OMG! Fuel Filter was a pain!

[98GSXtreme07]

After reading all of the posts on changing the fuel filter I decided to do it myself and save me some money. Yall were not lying when yall said it was a bi*** and boy was it! I spent an hour and half trying to get that top bolt off and spraying the crap out of it with PB Blaster it finally let loose and my hand nailed the firewall. But it was ok since thankfully it finally let loose. Than came the bottom bolt. After spending in hour trying on that my dad comes home and I ask him if he wouldnt mind helping. It took him all of 30 seconds to get it off! Me and my scrawny self... Thankfully after spending 3 and a half hours working on this, we fired her up and no leaks. Hopefully it stays that way. When I took off the battery tray I saw 2 lines disconnected but I'm going start a new thread on that. Here's some pictures from the install.

You can see some of the PB Blaster running down the filter:

<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3201/1001040ye7.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us"/></a><br/>

This is how I got that top bolt loose. Just squeeeeze together... :

<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3848/1001044sw0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us"/></a><br/>

And that bi*** of a bottom bolt:

<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/7765/1001051lc2.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us"/></a><br/>

 

[RC_slow_dsm]

I remember changing my filter when switching to e85, huge PITA! I even had the transmission out and it still fought me. At least this means you wont be changing it anytime soon

 

[98GSXtreme07]

Yea thankfully. But man even with the tranny it was a PITA!? That sucks!

 

[Supa Dexta]

After spending in hour trying on that my dad comes home and I ask him if he wouldnt mind helping. It took him all of 30 seconds to get it off! Me and my scrawny self...

 

[marcman804]

damn man i tried to change mine and i ended up letting it get the best of me. ive done just about everything possible to my car but i cant change the damn fuel filter. how did you get the bottom bolt loose?

 

[98GSXtreme07]

Marcman804: The same way I did the top but with a 14 mm flare nut wrench instead of a ratchet. Just remember that since the bottom bolt is upside down that the righty tighty/lefty loosy thing is backwards: righty/loosy ; lefty/tighty

Oh hate to tell ya but my dad got that one off.

 

[marcman804]

i guess ill have to get my dad to get mine off too, me, my older brother and my friend couldnt do anything with it, i was so frustrated i didnt know what to do.

 

[siceclipse]

i changed mine when doing a head gasket and it was still a PITA

 

[justoscar1]

its easy you guys just need to start working out haha

 

[PIMking]

I didnt have that hard of a time doing mine. maybe im just lucky. I took the batt out and it just came off.

 

[98GSXtreme07]

I forgot to add that I didn't add any new curse words to my vocabulary but I did add some pain to my back though. Being 6'2" and having to bend over in an engine bay is almost a job in itself.

 

[dsm03]

mine was pretty easy, i paid someone to do it haha!!

 

[PIMking]

mine was pretty easy, i paid someone to do it haha!!

CHEATER!!!

Go Flames Go!

 

[marcman804]

i think im going to have to go with your method "dsm03".

 

[PIMking]

Do it yourself. You learn new words and you can get you knuckels all cut up + you feel a bit closer to the car.

 

[Maxboost1010]

I tried doing it myself the other day, but can't get the bottom bolt off for the life of me, any additional tricks? Also the bottom bolt was some what rounded out so I am having the hardest time getting a wrench on it, I think I'm going to take a vice grip to it this weekend, how bad is it going to be if the line brakes?

 

[PIMking]

I tried doing it myself the other day, but can't get the bottom bolt off for the life of me, any additional tricks? Also the bottom bolt was some what rounded out so I am having the hardest time getting a wrench on it, I think I'm going to take a vice grip to it this weekend, how bad is it going to be if the line brakes?

Well leave it in the bracket and attached to the firewall. take out the batt and use two wrenches on on the fuel filter itself and the other on the nut it should come off pretty easy DONT KINK THE LINE! mine took me like 20 mins. The old one had brown red well you name the color of fuel coming out of it. Im pretty sure the car loves me now.

 

[webconnect]

I wish i had a dad

 

[PIMking]

I wish i had a dad

Im available for rent. (make sure you take out the garbage tonight)

ask a buddy.

 

[exitreality1]

Heh, I'm glad my filter is back by the fuel tank. About the worst I had to deal with was getting fuel all over my arms.

 

[thorlief4g63]

I used air tools on mine and the top it wasnt that bad. The bottom still sucked so it took about 45 minutes for the whole thing.

 

[oldman420]

I didn't think the fuel filter was that bad, took me 30mins and a 1/4 can of penetrating fluid, let it sit for 5 mins. Used the same wrench set up as xtreme, really easy. I think the secrete is letting that pen. fluid sit and do it's job.

 

[Drubble]

I was only able to remove the top bolt when I replaced the fuel line to the rail w/SS -6an. Never could budge that damn bottom bolt, so I conceded defeat, walked away with my head hung low and left the replacement effort for another day. Since that fateful episode 6 months ago, I have been eating more Wheaties, drinking more beer and practicing uttering more colorful metaphors than ever before in an attempt to once again change the fuel filter. Reading this thread has provided the final catalyst to do so. I would have asked my Dad to help, but last time I looked in the mirror, I was my Dad. Sigh.

 

[hedrick]

I changed mine when I did the 6bolt swap. Its a lot easier when there isnt a motor in the way!

 

[dikdiamond]

I didn't have much of a problem with mine...I try to use the firewall to help out...put the wrench that's on the filter against it if you can,to where there is a little pressure against the firewall with the wrench,then you have two free hands to wrench on the top or bottom bolt. Worked for me me give it a try