Fuel Filter How To

[-Alero-]

anyone know how hard it is for the average do it yourselfer? i got the 3.4 and im about to tackle this job and was wondering how hard it is to do and if anyone had any hints or precations for me.

[bigd6983]

lol theres nothing to tackle about this, relatively easy......disconnect the battery, release pressure in tank by opening fuel filler cap, jack up rear end, i believe one side on the filter is a clip that you flip to one side and it comes off, and the other side is a nut that you take off with an open ended wrench.....ive changed mine twice already.......just go slow and id recomend goggles......make sure its all secure and tight..........check for any kind of leak when ur done....

[Crolero]

yea its not that hard, i change mine every few months cause of dirty gas in europe.

PFYC.com have a good how too as well w/ pics.
Replace Fuel Filter (http://www.pfyc.com/supportfiles/gasfilter/)

[Redog]

The fuel will sray out a bit so use goggles like Big D said.

Fuel will run out, some of it will move down the exhaust pipe but don't worry too much about it. Everything will evaperate before you even get the new one on.

I watch my mech do it. $20 and he does it. I won't mess with that kind of stuff

[doubleN0alero]

i agree with you red, i think it costs me like $15, i take my car into work and by the time i'm finished, so is it...no pain, no goggles involved.

[-Alero-]

why would i disconnect the battery!? anyways i did it just fine, and ruined a nice shirt.

[Crolero]

So not to make a spark around the gasoline that spills when you take off the filter. One spark and boom. But i dont think that some1 has that much static electricity on them, specially when your touching metal way before the gas spills. Safty first i guess.

[bigd6983]

yea thats why.......always safety first......especially dealing with fuel.......rather be careful and nothing happen than not be careful and nothing happen, because something can happen.......

[Crolero]

Yea Murffy's Law is a killer. :D

[-Alero-]

well i didnt disconnect the battery and i changed the filter just fine

[TxAlero]

Started messing around with mine and cant seem to get it off. Is there a recommended highth at witch to do this? like does it need to be on a stand or can i do it with just jack stands? And what size wrenches? I tried a 21mm and a 17 mm for the bots but the 21 seemed loose and the 17 fit but i could not get it to turn.
I got totally frustrated and just put the tools up. Ive read thru the few how tos but no one really explains the end and outs of how they did it. Pixs would be nice too.

[robalero]

I used a 13/16 for mine instead of the 21mm.

I had access to a hoist so it was much easier

[-Alero-]

6 years later?


gah ive probably changed dozens in 6 years

[robalero]

fail for you, he used the search button and found the proper info on the how to area and is now asking for help.

[zzyzzx]

The link posted in 2005 by Crolero still works. Is the fuel filter really under the car like that?

[Ttop191]

no, its shown like that for lulz...Of course its really like that...

[-Alero-]

fail for you, he used the search button and found the proper info on the how to area and is now asking for help.



that'll teach me to start a thread 6 years ago

[robalero]

thats dam right! lol

[Lucalare]

That's for a Grand Prix though, must be the same?

[XanderWiFi]

I am working on the 2004 3.4 and call me dense, but I cannot get the damn clipped end off to save my life. There is the clip that you unsnap and fold to the side, but inside of that there is another clip clamped down on the neck of the filter that I have not been able to manipulate to release it. The haynes manual says there are white quick release tabs but the manual only goes up to 2003 so I wonder if they did something differently.

Just don't want to break anything. Any suggestions?

Edit: well, I don't have the adjustable wrenches I need anyway so this will have to be on hold. Took a look at the pyc link and it seems that I could view the clips alot better with the nut unscrewed and the ability to drop the line a bit. Then again, my fuel line is solid and not a flexible tube...

[zzyzzx]

no, its shown like that for lulz...Of course its really like that...

I was just asking because I am normally accustomed to seeing them in the engine compartment.

[robalero]

do you happen to work only on diesels? I am only use to seeing fuel fitlers in the engine bay area only on diesels myself

[Blade]

What reason would make u change the filter? Performance decrease?

[zzyzzx]

do you happen to work only on diesels? I am only use to seeing fuel fitlers in the engine bay area only on diesels myself

I've seen fuel filters in the engine bay on every car that I have ever worked on.

[Shiwnath]

What reason would make u change the filter? Performance decrease?

fuel efficiency, maintenance and performance. If the fuel filter gets clogged, the engine might start running like crap due to a lack of fuel to make the proper air fuel ratio... Just like the air filter if it gets clogged, your engine may start to get starved because of the lack of flow. Over time they just get clogged with dirt and sediment.. Just one of those things you have to change occasionally.

[zzyzzx]

I thought that reason you ever changed it was if you bought bad gas, or it has so many miles on it that you were thinking it was potentially providing too much back resistance to the fuel pump, and risking the fuel pump.

[leroBob]

^^ did we ever get clarity on this. Been on my mind lately