Remove the inline fuel filter.
I went thru this a few months ago when I changed out my fuel filter. Saw this thread, grabbed the tool box and a camera. BTW, the stuff that poured out of the filter looked like the bottom of a pot of coffee. I'm including pictures of everything, for people who haven't tackled this job yet.
Full-size pictures are here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/112818...orerFuelFilter?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGmwLCgn-uN-wE#
First, look under the dash, passenger side footwell, where the carpet meets the side panel. The small black box with the red button on top and the gray connector on the bottom is the fuel pump cut-off switch. Disconnect the gray connector and crank the engine a few times to relieve pressure in the fuel lines. Be sure to reconnect the gray plug before attempting to start the car when you're finished. Turn the key to the "On" position, waiting a few seconds and then turn it off again - this cycles the fuel pump and helps repressurize the line. Do this a few times before you actually try to crank it.
Here's the metal tool I bought. Has 2 different sizes, I used the larger size. Basically, it fits over the filter input and output shafts, slides into the coupler at the end of the hose and disengages the internal barbs that hold the hose on the filter.
Here's a picture of my fuel filter, fuel lines and retaining clips, taken after I'd replaced the filter. Most likely, your filter will be tarnished, possibly pitted and rusty. It is attached to the inside (center of the vehicle) of the driver's side frame rail, pretty much straight down from the steering column.
Notice the black, squared-off U-shaped clips holding the lines to the filter.
Insert a large flat-blade screwdriver in the gap, rotate the screwdriver so the hose-end of the clip moves towards the filter. For the tank side, rotate clockwise; for the engine side, rotate counter clockwise. After the one side of the clip is disengaged, using the screwdriver, push the clip towards the center of filter and pop it off the filter tube. To replace, simply push the filter side back down onto the tube, slide it away from the center of the filter til it sets in the end of the fuel line coupler and engage the other side.
Here's the filter with the tank-side retaining clip removed. Note that the clip is attached to the fuel line by a plastic "string." I can only imagine how far they would fly without one.
In the next 2 pictures, I've fitted the large end of the tool around the filter shaft. I've then closed the tool and slid it back so it fits into the coupler at the end of the fuel line.
Next, I've taken an open end wrench (a 1/2 inch worked here) and slide it over the other end of the flared coupler.
Finally, while holding the wrench and the tool with one hand, I've managed to grasp both with the jaws of a vice-grip pliers. I started with the pliers adjusted so they just close with light-to-moderate pressure, forcing the tool and the wrench together. I then release the vice-grips, turn the adjuster knob to tighten and repeat til the tool moves far enough into the coupler to detach the line from the filter. At this point, any residual fuel in the filter and lines will come spraying out, be sure to wear eye protection and keep your mouth closed.
You may or may not have enough free play in the fuel lines to allow the lines to flex and fully pull off the end of the filter. I realized this and shoved that same flat-blade screwdriver under the clip holding the filter to the frame, pryed the filter out of the clip and the line came off cleanly.
Repeat the process on the other end of the filter.
To install the new filter, I attached the engine-side fuel line to the correct side of the filter - the end with the flange points towards the engine, there should also be a directional arrow indicating fuel flow. I then pushed the tank side fuel line onto the other end but didn't fully engage the barbs. I pushed the filter back into its retaining clip and then pushed the fuel line onto the inlet tube.
Hope this helps.
i just love fords' 'quick' disconnects...
