scott.475
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- March 12, 2002
- Messages
- 168
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Washington State
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '94 4wd Explorer
Famous last words: "This shouldn't take long."
I readnumerous articles and forum posts, watched numerous videos. I even took the time to pull the fuel pump relay and run the engine dry. I was being patient, and doing things right!
My first mistake, I suppose, was buying the Performance Products brand disconnectors, instead of the better quality looking Lisle ones. The line going to the engine came off with a little difficulty, the real trouble started when I tried getting the one coming from the tank off. I tried and tried, worked and worked, but the stupid thing would not come off. "Quick disconnect" my...anyway, nothing I tried seemed to work. Repositioning the tool, pushing, twisting, pulling, cussing, yelling, nothing. One of the little tabs started to separate from the tool, then I started to worry the tool might break off down in the collar and I wouldn't be able to get it out, so I ran back down to the store and bought a metal tool.
Returning home, working in the rain, I tried to make the metal tool work and, still, no luck. Finally, after much, much work, it started to give. Slowly, slowly it campe out, and then...HOLY CRAP!!!! PART OF THE FILTER TUBE BROKE OFF IN THE FUEL LINE!!!! I'm not proud of it, but much cussing followed. Lying there on the ground, looking at the fuel line, I worked through the five stages of grief. "What now? Am I going to have to drop the tank and replace the whole fuel line, all for the sake of a freaking fuel filter????"
Then, I saw it, the little, mangled cage with the one-way fingers sitting in the end of the line. "If I can get that out, I think I can shape back the way it should be, and it'll give me access to the broken tube piece." Using a little screwdrive and needlenose pliers, I was able to carefully turn the little cage in on itself and remove. I then used an easy out carefully grab the broken filter piece and pull it from the fuel line. I then used the pliers to carefully bend the little cage teeth back into position, reform it into a semi-circle, and pushed it back into the end of the line. Things were finally looking up!
I pushed the new filter into position, gave it a tug, and it held! Snapped the front in, no problem. Everything went back together without issue, then I had a terrifying thought, "What if, despite checking numerous times, I put the filter on backwards?!" Spinning the filter, the arrow came into view, pointing the right direction. YAY!
I replaced the relay, started it up, and boy, is it running easy now. I'm embarassed to say, at 140,000+ miles, I'm sure this is it's first fuel filter change. I honestly can't believe how much quiter and smoother the engine is now.
I still have no idea what caused all the trouble with removal on the back end, and I'm terrified to tackle it again, but for now all is holding, and no leaks.
Out of curiosity, I broken open the old filter to see what it looked like inside. Looks pretty bad, but I don't know what one would like like at 30,000 miles.
Pictures of the filter, crappy, chewed up tools, and broken tube piece.
I readnumerous articles and forum posts, watched numerous videos. I even took the time to pull the fuel pump relay and run the engine dry. I was being patient, and doing things right!
My first mistake, I suppose, was buying the Performance Products brand disconnectors, instead of the better quality looking Lisle ones. The line going to the engine came off with a little difficulty, the real trouble started when I tried getting the one coming from the tank off. I tried and tried, worked and worked, but the stupid thing would not come off. "Quick disconnect" my...anyway, nothing I tried seemed to work. Repositioning the tool, pushing, twisting, pulling, cussing, yelling, nothing. One of the little tabs started to separate from the tool, then I started to worry the tool might break off down in the collar and I wouldn't be able to get it out, so I ran back down to the store and bought a metal tool.
Returning home, working in the rain, I tried to make the metal tool work and, still, no luck. Finally, after much, much work, it started to give. Slowly, slowly it campe out, and then...HOLY CRAP!!!! PART OF THE FILTER TUBE BROKE OFF IN THE FUEL LINE!!!! I'm not proud of it, but much cussing followed. Lying there on the ground, looking at the fuel line, I worked through the five stages of grief. "What now? Am I going to have to drop the tank and replace the whole fuel line, all for the sake of a freaking fuel filter????"
Then, I saw it, the little, mangled cage with the one-way fingers sitting in the end of the line. "If I can get that out, I think I can shape back the way it should be, and it'll give me access to the broken tube piece." Using a little screwdrive and needlenose pliers, I was able to carefully turn the little cage in on itself and remove. I then used an easy out carefully grab the broken filter piece and pull it from the fuel line. I then used the pliers to carefully bend the little cage teeth back into position, reform it into a semi-circle, and pushed it back into the end of the line. Things were finally looking up!
I pushed the new filter into position, gave it a tug, and it held! Snapped the front in, no problem. Everything went back together without issue, then I had a terrifying thought, "What if, despite checking numerous times, I put the filter on backwards?!" Spinning the filter, the arrow came into view, pointing the right direction. YAY!
I replaced the relay, started it up, and boy, is it running easy now. I'm embarassed to say, at 140,000+ miles, I'm sure this is it's first fuel filter change. I honestly can't believe how much quiter and smoother the engine is now.
I still have no idea what caused all the trouble with removal on the back end, and I'm terrified to tackle it again, but for now all is holding, and no leaks.
Out of curiosity, I broken open the old filter to see what it looked like inside. Looks pretty bad, but I don't know what one would like like at 30,000 miles.
Pictures of the filter, crappy, chewed up tools, and broken tube piece.