Help me fix the Nicktane...

[Dozerboy]

I need help from some of our experts maybe someone that studied fluid dynamics. I have an old school Nicktane secondary fuel filter. Well their mounting location and design isn't exactly the best, so all the air doesn't bleed out mostly after filter changes. That causes cavitation in my Kennedy lift pumps and it continues untilI get most of the air out.
In the past I remedy that by taking the filter head lose after putting on a new filter and running/bleeding the system with it hanging lose. It works pretty well, but occasionally still builds up a little a air pocket and will cavitation again briefly.
My thought is to drill and tap an 1/8" NPT fitting into the right hand side of this filter head. Which I will put a valve on and use to bleed the air out. Anyone see a problem with that? Will it bleed properly? Thats the "IN" side of the filter head. My thinking is if I can get all the air out there I would have clean fuel being pushed down through the filter and up through the center. I could possibly get some air trapped there, but I don't think it would go backup through the filter and get back to the lift pump. Thought? Ideas? No I don't want to switch my setup to fass or something else. This one performs great and has for a long time other then this small issue. The bleed line also has some value to me as well.

 

[gmduramax]

Kennedy does make a cool filter head that mounts in between their pumps in case you ever want to change it up. But they put a bleeder directly on top of their filter head. I would think if you put yours on the side there could be a possibility of some air remaining trapped

 

[Dozerboy]

I would think if you put yours on the side there could be a possibility of some air remaining trapped

Ya that has me a little concerned too. I'm thinking if I use the pump/pressure to force the air out it will be ok. I can probably angle the hole and tap the fitting straight to try and get the maximum amount of air out. The top of the head might be a option, but I would have to see. It's very tight up there. Maybe 1/2".

 

[gmduramax]

Ya that has me a little concerned too. I'm thinking if I use the pump/pressure to force the air out it will be ok. I can probably angle the hole and tap the fitting straight to try and get the maximum amount of air out. The top of the head might be a option, but I would have to see. It's very tight up there. Maybe 1/2".

90° fitting off the top and run a line to where it’s easily accessible

 

[Chevy1925]

The filter pre or post pumps?

 

[jlawles2]

If you had a way to drill and tap the hole to intercept the angled section of the groove in the top of the head that would help minimize the air. Ideally you would want to drill and tap it at the center.

Is this filter head pre lift pumps?

 

[Dozerboy]

The filter pre or post pumps?

The filter is after the pumps. Don't ask me how air managed to get back to the pumps. Because it's happened even while the truck is driving. I became aware of the issue when I installed a fuel pressure gauge, and the gauge kept randomly going to 0 pressure. I would think there'd be enough flow on the fuel system at pressure that the air wouldn't go back to the pumps. John told me this had been an ongoing issue with guys that had used the Nicktane and his pumps.

If you had a way to drill and tap the hole to intercept the angled section of the groove in the top of the head that would help minimize the air. Ideally you would want to drill and tap it at the center.

Is this filter head pre lift pumps?

As long as I can bury the threads of the 90* I have I'll have room to put it in the top. I'm gonna have to measure the diameter of the fitting threads versus the diameter of my tap to make sure my tap will allow me to bury the threads. Then I just have to try and not tap it too big and the fitting won't seal up....