The V8 Owners Forum -

Hi,

Anybody know where i can get a filter that sits inside this flame trap ?




Regards,


Martyn......

I use Stainless Steel pan scrubbers from tesco. Little pack of 3 for a couple of quid

My short answer is - Try Chicken Wire - Confused?? Here's Why!

In 1993, when I first looked inside my (then) 7 year old Vitesse flame trap, it contained a very neat bundle of "chicken wire" that I took to be original.

It was VERY crusty with carbon deposits - never been cleaned in that time by PO's, I reckon, and nearly blocked, so it was clearly effective.

I cleaned it off in chemical solution, back to bright metal, and simply stuck it back in the housing. Bienniel cleaning since then and its still OK, 24 years old now.

My understanding is this! The open nature of the item catches and condenses out all the oil which drips back into the engine and the noxious gasses are simply allowed through to be recycled.

Many times since, when-ever the subject is discussed, it's always bothered me that using a wire-wool type replacement would have two detremental effects.

1 the passage of recycled gasses is somewhat restricted.

2 the wire wool type replacement would block up more readily.

Bearing in mind the propensity for neglect hereabouts, that would quickly lead to a blocked breather and poor performance.

So, Chicken Wire seems like a better solution, to me, although I am also taken by the S/S pan scrubber idea providing they are not too close weave.

Problem is it's a flame trap as well as a filter. So may well need closely spaced wires (or rather very small air passages) for that to work - think Davy Lamp.

Its basically a coalescing filter as Ramon Says. And also acts as a flame arrestor by obtructing the flame front in a blow back so it has to pass through holes that are too small for the flame to develop and also cool the flame front to extingush it.

Thats my basic understanding.

I did some work for Calloway Golf a few years back and made some for the extraction system on their titanium grinders / polishing machines.
That titanium dust goes up like a Roman Candle :0
They worked ok.

I can see chicken wire working just fine if its crushed up enough to reduce the passage ways to create a real maze for the gas to work its way through.

mgbv8 wrote:I can see chicken wire working just fine if its crushed up enough to reduce the passage ways to create a real maze for the gas to work its way through.

It was just such a tight bundle of chicken wire type material that I found in my Vitesse.

As to whether its a flame trap first or a filter first? Clearly using a mesh that is too fine is going to require a more diligent approach to filter cleaning/replacement than was ever indicated in the workshop manuals, at least the ones that I have seen and recall where the simple instructions were to wash periodically in petrol, so I rather fancy that the original design was as I described.

It would be interesting indeed to have an input from anyone who remembers what the actual original unit consisted of.

I'd describe it as just plain wire wool. Which is very easy to get - any plumber's merchant stocks it. But if you periodically clean it out it seem to last for ever.

Hi
Please don't use wire wool it is too fine to do the job. As a flame retardent medium it needs to have enough mass in each strand to take the heat out of the flame front if it starts, wire wool will burn if you light it. Also being so fine it can get drawn into the engine via the vacuum port, and that is not good for the engine. Use a stainless steel panscrub they are much heavier grade. Or Chicken wire, but I think you will have fun making it into a nice dence bundle.
Best regards
Mike

Ramon's right. The original (SD1 anyway) was constructed from woven mesh. This was rolled up tight so that when it was inserted into the flame trap housing it unwound & locked itself in place.

I know I still have the original somewhere. If I can find it I'll take measurement's & a photo.

In the mean time from memory it was similar to the eighth one down
#10 x #9 Stainless Steel Woven Wire Mesh A4 Sheet found here.

http://www.themeshcompany.com/acatalog/ ... -size.html

Regards ged

kiwicar wrote:Hi
Please don't use wire wool it is too fine to do the job. As a flame retardent medium it needs to have enough mass in each strand to take the heat out of the flame front if it starts, wire wool will burn if you light it. Also being so fine it can get drawn into the engine via the vacuum port, and that is not good for the engine. Use a stainless steel panscrub they are much heavier grade. Or Chicken wire, but I think you will have fun making it into a nice dence bundle.
Best regards
Mike

If you've ever tried clearing one off the car with a blowlamp, the wire does burn.

Perhaps there are different sizes of chicken wire. What I understand by it has much larger diameter wire the the original stuff used.

ramon alban wrote:My short answer is - Try Chicken Wire - Confused?? Here's Why!

In 1993, when I first looked inside my (then) 7 year old Vitesse flame trap, it contained a very neat bundle of "chicken wire" that I took to be original.

It was VERY crusty with carbon deposits - never been cleaned in that time by PO's, I reckon, and nearly blocked, so it was clearly effective.

I cleaned it off in chemical solution, back to bright metal, and simply stuck it back in the housing. Bienniel cleaning since then and its still OK, 24 years old now.

My understanding is this! The open nature of the item catches and condenses out all the oil which drips back into the engine and the noxious gasses are simply allowed through to be recycled.

Many times since, when-ever the subject is discussed, it's always bothered me that using a wire-wool type replacement would have two detremental effects.

1 the passage of recycled gasses is somewhat restricted.

2 the wire wool type replacement would block up more readily.

Bearing in mind the propensity for neglect hereabouts, that would quickly lead to a blocked breather and poor performance.

So, Chicken Wire seems like a better solution, to me, although I am also taken by the S/S pan scrubber idea providing they are not too close weave.

I have to say I wouldn't have thought of that but I might have to give the Chicken Wire a try!

Supprised me too. Took mine out to clean as was a large lunp of black gunk, as it got cleaner realised it was actually rolled up wire mesh (small hole chicken wire)

Tom.