Fuel Filter Change

I am considering doing this myself, but am no expert at all... but I do have some help. Is it at all easy to change out the fuel filter on my 2002 Explorer XLS 4x4 4.0L V6? I was asked if it was inline or in the tank.... which I have no idea. Any thoughts?

Reply to
Tim
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The filter is attached to the left hand frame rail.... special tool and patience required. With the motor cool and turned off, locateed the Scrader valve on the fuel rail under the hood..... use a pokey thing to bleed off the fuel pressure. There may be dirt and road detritus inside the filter couplings... if you force these couplings by not cleaning the debris out of them, you WILL damage either the coupling, the garter spring or both. AFAIK, there are currently no service parts for these and replacing the lines is neither fun nor cheap. DAMHIKT!

Open your eyes and understand that the spring butts up against the rolled portion of the fuel filter barbs.... two O-rings in the coupler do the sealing (it will help if you rotate the couplng on the barb about 1/4 turn back and forth to 'break' the grip of the O-rings). A couple of shots of WD-40 might also help. Work carefully and purposefully (i.e., don't do something just because you can)and you should do just fine.

-- Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

Reply to
Jim Warman

Hmmmmm thanks for the info! I think I may leave this one to the pros.... hahaha. Question here... can I go to the "family mechanic" (garage/mechanic who's serviced our family's vehicles for years).... and have them do it without affecting my factory warranty? or must I go to the dealership?

My father was going to be the one to help me do it. But, the info you just told me makes me a bit nervous... my father has a 1986 Dodge Ram Van.... he does not have fuel injection like I do. He's changed his before.... just not sure what a change it would be. He's never worked on a newer vehicle like this (his van he purchased and paid cash for brand new)...

Tim

PS - You probably don't remember, but a post I made a while back regarding my vehicl steering a bit to one side of the road. You said to get the tires rotated and I'd be "amazed" at how it affects it. You were right. Went to a tire shop and paid to have them rotated and balanced this last week. It drives straight now :-)

Reply to
Tim

Without knowing your "family mechanic", I'm a little hesitant to make a recommendation ( my faith in human nature is sometimes eroded by horror stories involving charlatans). It's not a difficult taks, though, as I eluded, it is easy to create a headache through carelessness. If your choice of mechanics has changed fuel filters on Ford products built after about '92, it should be a snap - the filter has changed since, but not the release method. Even better if he is the type that doesn't mind if you watch...

Glad I could help with the pulling problem..... what happens there is that the radial belts can shift creating a tread profile that acts more like a styrofoam cup lying on it's side than a cylinder.... Sadly, it seems like the problem is becoming more prevalent rather than rarer.... Many years ago, manufacturers strived for "zero defects"... Now the compute reduced quality control versus 'acceptable' warranty claims.

-- Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

(garage/mechanic

Reply to
Jim Warman

The first time I replaced my Explorer's fuel filter I didn't bleed off the fuel pressure sufficiently. So when I finally got the fuel line free a stream of gasoline spurted out of the filter. It just so happened that I was lying under the filter and perfectly situated so that the stream of gasoline was able to enter my left nostril and spray against the backside of my innermost sinus cavities. I stuck a water hose up my nostril trying to wash out all the gasoline, but it seemed like weeks before the aftertaste of gasoline was gone. Fortunately I don't smoke.

Be careful!

Steve

(garage/mechanic

Reply to
Steve Manifold

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