# Adding a fuel filter



## shaveacct (Mar 8, 2013)

Hello everyone. 
I own an MTD E645E snow blower and for the first time in 10 years had it die in the snow. I cleaned out the carburetor and it runs like a champ but I don't want a repeat of that day

Can I add a fuel filter to this snowblower? It doesn't appear to have a fuel pump.

Thanks!


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

hello shaveacct, welcome to SBF. is there enough room to add the fuel filter? ( i ask because i don't know what your snowblower looks like ) if there is enough room to add a filter it shouldn't hurt anything to add a filter


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## shaveacct (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks for responding.

If I route the hose in a little loop it seems to fit, it does stick out a little under the protective cover but nothing I can't deal with.

I took a chance and went to autozone. I bought a Duralast fuel filter which was simple enough to blow through by mouth but when I installed the fuel line on both sides of it the engine would run strong, then stutter, then strong and stutter and finally die out, after which I really couldn't get it started again. 

The fuel lines had fuel in them but I could tell the flow was much lower by a simple test. (and yes I had the flow in the correct direction)

The test was pulling the line off of the carb and watching it drain out. It drained at about 1/3rd of the force without the filter. I'm wondering if perhaps I need a different filter (maybe some filters permit more volume?). I'm guessing a fuel pump would be a bit overkill.


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## Colored Eggs (Dec 7, 2012)

You may want to get a small screen filter. I use them on my ariens 522. Here is a link to what they look like (can be different colors) Fuel Filter 1 4 Inchreplaces Briggs Stratton 298090 | eBay
You can also get them at advance auto parts in there "small engines" section. or atleast the one near me had them. The screen is not the best filter but it allows enough fuel to flow so the engine does not run out. It does catch the objects that would clog the carb. I think the larger paper filter ones are used on mowers and larger equipment that have fuel pumps or larger gas tanks that can push the fuel though it or suck it. Where as the snowblowers just work on gravity and its probably not enough to push the fuel though it fast enough.


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

No fuel pump red, fuel pump white on those filters.

Be sure to drain and run dry for storage otherwise the Ethanol will really leave some crap.

Pete


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## shaveacct (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks guys,
I saw those red ones online and I guess they're going to be my best bet since the gravy flow just isn't strong enough. They could come in handy on my leaf blower too so I'll pick up a few.

Good call on running it dry, I always make sure to do that and after 10 years the bowl was clean enough to prove it.


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