ok so im new to this and was wondering how often a fuel filter should be changed and how hard it is to change...if anyone has a write up on how to do this changel please let me know

 

if u buy a haynes manual it has a write up in it, but the just of it is....

- take the fuse out for the fuel pump in the fuse panel under the dash
- start the car and let it run until is stalls, keep doing this until it no longer starts or u just get tired of doing it (mine started 20 times so I just gave up)
- then u havta find the fuel filter, it is located against the firewall pretty close to the TB but a little lower. (I hope u have small hands)
- U need to losen the clamp on the top hose and then yank it off, it make require pliers etc. Be prepared for a decent amount of fuel to come out, especially if the car never stoped starting!
-Then loosen the clamp on the bottom hose (kinda tricky) and yank it off.
- Installation is the reverse of install, don't forget to tighten the clamps on the filter and to reinstall the fuse before u start the car.

The hoses might be seized on and with the lack of room u have to work in they may be impossible to get off, I hadda cut the bottom one on my 96 SE, make sure not to cut it too short though if u have to.

I would also recommend that u replace u'r filter with a 90-96 300zx TT fuel filter. The filter has the same connections is cheaper and has a larger filter area, so it in theory should last longer. It' is a little bigger but fits with no modification.

 

http://vbxmaxima.8m.com/fuelfilter.html

 

The process is simple. Some people have trouble but its not too hard. I actually took my intake off to clean my throttlebody the same time I did the fuel filter so I had much more are to move in. Use the site that 99 posted. You can use a 300zx filter, as boothhead as stated, if you want. The only difference there is that the 300zx filter last about double the time as the oem filter. It has been known to not fit correctly in some peoples' cars so be prepared to zip tie it or such.

 

thanks guys...is it the fuse under the hood or inside the cabin by the steering wheel?

 

the fuse is in the cabin, and as far as the 300zx TT fuel filter not fitting, it's just that the bracket is sized for the maxima filter, all u havta do is push the bigger filter in and the bracket will expand and hold on to it.

 

Yeah thats fine but you need to remember that not everyones car works like that. I've read from plenty of people that the bracket wanted to push the filter out because it was too big. Yes you can jam it in but it won't always stay. As I said, simply tip tie will give extra hold.

 

Im going to steal this thread for a min caz I dont know where else to post and I cant search or start a thread.

I have a 97 Maxima GLE with 171k miles. The car has been great since 97 and it's had no major problems except one problem recently. There was some smoke coming out from the right side near the firewall and I took the car in for a tranny flush and told a mechanic about the problem and they said that it's the oil sending unit and that there is some oil dripping on the axle causing the smoke. I bought the oil sending unit and replaced it free and there is still smoke coming out. They also told me to buy engine degreaser and wash that part of the engine bay because there might still be oil there and I have not done that yet so that might be the problem after all. It's not a lot of smoke but its visible any time the car is idleing at a light. It comes out after the car is warmed up and I tried to see where it's coming from but I cant tell. The smoke smells like very hot engine oil. I been checking the oil level and it does not seem to drop. The car does not leak oil in the parking lot and I have not seen any leaks at all warm or hot. Does anyone know any other place where this smoke is coming from. It can be the accesory belt because I replaced that back in January of this year. The timing belt idler and tensioner all been replaced less than 30k miles ago. There is no CEL no nothing.

 

but how often should a fuel filter be changed

 

Usually around 15k for a standard filter.

 

dose the fuel pump need to be changed every now and then?

 

QBridge just donate the 20 bucks and be able to start new threads and search...its well worth the money i think and there r plenty otheres of us that can agree on that one

 

I put a 300z filter in mine. Just expanded the holder, and used some handy 3M dual-sided sticky tape. Did I mention the 300z filter was 1/2 the price of the Maxima?

 

i have put 300zx filter in many many maximas without the bracket ever having probems.....all the brackets are the same in every max so i do nto see why it would not fit. every maxima i have puton in, it fits pefect.

 

could not replacing it have to do with a sh!tty idle and shakeyness ive had my fuel filter on there stock since 95 with 113k on the motor

 

what about putting in a high performance fuel filter? is it possible?

 

15k for a fule filter? I thought they had longer life than that.

 

maxima filter is 15k and 300z filter is 30k. the bracket will hold 300z filter, if you any case that it does not hold just tape 1 round of black tape and it will hold.

 

there are no high performance fuel filters...they filter fuel the fuel, what could be high performance?

 

$20 to the org is probably a better investment than $15 for a Haynes manual (although having both, as well as the FSM is way better).

 

Donate, get a Haynes, and download the FSM. You can't go wrong.

 

I went a long time before I finally got around to changing mine too. I never had the "sh!tty idle" or "shakeyness". What I found after it was replaced was a lot faster throttle response. I had some hesitation before from it being clogged and that went away.