North Stand wrote:

I'm looking to re-build the fuel delivery system for our 6-71 and
understand that you can use cannisters with paper towels as filter
elements.

Is that a good thing?



Does anyone have any experience with this filtration system?

Not directly, but I have a fair amount of experience (albeit not as
much as Rich Hampel) with filtration, purifification, and transfer
systems for fuel & lube oil. Having looked closely at Gulf Coast
literature and talked with several of their enthusiasts, I noted the
following....

1- the Gulf Coast system is a bypass system. This means that the oil
going into the engine is not filtered any better than before, there
may be a reduction in pressure & volume (unless an additional pump is
fitted).

2- Gulf Coast makes a number of dubious claims, some to me are
extremely dubious when they talk about gov't and military customers. I
have been involved with Mil-Spec systems for years, and Gulf Coast
does not meet any of the requirements.

3- The people who rave the most about Gulf Coast systems are convinced
they are saving money by not having to change thier oil and not having
to use "expensive" filter elements. If they think oil and filter
elements are expensive, what will they think of replacing their
engine? IMHO they are putting the cart before the horse.

Over on the rec.boats.cruising newsgroup there is a long running
thread on diesel fuel filtering & purifying (and you can read all Rich
Hampel's advice for yourself), and many of the same concerns apply.
Check it out, although I wouldn't mind seeing a similar discussion
over here.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King