09-12-2015, 01:51 PM
The fuel filter should look like a relatively clean paper filter element, try google if you don't know what that looks like. If it's tending towards dark brown/black or looks crushed you need a new one, genuine is best although high quality oem spec replacement is fine. Important note: halfords does not count as high quality, much the reverse lol.
The famous metal flakes are unrelated to lift pump wear, they appear regularly in cars without lift pumps. These systems are self-bleeding, don't go loosening high pressure pipes or anything, just cycle the ignition on a few times for a few seconds at a time. There is an arrow on top of the pump which matches one on the tank to avoid misaligning the pump and getting the fuel level reading issue.
If you have a 6-point socket that you can use on the filter housing do so, that or if you only have a 12-point use something else to grip the outside edge of the lid for extra turning force to minimise the chance of mullering the hex head. Steady and measured application of force is your best bet, the usual bouncing method to free off stuck fixings just makes it more likely to round the head in this case.
The famous metal flakes are unrelated to lift pump wear, they appear regularly in cars without lift pumps. These systems are self-bleeding, don't go loosening high pressure pipes or anything, just cycle the ignition on a few times for a few seconds at a time. There is an arrow on top of the pump which matches one on the tank to avoid misaligning the pump and getting the fuel level reading issue.
If you have a 6-point socket that you can use on the filter housing do so, that or if you only have a 12-point use something else to grip the outside edge of the lid for extra turning force to minimise the chance of mullering the hex head. Steady and measured application of force is your best bet, the usual bouncing method to free off stuck fixings just makes it more likely to round the head in this case.