This entry is likely to be of interest to very few people, after all, how many people really want to see inside a 1930s-era diesel filter?
As a continuation of cleaning up the engine, I've dismantled and rebuilt the fuel filter on the engine. This is a twin filter unit for the Lister marine engines, the idea being that if one clogs (due to the vessel heaving up and down on the briny and dislodging silt from the main tank) then you can switch over to the other one and keep going.
Not much danger of that on the Thames, but a good idea all the same.
Many people might be familiar with modern cartridge filters made of pleated paper in a metal shell. This filer system uses a skinny cotton 'sock' about 5 feet long. I guess this just acts a bit like the intestine and absorbs fuel, leaving the sediment on the outside. I've no idea how long the original ones were on there, but they were black with dirt.
The picture above shows the complete length of filter wick.
This picture above shows it being coiled into its basket.
The completed unit. I got the replacement wicks from Stationary Engine Parts.
Finally a couple of shots of the engine with more of it painted.
More boring than the lightbulb entry? Only you can let me know. :)