I bought the car 2 years ago, and just got back in touch with the previous original owner. And we got to talkin and i said it was acting "stuffed up" and I might change the fuel filter sometime. He said "you better if you haven't, I never did!!!!!" AAAARRRGGHH
that = 13 year old fuel filter!!! (no he was serious) :doh

The main reason I haven't changed it is because I heard it's a PITA to do. I have also heard you have to depressurize the fuel lines?

Can anyone give me a rundown on this?

thanks,
David

 

Nobody knows? crap! lol.

 

if you scroll down , this was discussed a few days ago . If I were you , if that thing has never been changed , I would take it to a shop and let them do it , After being on for 13 years , that thing is ganna be a MAJOR PITA to get off .

 

Here's the message Wayne was talking about: https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=124053

And here's another: https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...&postid=805725

 

Thanks! off I go to eh, huff?

 

Good luck man.. mine is 16yrs old.. as far as I know no one ever changed it since they got the car (the holder thing around it is almost completely rusted away).. probably because the car sat for 7 years of its life under a tree rotting.. so you can tell mine is rusted in there like a bastard... i have to cut it out.. doesn't seem to want to come out any other way.. good luck and follow most of the advice tom gave me in the other thread...

 

Try this thread too

 

You guys are scaring me with all these fuel filter problems. My new one is sitting in the hatch, waiting to come out the tranny shop. Figured I would do that the same time I'm under it for my cat-back exhaust. I havent looked, I'm ***-u-ming its back buy the gas tank??

 

Not sure for the 3.1, but on 2.8 cars its right under the rear driver's side seat. Best bet is to crawl under right in front of the left rear tire and look up.

 

K, Will take a look when i get it back. Hope they redid something and made it easier!!!

 

On mine it's next to the frame, near to the transmission's end, driver's side.

I wonder how many problems replacing a 13 year old filter will solve, if any?

 

Mikes86, what's the deal with the compression fitting? Got a picture of it? I assume it's how you keep the new rubber hose from sliding off of the "original" and newly-cut GM steel line?

 

I just changed my fuel filter... I didn't have to do anything except loosen, remove - put new one on, tighten - done.

 

So you were lucky.. maybe yours has been changed in the past or your car was well maintained which could help keep parts from rusting into place... not every 3rd gen out there ages equally you know... my car sat for 7 years of its life.. its about 16 years old.. and I 'think' no one ever changed the fuel filter... (about 98k miles on it)... I sprayed it with a week and got one side off.. but the other is just stuck..

All cars are diff.. lots of other people (i think TomP had this problem) had their fuel filters get stuck where they are and had a hell of a time getting them out.. you got your out easy.. someone else might have a hard.. hard time.. I got one side off mine.. that didn't mean the other side was going to come off (and so far it hasn't)

 

So does anybody htink a new filter would make noticable diffrences?

 

Those kits Pep Boys sells contain no rubber hose. All steel. If I remember correctly you put a nut and a fitting on each the 2 ends, and connect them with another piece thats got a hex in the center and threaded on either side.

My father's away til Friday with his digital camera, so maybe Saturday I'l jack up the car and snap a pic.

 

So where's that pic?.. I picked up a repair kit today.. I'm going to just vice grip the filter and side that won't turn tomarrow and twist until something turns (or breaks) and if it still doesn't come out i'll cut the line out and replace it with the repair kit... I just don't have a bender tool...

 

Sorry, totally forgot about that pic. I spent Friday and Saturday installing the new sway bars.

BTW, you can get a bender for $6 at Sears.