Tips for getting fuel filter cap off?

[JTaylor2005]

Hey everyone.

I am trying to change the fuel filter on my car.

I have a couple of questions really.

1 - How careful do you have to be about getting any dirt in the housing/pipes? I can see little bits of very very very fine dust floating around the engine bay. Would that harm the pump/injectors?? Surely it can't be that temperamental.

2 - How the hell do you get the top off the housing haha. It looks like its going to rips its self off the mounts when I try and turn it with a spanner. I have tried knocking it round using a chissle and hammer as well but that makes it move the bracket rather than the top haha. Any tips??

Cheers guys

[Mattcheese31]

Socket on top, bit stiff but will come

[bashbarnard]

Im assuming you have a hdi. As your using a spanner. They do take a lot of force sometimes to get undone. They are that temperamental. They do.not like dirt. I find it easiest if you undo.the two 13mm bolts and hold in a vice. (gently) that way you can.clean it all up with a new filter before it goes on. So no dirt ingress

[JTaylor2005]

Okay well I will do all that properly when I can then Not worth rushing it now as im going out haha.

Cheers guys

[Pgtips]

Hey everyone.

I am trying to change the fuel filter on my car.

I have a couple of questions really.

1 - How careful do you have to be about getting any dirt in the housing/pipes? I can see little bits of very very very fine dust floating around the engine bay. Would that harm the pump/injectors?? Surely it can't be that temperamental.

2 - How the hell do you get the top off the housing haha. It looks like its going to rips its self off the mounts when I try and turn it with a spanner. I have tried knocking it round using a chissle and hammer as well but that makes it move the bracket rather than the top haha. Any tips??

Cheers guys

Use a 6 sided 22mm socket as the housing's made of plastic & will probably round off with anything other than that then you'll be looking for a new one

[pro_steve]

I recommend changing the whole housing and filter otherwise you usually dislodge some dirt and end up with it further down the line and then it will have problems.
But if you are going to take the lid off anyway then a big spanner with somebody twisting the lid at the same time whilst making sure they aren't pushing on the pipes because they snap off very easily.

[JTaylor2005]

Okay well I have this type http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEUGEOT-206-30...2a325a43ec

So just buy that one and switch it with the one thats in there already?
How many miles should this be done at is it?

Thanks, Jack

[Toms306]

£40 seems a bit much for a filter change.

I've never had an issue changing filters tbh, just clean the area first.

[Poodle]

Drain it and flush properly first and it'll be fine, you'll get more dust than that off of the filter element. As already mentioned, use a six sided socket or spanner, anything else will usually chew up the hex on the lid.

[pro_steve]

So just buy that one and switch it with the one thats in there already?

Yes, that's what I would do, £40 is probably cheaper than spending the time cleaning the dirt out the regulator afterwards, but that's just me. On the newer engines they seem to only sell the complete housing at the main stealers and I'm quite sure this is the 'proper' way of doing it.

If you want to change just the filter I suppose you could take the whole housing out, drain it and then clean well and flush it out with a bit of diesel before putting the new filter in.

[Poodle]

It's a weak design for sure, but there's inherent flaws that you'll never get round short of changing it to a modern cartridge-type filter assembly. Should be easy enough to do mind, if anybody felt like it.

[Pgtips]

£40 seems a bit much for a filter change.

I've never had an issue changing filters tbh, just clean the area first.

+1
Just clean the housing first & use a proper socket to remove it as £40 for the sake of changing a filter each time seems a bit extreme

[procta]

I recommend changing the whole housing and filter otherwise you usually dislodge some dirt and end up with it further down the line and then it will have problems.
But if you are going to take the lid off anyway then a big spanner with somebody twisting the lid at the same time whilst making sure they aren't pushing on the pipes because they snap off very easily.

agreed, the 1st time I did a fuel filter change I ended up snapping the fuel lines on the lid!  so I decided from now on just to swop the full housing over. I sometimes sell my old ones on the forums.

[Magenta Sunset]

I use a webbing strap-wrench around the cap edge. works for me.

[Piggy]

Push down a little as you do to balance the force of the spring

[cully]

I use a wheel brace spider these have 6 sided sockets on them of the correct size so to not round the plastic nutted top
always clean and dry the housing before fitting a new filter best doing this by removing the canister,
replace the o-ring and lude it with some silicon grease this will help fitting and removal next time

[pug306driver]

My heart was in my mouth when i changed ours, used hex socket and pushed down on the hex driver whilst steady downward and turn pressure, and turned off, quite difficult, but it came off all ok.

Remove the top pipes first and keep them out of the way. the stubs will break off as easy as wink, so be carefull. A mod to a more easy set up would/may be the way forward, transit cartridge type??

Noticed that MANN filter was different dimensions to pug, showed signs of "crushing" but at least it was a smaller diameter to the old filter that came out, which was real tight, showed signs of crushing and possibly restricted fuel flow due to slightly large filter diameter.

Changed MANN to pug oe which dropped in.

Its a good idea to clean the filter area the day before changing the filter.

Any metal flakes/glitter in the bottom of the filter body??

[BiG K]

Changed plenty of filters over the years and never had an issue and I change mine every year. Clean the top of the fuel filter housing, where the top and body seal and around the fuel pipes in-situ. Pop a socket over (I've used 12 point BUT try and use 6 Point...less issues!).

Push down to compress the wave spring, while turning, just to break the seal and facilitate the removal of the pipes (maybe 20 degrees). When removing the pipes, be ready with tissue as it will leak a fair bit. The pipe which goes into the HP pump, cover with a clean bag (or thumb off a plastic glove) and seal with a rubber band.

Keep some tissue over the pipe outlets on the filter lid, fuel will continue to spurt out. When removing the cap, be ready for a LOT of diesel to come out everywhere. Ideally have a strong bag without holes beside the fuel filter housing.

Drain the old diesel out or soak up with loads of tissues / rags. New seal, new filter (only fits in a specific way, there's a tab!) and re-do it back up. Make sure you prime your car before starting to bleed as much air out as possible (turn key to "on" position but do not engage starter. Turn off. Repeat. I do it three times..I might have OCD)

Swapping out for a new housing seems excessive and expensive.

[pug306driver]

I drained the filter body via the drain plug, with tube and jar to catch the fuel that comes out. Same whilst priming, will catch and measure amount for 3 "primes" next time I change the filter, for the info/prime flow test.