Changing fuel filter was a pain -- any suggestions?
07-04-05, 12:04 AM
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Changing fuel filter was a pain -- any suggestions?
Following the tutorial at lexls.com (located at http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/EFI/fuelfilter.html), I was able to change my fuel filter and my brother's fuel filter. He and I both have 1990 LS400's.
I did mine first, and burned my whole arm with the fuel, but I finally was able to finish it. Then I did my brother's and took some of the experience from doing mine with it. I thought I would make everyone's life slightly easier by sharing it also.
__________________________________________________________________
Removal of fuel filter:
Installation of fuel filter:
__________________________________________________________________
Here are some other thoughts about the fuel filter change
- if you can, pay and have someone else do it (I didn't, but I learned some things about the process)
- it would be GREAT if there existed a way to decrease the amount of fuel left in the lines; on my other car, a 1991 Nissan 300ZXTT, we disable the fuel pump by unplugging the fuel relay, open the gas cap (or loosen it), and crank the motor a couple of times to "suck" all the fuel out of the lines and to relieve pressure; I did that process (pulled fuel relay under the hood, passenger side front) and cranked the motor, but that did not seem to help)
Any other hints or suggestions that anybody else has would be very helpful for future fuel filter changes.
I did mine first, and burned my whole arm with the fuel, but I finally was able to finish it. Then I did my brother's and took some of the experience from doing mine with it. I thought I would make everyone's life slightly easier by sharing it also.
__________________________________________________________________
Removal of fuel filter:
1) wear rubber gloves (but it will quickly deteriorate) or wear the tougher type made for harsh chemicals and have a drip pan with high enough sides to catch any splashing underneath (the splashing may get into your eyes or other body parts and make the job more difficult)
2) park the car on a slight incline (meaning the front end is higher than the rear end)
3) jack up the driver's side and put it on jack's stands for easier access to the fuel filter; remove the splash guard; (10mm x 3)
4) as Thuan did, loosen the bracket first (in my case, I completely took off the two nuts holding the bracket, then pulled the lines and the filter down about 1/2-inch for better access); also, remove the tightening bolt that is used to tighten the bracket around the fuel filter; (10mm x 3 for bracket; 10mm x 1 for the tightener)
5) find a plug (or a 10mm bolt and a piece of plastic) before removing the rear fuel line
6) remove the rear fuel line
8) once you have the fuel filter off, slide the bracket off of the filter
__________________________________________________________________2) park the car on a slight incline (meaning the front end is higher than the rear end)
3) jack up the driver's side and put it on jack's stands for easier access to the fuel filter; remove the splash guard; (10mm x 3)
4) as Thuan did, loosen the bracket first (in my case, I completely took off the two nuts holding the bracket, then pulled the lines and the filter down about 1/2-inch for better access); also, remove the tightening bolt that is used to tighten the bracket around the fuel filter; (10mm x 3 for bracket; 10mm x 1 for the tightener)
5) find a plug (or a 10mm bolt and a piece of plastic) before removing the rear fuel line
6) remove the rear fuel line
- using a 19mm box wrench on the filter, and a 14mm on the nut to loosen it (once loose, fuel will start coming out)
- at this time, remove the 19mm wrench and use just the 14mm wrench to continue to loosen the line (tip: do this part quickly and from the highest angle possible so that fuel doesn't drip down your arm like it did to mine)
- once the nut is completely loosened, immediately take the line out of the filter and plug the line (using a plug or a bolt like I mentioned above); the side that continues to drip is the side from the gas tank, so plugging that side is real important
7) put a 19mm socket and ratcheting wrench on the rear side of the fuel filter; on the front fuel line, use the 14mm box wrench and hold the nut; turn the entire fuel filter using the ratcheting wrench (this makes your job much easier; just remember to loosen the bracket, as in step 4; tip: remember that the OEM Toyota filter has a groove that doesn't allow the fuel filter to spin inside the bracket; that is why you have to loosen the bracket tightening bolt or even slide the bracket off the filter before turning)- at this time, remove the 19mm wrench and use just the 14mm wrench to continue to loosen the line (tip: do this part quickly and from the highest angle possible so that fuel doesn't drip down your arm like it did to mine)
- once the nut is completely loosened, immediately take the line out of the filter and plug the line (using a plug or a bolt like I mentioned above); the side that continues to drip is the side from the gas tank, so plugging that side is real important
8) once you have the fuel filter off, slide the bracket off of the filter
Installation of fuel filter:
9) slide the new filter into the bracket (make note of the groove if you are using the OEM filter)
10) install the front fuel line using the same technique as in step 7); before the final tightening of the nut, turn the groove and bracket to a position that the bracket will install back onto the mounting bolts on the underneath of the car; then tighten the fuel line at the nut side
11) line up the fuel filter and the rear line as much as possible, then remove the plug from the line and install the line; once you are sure the nut caught some thread and that it is not cross-threaded, back away and use the 14mm box wrench to tighten the nut; the fuel will stop to drip only when you have most of the thread from the nut into the fuel filter; for the final tightening, use the 19mm box wrench on the filter and tighten the nut
12) install the tightening nut on the bracket and tighten
13) push the entire assembly up and install the bracket
You are done. Go clean up. If you spilled any fuel on you or your clothes, Fabreze helps neutralize the odor.10) install the front fuel line using the same technique as in step 7); before the final tightening of the nut, turn the groove and bracket to a position that the bracket will install back onto the mounting bolts on the underneath of the car; then tighten the fuel line at the nut side
11) line up the fuel filter and the rear line as much as possible, then remove the plug from the line and install the line; once you are sure the nut caught some thread and that it is not cross-threaded, back away and use the 14mm box wrench to tighten the nut; the fuel will stop to drip only when you have most of the thread from the nut into the fuel filter; for the final tightening, use the 19mm box wrench on the filter and tighten the nut
12) install the tightening nut on the bracket and tighten
13) push the entire assembly up and install the bracket
__________________________________________________________________
Here are some other thoughts about the fuel filter change
- if you can, pay and have someone else do it (I didn't, but I learned some things about the process)
- it would be GREAT if there existed a way to decrease the amount of fuel left in the lines; on my other car, a 1991 Nissan 300ZXTT, we disable the fuel pump by unplugging the fuel relay, open the gas cap (or loosen it), and crank the motor a couple of times to "suck" all the fuel out of the lines and to relieve pressure; I did that process (pulled fuel relay under the hood, passenger side front) and cranked the motor, but that did not seem to help)
Any other hints or suggestions that anybody else has would be very helpful for future fuel filter changes.
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