Another BX fuel filter mod ... only took five years!

[mcmxi]

I decided to do the BX fuel filter mod before reinstalling the mid mount mower and it's going well. I primed the bracket and guard this evening, will paint them with Kubota grey tomorrow and get the filter hooked up by Friday afternoon. I didn't want to mess with nuts so tapped holes for filter and guard mounting.

I haven't looked for a filter wrench yet but allowed from some clearance around the knurled ring for a strap wrench if nothing else.

 

[85Hokie]

Nice job - 3 things I like!

Filter moved up a little higher!
The protection on the front side
and the welds are spot on ! Pun intended!

 

[foobert]

Yeah, that bracket is look'n a lil' skimpy there... might want to beef it up and add a couple more attach bolts

 

[bronc71]

Very nice work. Even used metric hardware to keep it all the same. Details matter to me too.

 

[mcmxi]

Nice job - 3 things I like!

Filter moved up a little higher!
The protection on the front side
and the welds are spot on ! Pun intended!

Thanks .... those things are important to me too.

Yeah, that bracket is look'n a lil' skimpy there... might want to beef it up and add a couple more attach bolts

I know it's overbuilt but I'm just using steel from the scrap pile to hobble something together that will work. Aesthetically I think it matches the bulk and scale of the BX but I wouldn't be designing and manufacturing brackets like this if I were in the business of selling them for a profit.

Very nice work. Even used metric hardware to keep it all the same. Details matter to me too.

Thanks. The bolts that hold the filter on are M8x1.0 and I need to buy some longer ones tomorrow. The bolts that hold the guard on aren't metric but they are grade 8 and can withstand a lot of shear.

 

[mcmxi]

I need to remove the brass nipple on top of the filter housing and replace it with a pipe plug of some sort. I assume I'll need to drill and tap the hole once the nipple is removed. I might have to cut off the nipple and drill out the stub, then tap with an NPT tap. Should be easy enough.

 

[Crash277]

Armour plated fuel filter! That’s awesome, just needs a shot of kubota grey frame paint and it will look like it grew there!

 

[mcmxi]

Armour plated fuel filter! That’s awesome, just needs a shot of kubota grey frame paint and it will look like it grew there!

HA! I like that! I put one coat of Kubota grey on this morning. The paint smells like quality if that makes any sense. I had to shake the crap out of the can to get it to run and have the brackets in the house to cure so am probably taking a few years off my life expectancy. One more coat should do it and then on to the final phase. I'll post some photos when it's all wrapped up.

 

[mcmxi]

I managed to get the installation wrapped up this afternoon/evening. I would like to find some hose brackets to mount to the frame to hold the fuel lines rather than use zip ties but overall I'm pleased with the upgrade. The factory inline filter between the tank and the pump was fairly dirty (see last photo). The green hose is just that, sections of an old garden hose that I used to provide some protection for the fuel lines.

After running the engine for a few hours I'll replace the inline filter up near the engine block in case any debris managed to get into the system between the 5/16" barbed fitting and fuel pump.

 

[foobert]

Looks factory -- I love tinkering handy work that shows care and quality. Great job!

Did yours have 2 in-line filters, and did you leave any of them in place?

I'm really like this mod and don't think that the 2x in-line filters on my BX is an odd design choice considering the rest of the build quality.

 

[mcmxi]

Looks factory -- I love tinkering handy work that shows care and quality. Great job!

Did yours have 2 in-line filters, and did you leave any of them in place?

I'm really like this mod and don't think that the 2x in-line filters on my BX is an odd design choice considering the rest of the build quality.

Thanks. I probably could have used factory style fuel line clamps on the new filter housing for a better looking job and might change to those at some point. Hose clamps look a bit unprofessional although they're functional.

Yes, my BX had two inline filters and I've left the one near the engine block in place and as mentioned above will change that after a few hours running the engine. The filter closest to the fuel tank is a pain to swap out and virtually impossible with the mower deck in place, so this upgrade is a big improvement in terms of filtration, water separation and maintenance.

 

[mcmxi]

A final update:

I made up a couple of hose/flex loom holders that install in existing holes in the frame so no drilling required. I don't like running zip ties through the frame and much prefer the function and appearance of the holders I made. They use two zip ties and work like the plastic versions that get taped into looms in cars and trucks. I pulled off the garden hose since it looked like crap, ran both sections of fuel line through nylon hydraulic hose sleeves, replaced the hose clamps with much nicer spring clamps and got everything buttoned up to the point that I'm happy with the upgrade and consider it finished ... well, almost.

I did discover this afternoon while moving a bucket full of dirt that the protective "skid" plate contacts the left tire ever so slightly at full lock to the left and with weight in the bucket. It's a simple case of unbolting the plate and removing a bit of material from the lower right outer corner. I made a guess when I mitered the 90 degree corner and guessed wrong.

So here's the final product. Now I can install the mower deck.

 

[8upbowhunter]

Good job, that looks really nice.

 

[802Driver]

Extremely satisfying to look at the end result!

 

[mcmxi]

Thanks for the kind words. I try to do a good job and that takes time and some thought.

I had mentioned a strap wrench in an earlier post so I ordered and received what at first appeared to be a fairly decent product. On closer inspection I noticed the ends of the rivets are cracked where they're rolled over. Not surprising I suppose and something I wouldn't expect to see in a product made in Japan, Taiwan or South Korea. I might end up having to replace those if they fail. It was $18 on Amazon so not a big deal but still annoying.

Amazon.com: Belt Type Oil Filter Wrench Car Multi-Purpose Adjustable Filter removal Wrench Auto Engine Tools Motorcycle Repair Belt Wrench for Filter and Pipe 8 Inch: Home Improvement

I'll post a few more photos once I've modified the skid plate, painted it and reinstalled it.

 

[ravensview]

Really nice install, awesome job!

 

[mcmxi]

Thanks @ravensview. I modified the skid plate the other day and it still makes contact with the front left tire at full lock when I rock the tractor side to side. The front axle pivots relative to the body so although this contact won't happen often I don't want it to happen at all.

I'm going to make a change to the skid plate. I think I'll modify the plate so that the lower section is no longer vertical but rather angled towards the bottom of the filter (see gray line in photo below). I think that will solve the problem.

 

[dlsmith]

Do you know the part number for the element in that filter?

 

[mcmxi]

Do you know the part number for the element in that filter?

I believe it's 15521-43160. There's a decent schematic in the link below.

Amazon.com: Genuine OEM KUBOTA Filter,Fuel Element 15521-43160: Automotive

 

[mcmxi]

I managed to modify the skid plate this afternoon and will post a photo tomorrow when it's back on the BX. Here it is after painting and clearly it's quite a bit different. I much prefer the look of this skid plate and now it's able to clear the tire at full lock. Since the plate has a "break" in it I decided to remove the gusset.