Replacing the fuel filter

[mattpresley]

I went to autozone tonight and bought a fuel filter and the special tool. I will Be installing it Sunday because I have to work tomorrow. My trucks gas miliage is suffering and the filter is so ****ed that I totally lose the ability to accelerate from stops every now and then. It happened to me on the freeway in traffic this afternoon. I had to turn on my hazards and idle to the shoulder and let her idle for a few minutes then I was off and away. I'm very tired of these short term breakdowns and I'm sure it will happen to me again tomorrow to the same jobsite in north central phoenix, a 45-50 minute drive. I will post my progress here and along with other googled help I will be using this walkthrough

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/spring2008/fuel_filter_swap.htm

Also so y'all can laugh at an amateur my work goggles will be a yellowed pair of pool goggles

I am so scared to do this but I guess the best way to learn anything is hands on

 

[MountainMike]

Not a big deal man. Just drive the front of the truck up on ramps to prevent fuel siphon out of the tank lines. And DO NOT sit right under the filter, trust me. Even released pressure means there will still be a leak. Don't be afraid to buy a face sheild. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure as they say.

 

[scotts90ranger]

wrap a rag around the fuel fittings when you take them apart, will keep fuel from spraying, it'll still leak, but won't get you in the eye as easily

I didn't look that close at the link, but unplug the inertia switch (or wack it with a hammer handle or something) then start it to run it dry, this won't get all the fuel, but will relieve most of the pressure

 

[mattpresley]

Fuel plug pulled and engine cranked to hell----complete
Removing fuel filter with Ampro Fuel Line disconnect tool---GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! it isn't releasing the fuel line. what am I doing wrong?????!!!!!!!

 

[kwellst]

push the lines toward the filter, give them a little twist and that should release the some of the grim and the stuck o-rings from age and heat.

Put the tool on slide it in as far as it will go, then push the line and the tool together and then try to pull the line away. Make sure u have the right sized tool.

I've always found that with the ones that want to fight you every step of the way is to just relax and take your time.

 

[mattpresley]

push the lines toward the filter, give them a little twist and that should release the some of the grim and the stuck o-rings from age and heat.

Put the tool on slide it in as far as it will go, then push the line and the tool together and then try to pull the line away. Make sure u have the right sized tool.

I've always found that with the ones that want to fight you every step of the way is to just relax and take your time.

SUCCESS!!! I now have a new fuel filter installed

 

[ianthegreat]

grats, did you take any pictures by chance?

 

[mattpresley]

grats, did you take any pictures by chance?

no sry man. I used that link I posted above to walk me through

PROBLEM Im still having fuel starvation issues off and on..........Making no sense....I am sooooooo pissed off. does anyone have suggestions?

 

[BlackDogSociety]

When it acts up does run rough or does it just have no acceleration? If it runs rough the it could be a failing ICM, the ignition coils, a bad spark plug or spark plug wire, ect... If it has no power but runs and idles 'normally' then it could be the fuel pump, the fuel pump relay, dirty air fliter, dirty injectors, etc...

Do you get a CEL? Does it throw any codes?

 

[mattpresley]

When it acts up does run rough or does it just have no acceleration? If it runs rough the it could be a failing ICM, the ignition coils, a bad spark plug or spark plug wire, ect... If it has no power but runs and idles 'normally' then it could be the fuel pump, the fuel pump relay, dirty air fliter, dirty injectors, etc...

Do you get a CEL? Does it throw any codes?

No Cel, no codes, All I lose when it acts up is my acceleration and it only does it after I've been stopped(at a redlight) may 1/20th of the time. interstate travel is ok. I check my air filter and cleaned my maf sensor. when you say fuel pump relay, do you mean the swich with a reset button under my passenger dash?

 

[mattpresley]

it don't do it with OD off?!

 

[Army]

I just had that same problem. Mine was a tiny crack in the firing coil (cylinder sparkplugs, not the afterburning). Accelerating resulted in hesitation and eventually the CEL came on, but cruising at speed was fine when I got there.

I've got 100,000 on this "new" fuel filter, and still get close to 400 miles out of a tank.