Fixnstuff
Full Access Member
^^^^^ +1; remember, between the tank pickups and the fuel filter is the selector valve. No strainer leaves the selector unprotected, and it's neither easy to repair nor cheap to replace.
THAT is very good thinking! Here are my thoughts:
My first thought was to use a good quality stainless steel, shiny or polished appearance stainless steel screen because organic sludge and debris in the tank is less likely to stick to stainless steel. Window screen does not sound good to me, the surface is too rough and likely to catch and hold such debris.
My next thought was: What is the size of the holes in the shower head?
Assuming that someone at Ford determined what size holes would be adequate. Anyone know or can you approximate?
THEN I realized the PURPOSE of the 'shower-head' shape. That is to provide a large surface area of 'screen' in case some of those holes get plugged, that won't create resistance to the amount of fuel that can be pulled through the line. A bigger surface area of the screen is BETTER.
THEREFORE, I think we need to find a better option for a screen at the end of the hose in this modification. Brass might be as good as stainless, but keeping in mind that if there is water in the bottom of the tank, the two dissimilar metals brass and steel have different electrical potentials and there will be some galvanic action. Without looking it up, I think that copper and zinc (brass) ions will be removed from the brass which will do no harm to the fuel but a brass or copper screen could deteriorate prematurely. Possibly collect some corrosion as well.
For me, I think STAINLESS STEEL or nickel or chrome plated brass?
NOW, to search for some ready-made item in stainless steel that can be easily converted to a fuel tank screen modification.
Something like the nozzle of an old plant watering can. In fact I do recall seeing nozzles like that, about 3 to 4 inches in diameter with flat circular stainless or plated brass with lots of small holes but I can't remember what it was exactly.
I'll be looking for something that will work well and if I find it I'll post it here