My ECU and battery are out of my car now and I'd like to change the fuel filter but I cannot follow the FSM protocol since I have not electric power.

Can I change my fuel filter anyway and if so what precaution(s) do I take besides wrapping some towels around the hose connections to keep from making a mess and possibly having a serious accident.

Or should I wait till I get the ECU and battery reconnected?

 

plrod Black 95 SE, I would recommend check out this site first:
http://web2.airmail.net/scutchen/max_faq/
Note the first step:
Before you tackle this job, be sure to remove the 15A fuse in the inside fuse panel and run the engine until it dies. This will relieve the pressure in the fuel system.

As you would need full electrics to do this, I would recommend waiting until the ECU and battery are back in the car.

Regards and good luck. From my recent experience (the longest fuel filter change in history), I might also recommend inviting someone to assist, preferably someone with small hands as you are working in limited space.

 

Wait.

 

Well I have the FSM and understand about relieving fuel system pressure. I didn't see anything regarding fuel filter replacement on the page you referred me to.

Here's what I've done so far:

Decided to remove everything from the TB connection expansion joint out to gain working room bc damn this filter location sux big time.

I sprayed lubricant on the two hose connections of the filter and so far have removed the top connection. I had a towel handy and it absorbed a little fuel which spilled out. Now I've got to disconnect the bottom hose so I just sprayed some lubricant on it and am taking a break. Those damn hoses don't come off very easy and the space to work in is unfreakinbelievable. This is the toughest fuel filter location I've ever come across. Nissan fu<ked up here big time. I'm going on about 2 hours now. Next time I'll consider having it done by a shop. Problem there is they're likely to scratch the fender well with all the manuevering that's required. Hell I even tried going at if from under the friggin car and that was no use.

Word to the wise: Let someone else do this work.

 

Too late. The fuel spill was not major, I got a glass baby food jar and let it drain in there. Only got about 2 ozs out. Now I'm off to take off the bottom hose connection.

 

The lubricant helped alot. Finally got done with the bottom. When the bottom hose came off I drained the fuel left in the old filter into the baby food jar. New filter's on and tomorrow I'll clean in the area and put things back together.

It's incredible the amount of build up of black soot looking material inside the throttle body. Since I took these things out I looked inside there and was surprised to find so much black soot stuff stuck to the walls. I bet a port & polish would improve performance alot more than some of these mods I'm doing - wadaya think.

Anyway, the rear plugs were easier than I expected.

 

plrod Black 95 SE, I couldn't agree more with your comment "This is the toughest fuel filter location I've ever come across". I spend 3 hours ****'en with it, plus an hour trip to the parts store for a new clamp. Someone said to just cut the hoses and replace them as it's easier than trying to slide them off. He could be right considering the amount of time it takes trying to get them off the pipes. A true pain in the ***, but felt good when it was done.

 

I'm late with this idea but perhaps other people will try it. At the expense of one foot of high-pressure rubber fuel line you might be able to relocate that filter several inches higher, in an easily accessible location. When the time comes for me to replace the fuel filter I'll try this.

 

Changed spark plugs today. The rear rightmost plug location is an atrocity. Fuel filter is next. With ABS and my fat hands, I am screwed

 

To all, my advise. First secure two feet of good fuel line, two feet would be more than needed, but I would rather be safe than sorry. Then I would cut both the top and bottom hoses at a point which leaves you enough to twist the remainder of the hose off of the pipe it is attached to. This way you could just lift the filter out as it it now free. Then use both pieces (don't throw any of the pieces away) on each end as the pattern for the length of the new hoses. Don't forget the lower hose has a outer protective sleeve on it.

Again, this gets the filter out so you can work on the top and bottom clamps on the bench. The other
clamps that attach the hose to the inlet and outlet are easy to get to. The hard part wit them is just breaking
them loose, but seeing that you have cut them, they would be easy enough to apply a twisting motion to
break them loose.

Again, from my recent experience, two feet of hose vs. 3 hours of torture would be worth the expense.
Now if I can remember my own advise next time I have to change the filter.

Regards.

 

FYI....The first time I changed my fuel filter, it was a pain, but "doable". At 60K, I went to change it again and it was impossible. I think the fuel lines were much harder due to the cold weather, plus there is no room to work and get leverage. So I did the next best thing...bought high-pressure replacement fuel line and just cut off the old short line and replaced it. Once that line was off, I was easily able to get the filter off the lower hose (didn't have to replace it). Overall, this approach saved me a bunch of time!