maintenance tried - partial failure!

[dtholmanmax]

Hello all

So this weekend I went down to my parents to work on the 05 X. The truck has 80K on it I figured it was probably about time for new plugs. I asked my dad what he thought about a fuel filter and he said probably so. SO we started with the fuel filter. I printed off the How To on here and we started taking off the shields. He didn't believe me that we'd need the tool but sure enough we did. We picked up the filter & tool at Autozone (the metal - scissor like one) and went back to the house. No luck. It didn't want to slide in behind the fitting. I tried prying it back against the filter but all it did was bend the tool. I got online again and saw the picture of the plastic type, so back to the store I went. I just picked up the disc-type one. Still no luck. We just put it back together and we'll have to go back at it another day.

Then we started on the plugs. As I was taking the #2 cylinder wire off, it ended up leaving the metal clamp on the plug as it came out of the boot. We were able to still get a spark out of it and the truck isn't missing, but now it's throwing a SES light and we've got to figure out how to change the plug wires. I tried that on my own the other night but gave up as it seems that you have to take off the alt. to get to the clamp holding the 123 cyl. wires. Am I wrong? Anyway, the truck isn't missing badly but I'm sure it doesn't have a great connection on the #2 cyl. I've failed. Damn the engineers who needed a special tool to take off the fuel filter! What was ever wrong with the regular hose clamp. Thoughts on the plug wires are appreciated. The plugs themselves weren't too bad, though.

 

[motorhead19]

I feel your pain...I recently tried to replace my fuel filter and ran into the same issue. First used the metal scissor tool, no luck. Went out and bought the plastic type, still no luck. I finally shined a light into the fitting and saw that I had bent one of the spring clips so it is permanently locked. After 3 hours total, no progress, and and a headache from being on my back I said screw this..... I'll take it to the dealer

 

[dtholmanmax]

any help on the spark plug wire issue would be great before I dig into that tonight.

on the fuel filter, i thought i had it. but then we didnt! there were a couple of other tools I didn't buy that looked like they may work better, but who knows. as said before, what was wrong with the clamps?!!

 

[rrgone]

any help on the spark plug wire issue would be great before I dig into that tonight.

on the fuel filter, i thought i had it. but then we didnt! there were a couple of other tools I didn't buy that looked like they may work better, but who knows. as said before, what was wrong with the clamps?!!

Fuel filter replacement = big bucks for the service side of the business.

Get a spark plug wire removal tool for pulling the boots off the plugs down in those deep wells. You can twist the bottom end of the boot while pulling out. I got one for about $5 years ago and it works like a champ.

Sorry I don't know what the plug wire layout looks like on the '05s. I have the procedure from the service manual for the '03 year and it doesn't say anything about removing the alt. The '05 may be a lot different though. If you want a copy of the procedure I have PM me with your email.

 

[dtholmanmax]

PM on the way. Thanks

 

[Turdle]

see if you can slide the boot up on the bad wire-strip it back a bit, then pry the bad end open and repair the wire--by leaving about 1/2" of the center carbon conductor out-fold it over the wire and clamp the connector back on over the fold-

That is how they are made-then just slide the boot back down.
It won't cost anything to try it-