How to replace the fuel filter
 

Note: This was done on a 1997 2.5, I am not sure if it is the same for the 3.2 or other years, but it should be similar.

Time: 30-45 minutes. I replaced the fuel filter, air filter, took it for a test drive, and cleaned up in about 45 minutes, and this was my first time ever replacing a fuel filter. Everything came apart and went together easily, which helped the time.

Level of difficulty: 3. If you can spin a wrench, you can replace this filter.

Parts needed:

• Fuel Filter
• 17mm ratchet
• 10mm ratchet
• Ratchet extension
• 14mm wrench (open ended)
• Paper towels/rags (optional)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...erLocation.jpg

The steps:
1. The first thing that needs to be done is get the old filter out, a pretty easy task. The bolt on the top has a 17mm head, and spins off pretty easily. I took it off, and moved the fitting and tubing off to the side, spilling some gas along the way. Once its off, you can see a hole that goes through it, for the fuel to go through.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...elToEngine.jpg

2. Next off is the tube that comes up from the gas tank. I messed this up the first time around, taking off the mounting bracket first, if you do that, the whole filter spins and the bottom line is hard to remove. It is 14mm, and looking from the top down, it gets spun clockwise to remove it. It will slide down the fuel line once it is completely unthreaded from the fuel filter.

Optional, before you do this step, you can stuff some rags or paper towels down there to help catch the gas that will come out of the filter. I just stuffed them in like this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...aperTowels.jpg

3. Now that both the lines are disconnected, the fuel filter has to come out of the car. It's held in by a piece of metal, bolted down on each side, with the bolts being 10mm. The outside bolt is easy to get to, but it really helps to have an extension to be able to reach the bolt closest the center of the car. Once those come off (they each have a washer/crush washer on them), the filter will sort of wiggle up and out of its spot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...onForMount.jpg

Once its all out, you will be left with this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/FFSupply.jpg

4. Move on to installing the new filter. It will slip onto the supply line, and the tab on the filter should slide into the mount on the engine bay. It may take a little bit of wiggling to get the fuel supply line to sit just right, so it can be bolted back on. Make sure it is nice and tight so that it doesn't leak. Looking from the top, you screw it back on counterclockwise. The mounting bracket goes back on next, and then the line to the engine. I didn't see any reason to keep the two old washers (one on each side of the line) and installed the two new ones that came with the filter.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...NewWashers.jpg

5. Double check and make sure that everything is tight (4 bolts), then go into the car and put the key to II. I was hoping that this would start up the fuel pump, and get some gas into the filter for me. I waited and started up, went back outside and checked the lines around the filter to make sure nothing was leaking, and then brought it for 2 short test drives. The first one was RPMs up to ~2500 and probably only about a quarter mile. Everythign looked O.K. after that, so another short drive, about a mile, with RPMs all the way up to redline, I checked again, and everything looked fine. Thats all there is to it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...FFReplaced.jpg

I only cut open one knuckle during the half hour or so that I worked on replacing the filter itself. I think it happened witht he lower bolt, it was the hardest one to take off, but still pretty easy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...er/Carnage.jpg

The fuel filter I purchased from www.thepartsbin.com for $18.84. I ordered an air filter and throttle rotor too. So far things have been shakey with them though, I was billed for the throttle rotor, but have not recieved it yet, they say because it is coming from a different warehouse. Their packaging was alright, with the fuel filter in its box, but the air filter just sitting around in the box, no bag or individual box over it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../NewFilter.jpg

The old filter is waiting right now so that I can figure out how to open it up and see how things look in there, I'll keep you guys updated.

Results: I don't have any scientific results, but from what I can tell between a new fuel/air filter versus the old ones, things do seem a little bit smoother/more solid. The second time I started the car up, it seemed a bit quicker and more sure of itself also. I would definately reccomend this to anyone who has thought about trying.

:thumbsup: Awsome write up... got everything down and looks like any :n00b: that is going to change the filter can get it down with your simple instructions... :thumbsup: THANKS for the write up...

KEN STICKY!!! :woot:

anyways... you forgot to put something in your list... fixed in quote above... :thumbsup:

I'm going to have to do that for my next tune up again which is comeing up soon...

I was expecting it to be a lot worse then it was, just because it had to do with the fuel system, but it was as easy as changing the oil.

Another note, finding something to prop the hood up farther then the stock thing props it up helps out a lot, mine was almost straight up in the air, a big help.

VERY nice write up. uber ironic since i was thinking of this exact tune-up item on the way home from work today. i was pleasantly surprised to see this write up. maybe i'll take part in it very soon. it's one of those things that i don't know when it was done last on the car, so better safe than sorry. especially since i had that 'didn't want to start' episode at Midas a few weeks ago. i'm thinking it may be trying to tell me something. and anything that i can do myself (which is as much as possible for cars) is a super plus. labor is so cheap :thumbsup: and i have plenty of bandaids :D

again, thanks for taking the time and pics.

:werd: @ teh sticky suggestion

Alright, I've had a chance to drive it a little bit more, and I have some more positive thought about this.

When I used to speed up and suddenly let off at around 4000 RPMs, the car would really lurch forward a bit. It still does (the change in engine speed) but nowhere near as much, it is like that at lower RPMs too. I used to let off the gas and it the RPMs would fall all the way down, then come back up to where they should be. Now, it just falls right to the correct spot.

unsanepyro and dubcnea i keep getting your avatars mixed up cause its like pretty much the same :shrug:

Haha, I just changed mine yesterday, because I wanted the fog light in there, but it confuses even me now, so I need to switch it again.

I changed mine a while ago and found a line wrench necessary to get the best grab on the bottom nut.

Thanks for the "How to"....came in handy yesteday. Man, the buttom nut was really hard to get off. I was reluctant to use some good of WD-40 because if was the fuel line but use a little anyways. Figured that the spray wouldn't travel too far vertically and the gas that came out of the filter would wash it away before it actually reached the main gas line.

Boy was my old filter dirty!

How did you open up the old one and get a good look, I've been trying to slowly figure it out.

I would like to add that, it would help if you used a flare nut wrench (wrench that looks like an incomplete circle, only 6 point) for the bottom bolt. Also I used a 17mm wrench for the top bolt and with the bracket still on, I basically put both wrenches on the respected bolt and try to open them with a separation type of motion. Like you pulling something apart. it opened both bolts at the same time. I did it for my acura and my sister's honda already. Hopefully another one soon.

I forgot that you were trying to get into the filter....i should have made myself more clear. I didn't actually open up the filter, i shook some of the remaining fuel out into a towel before i disposed it and it was a mild brown colour with little bits of what seemed to be dirt. It might of been what they used inside the filter but it didn't look like it belonged.

I did notice that my revs didn't drop like you mentioned in a previous post also. While doing this change i noticed a huge rip in my air filter tube!! Dealer here in Canada wants $105CA for a replacement. I'm looking at the Weapon R aftermarket but don't really want to go that route since i'm more of a stock person.

A flare wrench would have helped greatly but i don't own one. The problem that i was have was the filter assembly was attached to the frame of the car with rubber grommets. Thus not making the filter "sturdy" enough to loosen in my case. I did try with a wrench and a socket together but i didn't have the room even tough i have small hands.

I have filled my tank and reset the trip meter to see if i will gain any mileage! Overal, my car seems to be a little but more happy.

What size was the wrench? I told you an SAE one last time but I remembered you got a metric one.

the bottom is 14mm, but i used a 9/16

Very nice description and pictures hopefully i will change mine this weekend!

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man, y'all aint' kidding about that bottom bolt. i had to use wd-40 as well, and am letting it soak as we speak. i already had to use a torque wrench on top bolt, it was on so tight....er rusted on or whatever. so now i'm just bending the filter and don't wanna ruin that steel line. that would be bad. so now i wait and hope :wish:

just thought i'd throw out a few more things about this sticky for those of you who have a filter that is pretty much cemented in due to time between changes:

1. leave the bolts on that hold the brace to the firewall. this will stop the filter from twisting while you try to get that bottom bolt out.

2. have some of that catalyst stuff handy to spray on that bottom bolt. don't worry, i doubt it will get into gas supply. there's a long tube that goes up into the filter where the gas goes in. the screw is down the tube a ways.

3. have a torque wrench or some type of tube for a bit of leverage on that top bolt.

now just some general stuff:

1. keep the old metal gasket for the top bolt if the one you get is a small copper one. i put that thinner one on and when i started the car, gas sprayed everywhere. i put that silver, thicker one back on and it was just fine.

2. have at least a roll of paper towels handy for misc. stuff and wipe ups.

3. keep the holes of the filter plugged at the top while you are messing with the rest. this will keep any bits of stuff that want to find their way to your gas line out the game.

other than those, i mean the write up was sweet. i just had to adapt a bit since mine was old as hell. when i stuck paper towel in there to soak up gas, and took it out, the towel looked like one you'd have after you wiped mud off a dirty windshield. that thing was dirrrrrrrrrtae. anyhoo....thanks again for the write up. i'm just waiting now for the gas to evaporate before i test drive. i'd rather not have a fire in there.

Should I get OEM or Bosch? 6 bucks difference. I'm going to order one very soon online.

I used a Bosch filter, it was what I found online, and it has not given me any problems since I installed it, and outwardly, I didn't see a difference between that and OEM.

I have driven 6,000 miles since this writeup, and have not had any problems with it either.

awesome thread, im going to be doing this soon...

Personally, I like OEM, at the dealer for most parts like this. With a small "Cash Wholesale" discount, parts are often cheaper than good aftermarket.

I got the OEM fuel filter for 18 bucks.

Problem....can't get the damn bottom bolt loose!!!!! I sprayed WD40 several times and tried my hardest to twist that thing, but it won't budge. Are you sure it's clockwise?

Dubcnea: what's the catalyst stuff?

Man this is harder than I thought. Getting the top bolt was hard already.

Righty tighty, lefty loosy. (as looking at it from the bottom, counterclockwise, which would make it clockwise if looking at it from the top (backside, or reverse if you follow me). sounds like you may be tightening.

Make sure you use a line wrench - like an open end wrench, but it grabs two more sides of the hex. It is is a flared fitting.

Also, get the line loose before you take the bracket off the filter.

Sounds like you are tightening it, not loosening it.

Don't mess up, and cause more costs to occur to fix the line.

Yeah, I was doing it clockwise looking from the top. In other words, I was pushing the wrench away from me when I am on the side of the car closest to the fuel filter. I didn't take the bracket off either.

The damn thing won't come off!!!!!!! :annoyed:

I had someone who works with cars help me on this and it still won't come off. Damn it. How much do you guys think it'll cost to bring it in for a professional to install?

I called a local mechanic, and he wanted 70 bucks. And he wouldn't install my OEM part that I bought from Acura. HOpefully we didn't screw up the line when we tried to get it off. This bites.

$1,000,000 :tomato:

Brought it to Acura and got it done for $35. They also found a crack exhaust manifold, but I'll have to bring it in at a later date. And it'll be covered by them.

Do you know if they had a difficult time removing it also? If I had the right direction listed? If I was incorrect I want to make sure I change it in the write up.

I don't know. My girlfriend took the car for me since I had to work. She didn't ask if it was difficult or not. I also forgot to tell her to take the used fuel filter so I can open it. Oh wells. You are probably correct since a lot of people had success with following your directions. Just that my damn bottom nut won't come loose. If only I got that one done, everything would have been so easy...

hey UnsanePyro......thanks a lot ....your article was very usefull for me today ....regards

Pictures are gone :bawling:

does anyone else have pix of this diy?

OMG. Where did the pictures go? ArrrGH! Can someone else post them?

Damn it! What happened to the photos!? :(

Is there a post for the second generation fuel filter replacement? I need to change mine quick, any help would be greatly appreciated

This info helped alot. Even w/o the pix. It is a pretty str8 forward swap seemingly. Getting the rite tools is key. I had ever tool but the 14mm open face and then discovered im missing only the 10mm socket of my metric set. ARRGGGhhh!!!!!
I will post some pix if i get it done. This site is just what i needed. THX mates!
CHEERS UnsanePyro!

The fuel line connected to the bottom of the fuel filter w/ the 14 mm nut is easier to remove when holding the fuel filter just above that connection with a 19 mm open face wrench. I could not budge it with just the mounts holding the filter, tough location. I took pix and will post them when i get a chance.

get a 14 mm flare wrench for this job! solved all my problems, maybe a little wd40 helped too