99 Explorer fuel filter connection

[inkjunkie]

Doing routine maintenance on our Explorer. Was due for a fuel filter change. Should note that since we got the Explorer back in 06 or so I have always used the correct release tool. Anyway, two of the retainer tabs finally broke. Ran down to NAPA, picked up new retainer clips, the spring steel ones that go inside the slip connector. Took a bit of coaxing but I got the old clip out. Thanks to having pseudo gout and osteoarthritis in my hands I have become somewhat ham handed. I ended up popping out all of the o-rings & spacers. Needless to say I managed to rip one of the rings as well. Have no idea in what order they were in. Not sure if I did not lose anything, I have a rigid black part, appears to be a spacer of some sorts, the one torn o ring and one o ring that was going to fail soon by the looks of it.
I am talking about the connector on the inlet side of the fuel filter. Does anyone know the order of the rings/spacers? And if there is just 2 o rings and the one black, looks to be phenolic spacer?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. About ready to just take a tubing cutter and get rid of the connector..
If pictures would help with my rather goofy explanation please say so..Thanks again...

 

[poker4me007]

Doing routine maintenance on our Explorer.
I am talking about the connector on the inlet side of the fuel filter. Does anyone know the order of the rings/spacers? And if there is just 2 o rings and the one black, looks to be phenolic spacer?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. About ready to just take a tubing cutter and get rid of the connector..
If pictures would help with my rather goofy explanation please say so..Thanks again...

Yes show some pic's if you can , the fuel filter line connectors I know of push on and pull off using this tool...

 

[fast_dave]

Yes show some pic's if you can

^^^^^ YES - DITTO - Worth 1,000 words when they're good ^^^^^

 

[jpanell]

inkjunkie,

I just replaced my fuel filter today also and the same thing happened to me except they didn't rip on me, just lost the order. I was confused why there were 3 rings on there, and thought maybe 2 of them were put there by accident. I remember the order was black blue black, but I don't remember if the rigid spacer was first or last. I foolishly installed it with only the rigid spacer because I couldn't get it to lock in to place with all three rings and have a small gas leak now....I'm gonna go back out there and try to get it to work with this order: spacer, blue o-ring, black o-ring.

When I was buying the fuel filter at NAPA today, they tried to sell me the $13 dollar one, but I opted for the $6 one instead that did not come with any o-rings. Maybe the more expensive one would have come with o-rings, but I think it's kinda ridiculous that it's so hard to find these things for sale and the filters don't come with them. This simple change has turned into an all day project, I'll keep you in the loop.

 

[jpanell]

So, after trying again to fit all three, I found that I just couldn't get a solid connection without leaks. Then after messing round I accidentally ripped my spacer. I connected it with just the black and blue o-rings, and no leaks for the past 2 days. Hopefully this is the end of this. Here's a diagram of what we were talking about and my broken black spacer.

 

[donalds]

This vid helped me tons