Fuel Filter Replacement

kryzak260 · 29-12-2005, 12:12 PM

Hi Guys,

After a bad tank of fuel, my car has been running like a hairy goat under load, spluttering and just about stalling etc. A new tank of fuel did not fix this, so i have been advised that the most likelly cause is a blocked fuel filter. I am going to replace the filter, run a bottle of injector cleaner through it along with some BP ultimate.

Now the question is, how do you change the filter in these? I understand that i need to removed the fuel pump relay and run the engine until it uses all of the fuel downstream of the filter, but how do i stop the remaining quater of a tank of fuel dumping on my head from the other side? I pictured rubber hoses that i could clamp or something, but they are steel lines...

Any suggestions? Anyone done it and could step me through it??

Cheers Guys,
Michael

Casper · 29-12-2005, 12:18 PM

Its not really that hard. The fuel in the tank wont come out if the pump is off. All you really need to do is disconnet the fuel tank side of the filter with an oil pan under it to catch the bit of run off. Then the engine side.. same process. Then put in the new filter, reattach and presto, all done. Loss of fuel will be less than 100ml if you do it right.

kryzak260 · 29-12-2005, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

Its not really that hard. The fuel in the tank wont come out if the pump is off. All you really need to do is disconnet the fuel tank side of the filter with an oil pan under it to catch the bit of run off. Then the engine side.. same process. Then put in the new filter, reattach and presto, all done. Loss of fuel will be less than 100ml if you do it right.

OK, that sounds great. I pictured the pump in the bottom of the tank just pumping it out of a gravity feed if you know what i mean.

THanks Casper, can always rely on you ;)

-michael

mattbl · 29-12-2005, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

Its not really that hard. The fuel in the tank wont come out if the pump is off. All you really need to do is disconnet the fuel tank side of the filter with an oil pan under it to catch the bit of run off. Then the engine side.. same process. Then put in the new filter, reattach and presto, all done. Loss of fuel will be less than 100ml if you do it right.

What Casper said!

I had visions of fule running everywhere but thats not the case. I just soaked it up with an old towel.

They gave me the wrong one at first. When I took it back they said that was impossible, then after they looked a bit further we found that mine has the EL fuel filter (different). My AU is one of the first made so I gather its been made with left over E series parts! LOL

An easy 5 minute job.

kryzak260 · 29-12-2005, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattbl

They gave me the wrong one at first. When I took it back they said that was impossible, then after they looked a bit further we found that mine has the EL fuel filter (different). My AU is one of the first made so I gather its been made with left over E series parts! LOL

Jeez, i hope im not in the same boat.

My fairlane build date was 02/99. Looking at the filter in the car and the filter in the box, the new one looks to be about 15-25mm longer :|

That and the fact it says its for AU 1,2,3 V6 and V8 lol.

mattbl · 29-12-2005, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kryzak260

Jeez, i hope im not in the same boat.

My fairlane build date was 02/99. Looking at the filter in the car and the filter in the box, the new one looks to be about 15-25mm longer :|

That and the fact it says its for AU 1,2,3 V6 and V8 lol.

It was a while ago but from memory it looked quite different and the connections to the fuel line were a different size.

It was so different there was no was it was going to fit.

kryzak260 · 29-12-2005, 06:42 PM

Well, i just fitted it. It fitted correctly despite being about 15mm longer.

I took some photos and a video and i will write up a small how-to. I know that it is a simple job to do, but to someone like myself that is only starting to work on cars, it was quite daunting. Pluss id like to give something back to this and the aufalcon.com community.

Anyway, back to some troubleshooting. It didnt fix my initial problem, though it seems to have calmed it a little. Before the filter change, the misfire or shuddering was very erratic and did it badly at idle, especially with the car warm. Now, it is perfect at idle, and only does the misfire/stuttering at load, but it is a consistent miss. Previously it was very erratic, almost causing the car to stall.

I intend to take it to Shell and burn some Optimax + injector cleaner through it, so maybe that will have some success. If anyone else has any suggestions, let them rip and i will ty them...

Cheers guys,
Michael

JC · 29-12-2005, 09:12 PM

Check all your loug leads - it sounds like a loose connection there somewhere. I'm betting number 5 or 6 are loose. Has happened to me 3 times between 2 AU6s.

kryzak260 · 29-12-2005, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

Check all your loug leads - it sounds like a loose connection there somewhere. I'm betting number 5 or 6 are loose. Has happened to me 3 times between 2 AU6s.

That was the first thing i checked when this started happening. I went along the whole lot and made sure they were on tight.

I just went and pulled them all off to check that the collars inside were still tight. No3's lead fell apart in my hands! I pulled the lead out by the boot, and turned it around to check it and the lead fell off!! The electrode inside was all black too, so i would say that it has been sparking slightly and the other times just grounding in something.

Damn it, right before new years when i dont think anyone will be open here :(

Anyway, will get a new set to replace them because no5 looks like it has melted to the engine block because the meatheads at my local ford have *%#!**%#!**%#!**%#!*ed it up when installing them the last time they did.

Is there any point to getting the 'High Performance' leads? I intend to do a bit of engine work, so is it worth spending the bit extra on larger, exotic compound leads?

Thanks Guys,
Michael

str02 · 21-05-2006, 09:37 AM

I have not looked as yet, so it will save me time if someone can tell me where is the fuel filter located?
Thanks

JC · 21-05-2006, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by str02

I have not looked as yet, so it will save me time if someone can tell me where is the fuel filter located?
Thanks

Under the car - bolted to the chassis, just near the rear left wheel.

Because it's EFI, you need to pull the fuel pump relay/fuse out of the engine bay fuses block (sits jest behind the battery). Then start the car. It should run for about one second or so, then turn off. Then you can replace the fuel filter (if you don't empty the system of fuel, it will go everywhere when you try to replace the filter)..

GK · 21-05-2006, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

Under the car - bolted to the chassis, just near the rear left wheel.

Because it's EFI, you need to pull the fuel pump relay/fuse out of the engine bay fuses block (sits jest behind the battery). Then start the car. It should run for about one second or so, then turn off. Then you can replace the fuel filter (if you don't empty the system of fuel, it will go everywhere when you try to replace the filter)..

More handy info from JC!

Cheers,

GK

xr8 007 · 21-05-2006, 07:52 PM

A How-to on how to change the fuel filter would be greatly needed as i'm due to change mine and have no idea! Thanks heaps.

str02 · 22-05-2006, 09:35 AM

Thanks JC

StAndArdAU · 24-05-2006, 05:50 PM

it also helps to release the fuel cap (before removing the filter) to remove the pressure build up and then do it back up.

MRJUCY · 24-05-2006, 11:02 PM

Now everyone has forgotten the most important point. You have to make sure the new fuel filter is a PUROLATOR one the same as you do when changing all your filters

:

str02 · 16-07-2006, 06:22 PM

OK got new filter and removed the bottom screw connection, but how the hell does the top connection come off, some sort of fancy hose clamp thingy, ther must be a trick, and its up in the dark and now I have lost daylight....HELP!

JC · 17-07-2006, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by str02

OK got new filter and removed the bottom screw connection, but how the hell does the top connection come off, some sort of fancy hose clamp thingy, ther must be a trick, and its up in the dark and now I have lost daylight....HELP!

I was doing mine at roughly the same time as you, and came across the same problem. Afgter reading the book (Haynes manual), it seems that there is a special tool to get these clips undone. Perhaps I should have read that first, as I've broken the two little tabs on the clip, though the clip itself is still on just as much as before!

str02 · 17-07-2006, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

I was doing mine at roughly the same time as you, and came across the same problem. Afgter reading the book (Haynes manual), it seems that there is a special tool to get these clips undone. Perhaps I should have read that first, as I've broken the two little tabs on the clip, though the clip itself is still on just as much as before!

bu##er, shopping early for me

james22 · 17-07-2006, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

I was doing mine at roughly the same time as you, and came across the same problem. Afgter reading the book (Haynes manual), it seems that there is a special tool to get these clips undone. Perhaps I should have read that first, as I've broken the two little tabs on the clip, though the clip itself is still on just as much as before!

Yeah i changed my filter last week too. Didnt look in the repair manual first and broke the tabs off my connection as well. Still clips on alright but next time i change it i might need a new hose lol. :-)

JC · 17-07-2006, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by james22

Yeah i changed my filter last week too. Didnt look in the repair manual first and broke the tabs off my connection as well. Still clips on alright but next time i change it i might need a new hose lol. :-)

How did you get the clip off?

james22 · 18-07-2006, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

How did you get the clip off?

Fiddled with it for ages, then got the ****s and snapped it accidently. Still clips on (barely). The repair manual says to use a special fuel filter removal wrench, i just used 2 small flathead screwdrivers. If your careful you shouldnt have a prob.

I6corp · 16-07-2006, 07:32 PM

Yeah you need a fuel filter clamp...

Or a really big wrench lol.

99FalconS · 16-07-2006, 11:09 PM

Hello

I know that it should be a straight forward job and as i have changed fuel filters on other cars i thought i would be ok with this. Wrong.

Have any of you got any ideas how to get a stuck fuel filter off? I have no idea why the bolts wont release and i dont want to force it too much as i would like to go to work the next day.

Any ideas?

autickfordfairmont · 17-07-2006, 09:18 AM

I have done mine recently, and it was a pretty damn easy job. The clips can be a little tricky, but for some reason i just played with it a bit and after 10 seconds it came off, and i thought, **** that was easy. Have recently done another and it wasnt as easy as it was first time, the new fuel filter should come with a clip on it to clip back into the fuel line. Have a look at that and it will give you an idea of how the other one comes off.

str02 · 17-07-2006, 02:04 PM

JC, just finished mine, decided it was easier to have the hose out of the car so removed hose from fuel tank, cover in boot is just silastic'd down, then able to remove hose from tank by sliding thin screwdriver under locking tabs, dropped the whole hose and filter out and easy to repeat screwdriver trick with filter end. Looked at special tools at Bursons but they did not look like would work with ford hose things

**Papa Smurf** · 18-07-2006, 10:11 AM

You need to pinch the side of the clip. It will go in and then you can pull the hose off. There IS a special little tool but it can be released with your fingers. Just remember to push the hose forward ( toward the filter ) and then remove the hose.

JC · 18-07-2006, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa Smurf

You need to pinch the side of the clip. It will go in and then you can pull the hose off. There IS a special little tool but it can be released with your fingers. Just remember to push the hose forward ( toward the filter ) and then remove the hose.

Thanks Papa Smurf. Is that the same for a 2001 wagon? My workshop manual says the sedan and manual clips are different, but that may have been the case for AU1 only, not AU2.

Also, when you say the hose comes off, I assume that includes the clip as well?

**Papa Smurf** · 18-07-2006, 01:33 PM

Yes JC, the clip comes off as well. It is the same for any of the vehicles that have that type of fitting. Most NON-ford mechanics try to LEVER it off with a screwdriver? :O

JC · 18-07-2006, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa Smurf

Yes JC, the clip comes off as well. It is the same for any of the vehicles that have that type of fitting. Most NON-ford mechanics try to LEVER it off with a screwdriver? :O

That's what I tried!