While waiting for NAPA to open so I could start getting parts for an aftermarket filter set up, I decided to play around with an old Fuel Filter Manager (FFM) to try out the "Feed the Beast" (FTB) mod myself. I had a machinist drill out my original FFM which got gifted to someone else when I put in the Air Dog. They, in turn, gave me this one so, what the heck, I'm putting an aftermarket filter on it anyway (2 Micron).
Pulling the inlet and outlet barbs was easy enough. Simply grab them by the flare at the FFM with vice grips w/o crushing and gently work them outwards.
Drilling the ports to accept the 1/4" NPT threading was interesting given I don't have a drill press (Oh no, he's going to mess it up....). The outlet went smoothly enough. It took a couple of attempts to get the depth. I didn't want to over drill but, why have a 3/8" FTB mod if the hole is still 1/4" inside the FFM. No issues with the handheld drill. The Inlet side though...yeah, it wasn't as easy as one has to go all the way into the heater tube w/o punching it. Given the FFM is aluminum and the tube is steel, I needn't have worried but, I did so I drilled several times and adjusted holds etc. and ovaled the hole. I tapped it deep with the 1/4" NPT tap and shouldered the 1/4" 6AN fitting but, even with teflon tape and thread sealant, I ain't going to trust it. There's room and material there that I can correct this using a 3/8" NPT-Male to 1/4" NPT-F sleeve/fitting left over from when I was un-goofing the taps on the intake manifold a few pages back (not my fault on that). I'll be getting a Drill Press for Christmas (Harbour Freight or Ryobi, I don't need a pro-shop unit).
Then I went to NAPA for the parts for my set up. They only had a 6 Micron filter so I'll use that initially until a CAT 2 Micron shows up in the mail. Love my local shop as they sell me stuff pretty much at cost. FIL-4770 filter base, 1/2NPT-M to 1/4 NPT-F sleeves and the filter plus a filter for the FFM was a lot less than expected. Hose and Rubber Supply of Provo carries all kinds of fittings so I got the 1/2" NPT-M to -6AN-M fittings so I don't have to use the reduction sleeves from NAPA (need to take them back anyway, they didn't charge me for those).
Since the 6 Micron Filter is longer than expected, it will go underneath on the frame rail downstream from the LP instead of in the engine bay.
I'll get some pictures up later when I find my phone. Too early to start rummaging around the bedroom in the dark while the Frau catches up on some sleep.