wasted cranking.....would have wiped a cam lobe for sure.

just venting.. thanks.

Many of them are one way only....

 

[eric383]

Elect. pump or mech.?

 

[myaerocars]

Yes, filter had inlet pointing towards engine, This is a stock mechanical pump. My neighbor even had a small booster pump we used to try and pull fuel from the tank to the carb... nothing. Took defective filter back to NAPA, took new one out of box, could blow air through it just fine. Installed new filter and car started and ran fine!

And by the way, you could blow through this filter in either direction and it still would not pass any air - the replacement one you could get air easy though either end.

 

[cr8crshr]

Most likely you got one of those "One in a Million" pieces that was defective and fell through the cracks. NAPA more times than not always has reliable parts so I am thinking you just happened to be that person that got the bad one. Glad you got it corrected and hopefully NAPA took care of you. I always will go to NAPA before Rock Auto or any other parts stores....

 

[Moparsmitty]

You can buy a defective part at any parts store. It happens to the best of them. Many of the parts at different stores are manufactured by the same suppliers and just re-branded for that particular store. I still think that NAPA is the best supplier for OEM type parts. They have always stood behind the quality of their parts in my experience and if there is a problem, they will do their best to make it right. I've used hundreds of their filters and never had a problem. JMHO

 

[Cranky]

I've probably have bought one of each and every defective part known to man in my 40+ years of 'playing' with cars and you do learn from it....one of the things I learned 40 years ago was to always check a fuel filter before installing it. Comes with the territory but....it's the made in China junk that will try your patience more than anything.

 

[myaerocars]

You are quite right that you can buy a defective part from anywhere. When I went back to exchange it, the 2 counter guys both agreed that is was faulty. They gave me a new one.
When I asked for the corporate number to be sure NAPA would follow up with the supplier, they said why? We will put a yellow sticker on it and return it as defective. That's when I asked for WIX's customer service number. When I called WIX, they were very helpful. They asked which NAPA store I had bought it from and said they would inform their rep to be sure and go by and inspect it and get the lot number off it as well. I normally ask for WIX products as I have had great service from them... and I will continue to do so based on their interest. Just bad luck that I got one... and it was made in the USA, too. Oh well, it happens.

 

[Cranky]

Made in the USA with materials made where? I see a lot of that too. You can have the best of the best building stuff but if the materials that are supplied are inferior, then you're going to have failures.

 

[myaerocars]

That is a good question... never thought about that...

 

[Rt jam]

Yes, filter had inlet pointing towards engine, .

It should be outlet towards the engine.

Also do not understand why it didn't at least fire after priming carburetor.

 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

It should be outlet towards the engine.

Also do not understand why it didn't at least fire after priming carburetor.

x2

 

[tallhair]

It should be outlet towards the engine.

Also do not understand why it didn't at least fire after priming carburetor.

X3

 

[ZR9B]

I use a clear fuel filter just for that reason....you can always see whats going on...

 

[myaerocars]

OK .. just to clarify... inlet was from the tank side with arrow pointing towards the engine (outlet).

The car would start and run as long as bowls were full. Sorry for the poor wording. And with the new replacement filter installed from NAPA, car fired up and runs great. And as I said, Napa counter guys looked at filter and agreed it was defective! Hey, it happens. Car runs great and I am happy. I learned my lesson to ALWAYs check from now on.
Godspeed,
JON

 

[mopwrd340]

The filters used to be made in gastonia nc last i remember i passed the place going back and forth to florida dont know if they are still made there we used them at work for 20 years in a fleet of 100 to 150 trucks and i can only remember one bad filter they forgot to thread it ,