How do you replace the fuel filter? Which one should I get?
 

Any tips on changing the fuel filter in a '95 Maxima? It looks like it has been placed in a MUCH harder to reach spot than the 3rd generation Maximas and I just don't know how to reach it in a way that I'll be able to tighten the hose clamps on the replacement filter.

Would a Fram filter work fine or should I go to my local dealer to get a Nissan filter?

Thanks in advance for any help...

'95 Nissan Maxima
135,000 miles

Fuel Filter

Part Information (for all 2nd through 4th Gen Maximas):

NOTE: 5th gen Maximas and up have fuel filters in the tank and do not apply.

OEM Nissan (BEST quality and preferred over other two types listed below):

Part Number: 16400-0M200 (Standard)
Price: $10 at discount Nissan dealers
Part Number: 16400-Q0805 (300Z)
Price: $11 at discount Nissan dealers

Purolator:

Part Number: F43178 (Standard)
Price: $10
Part Number: F54794 (300Z)
Price: $10

Hastings:

Part # GF147 (Standard)
Price: about $16
Part # GF270 (300Z)
Price: about $16

You can find who carries Hastings fuel filters them at this link:
http://www.hastingsfilters.com/vendor/index.html

Why even recommend a Nissan 300Z fuel filter?

Realistic (not by the Nissan manual) fuel filter life: 15k for Standard filter, 30k for 300Z filter. Why? More surface area equals more area to trap contaminents, which translates to longer life. NO performance gains are realized using the 300Z sized filter.



How do I replace the fuel filter?

Good write-up links on replacing the fuel filter:

http://vbxmaxima.8m.com/fuelfilter.html
http://integra.vtec.net/geeser/megamax/60k_service.html (Currently not working)

Pictures of fuel filter installation:

Stock vs. 300Z fuel filter size difference:

http://home.mindspring.com/~bill99gx...l%20Filter.jpg

Fuel filter off bracket with intake removed:

http://home.mindspring.com/~bill99gx...%20Bracket.jpg

Completed fuel filter install with 300Z filter:

http://home.mindspring.com/~bill99gx...%20Install.jpg

Megathanks for the help Bill!

:bowdown:

Will the 300zx fuel filter fit in the stock brackets on a 4th gen? I can't tell in the picture. Thanks.

Yes it will. But if you have ABS, fitment will be extremely tight.....and may not work

now im confused..its not necessary to change out a fuel filter for a 5th gen?

It probably is, but Nissan (for 2000-up Maximas):

A) No longer considers it normal maintenance.

B) Buried it in the fuel tank.


This makes changing the fuel filter a more involved and potentially dangerous process.

That weird, I wonder what's different about the filter that they deem it not required? I'd be tempted to install a seperate fuel filter somewhere along the fuel line, just to be sure. All it takes is once time getting dirty gas, to cause problems in your fuel system.

In the interior of BC, fuel filters are always clogging, and sometimes leads to pump failure, due to dirty gas. I suspect the problem is with the distribution plant in Kamloops, possibly dirty tanks, because all the gas comes from Edmonton through a pipeline, and after Kamloops, heads to Vancouver, where gas tends to be clean. Anyhow, my point is, with any area with dirty gas, this could start causing problems once the in tank filter cloggs.

This is one of those things designed by the same guy that thought it a great idea to submerge an electric fuel pump in gasoline.

i have a 97 max (unsure trim) manual no say..

i want to change the fuel filter.
which one should i get? will the 300zx work? or is it too tight and i may risk breaking something?

which brands are possible? thanks

Newbie at work ;)...

Hi, I have an Infiniti I35 2002 with a factory service manual. I could not find anywhere in the book talking about changing fuel filter. This is my first car that I'm going to play a little here and there with. Can someone help me?

I want to start out with this fuel filter then I have to change some belts which I don't even know how to do it but I'm going to live on here and learn.

Thanks.

I35 is the luxury brother of the 2002-04 Maxima, so I would bet that your fuel filter is buried in the fuel tank just like the 5th gens. There has to be something in the FSM about it, but they might not call it a fuel filter. Look at the component diagram that has the fuel tank and it should be there.

I have recently done two 5th gen fuel filter changes. Both at about 50k miles and they NEEDED to be changed.


Note: some parts personell are too ignorant to even know that the A33 even has a fuel filter or sell you the correct part. If your local parts department feeds you some bad info then just contact Dave Burnette and get the filter from him as well as a new O ring for the access panel. Changing the fuel filter isn't a job for most people as it requires the removal of the fuel pump/fuel level assembly. Then you have to dissasemble it and remove the fuel pump from the middle of the old filter.

Which model is this 300zx fuel filter for? The vg30de or the vg30dett?? Is there a difference in fuel filter size between the Naturally Aspirated models and the Twin Turbo models?

Ok well I checked to see if there was a difference in the filters between the N/A engine and the Twin Turbo engine - They are the same fuel filters, so any Z32 300zx filter will work...It's much larger than the maxima Filter though, it's about the same height but it 's much larger in diameter.

when in doubt.... get both lol.

here is how they look... used the same part numbers that was originally posted here. They actually both cost me $19.95. The difference is obvious. I just hope the 300z will fit my car w/ ABS.

http://www.i-cebox.com/images/fuelfilters.JPG

how do u know if the car has ABS or not? =I sorry noob..

im scared of the 300 breaking the bracket of the maxima

i think you can tell at start-up, if your car has the ABS light along with the seat belt, air bag, check engine, etc... mine doesn't :)

You have ABS if you have a little grey box with a lot of bluish/greenish grey hard lines snaking out of it to the right of the throttle body, near the fuel filter. Some of the lines are connected to the brake master cylinder for obvious reasons.

If you see a lot of little hard lines near the fuel filter back by the firewall, that's ABS stuff.

It was hard enough getting the Maxima fuel filter in there with ABS. Let us know if you sucessfully installed the 300ZX filter on a 4th gen with ABS.

Fuel filter change 5th gen.
 

Do you need to drain the fuel tank to change the fuel filter?

how often is this needed to be done?

Which brand fuel filter is better/best among those listed in the second post ? Thanks. Is Purolator okk or is the Hastings the best ?!? Or is the OEM just great ??

OEM is best, it doesn't cost that much so just get Nissan!

I just got the fuel filter replaced, bought the part for $12.50. Dealer wanted $80 for part+installation but I got it done for $35 + part. Jiffy lube wants $54.99 but won't install the part that I bought from dealer. When I said I wanted only OEM in my car, the moron asked me to goto dealer to get it installed!

Whatever, I saw how bad the fuel filter was. It's just black gas coming thru the output. Pretty bad. It's probably was replaced at 60k while I have 111,1116 miles right now. As well, I used the Chevron Techron 3 times that might have pushed the carbon into the fuel filter.

I'm hoping to see some performance gain :)

I was able to fit in 96 300ZX fuel filter fine in my 97 I30 with ABS in it.

I didn't have any difficulty in installing it and it did fit well in that space.

Hmm, thanks for the info. When I installed the Maxima fuel filter a few months ago, I had a hard enough time getting around the ABS hard lines to connect the fuel hoses, and I figured it would be even harder to squeeze the 300ZX filter in there. Glad to hear it fits well.

Anyone have any info or speculation on the possibility that the wider 300ZX filter would either increase or decrease fuel line resistance? IAny difference is probably negligible at best, but I'm curious. :D

The gas mileage in my AE has gone to **** the last couple of weeks and I can only wonder if the buried fuel filter is a reason behind that. I think I am going to call my local Nissan Indep Tech and see if they can do it and how much they would charge if I bought the parts.

Since the fuel filter is so hard to reach, can we extend the tube? The process of digging into the car to loosen up the screw and pull it out. I was wondering if we can get a pair of longer tubes, we can bolted it to move convient location. A location that can easily be accessable in the future.

Anyone know the tube size connected the top of the fuel filter?

as well as the tube size under the filter.

my max has 116k on it, and i havent replaced the fuel filter, and i bought the car at 97k, and i have no idea if and when the fuel filter was replaced by the previous owner. im replacing it with the 300zx filter tomorrow, and i wanna know if i will see any performance gains, not due to the 300zx filter, but the fact that the fuel filter hadnt been replaced? would a dirty filter hinder performance?

i jsut believe the fuel filter filters bigger particles more than anything... i was doing my filter for my accord and if u shake it, a lot is just the fuel... so i dont think hoenstly it matters much..

unless gas or particles are so big that it hinders fuel from getting to where it needs. but nah...

Yeah dirty fuel filters will decrease your post-fuel filter pressure and increase the load on your fuel pump. That means that the sediment and whatever else is in there is affecting the flow of the fuel and that is not good.
Replace it - it's very cheap and pretty easy (takes a good ~30-minutes if it's your first time or you take your time like me) and if you dont remember when it was last replaced, odds are it probably needs to be replaced. The car seems to run a tad smoother and have better low-throttle pickup and no power surging through the rev range like a dirty fuel filter can cause.

Fuel Filter Hose
 

I am having trouble getting the hose off the filter. I followed the instructions to pull the fuel pump fuse, then cranked over the engine several times, then loosened the screw on the clamp and moved the clamp down the hose so its well away from the filter, and no matter what I try I cant get that hose off. I can pull and pull, I tried twisting a little bit, I tried using a flathead screwdriver to pry it, which did move it a little bit and I could see a little metal of the nozzle... But thats it. I couldnt get it to move any more.

I cranked over the engine several more times since that was recommended that there might be still pressure... but still no luck...

Any ideas or tips?

Not sure that I can help. Normally I would say you posted your thread in the right spot, but no one is going to notice this here today. Try reposting it in whatever Forum your car is, eg. 4th Gen, 5th Gen. Also post in your Regional Forum. Maybe someone can come by and give you a hand.

cut the hose as close to the tip of the filter on both ends as possible, and youll still have enough room for the replacement to fit in its place

This is a worthwile mod!
I just replaced my fuel filter with a 300zx one. Wow it is much bigger! And the hoses are held on with the power of god! Took some hot water and some flat head screwdriver twisting to get them off. But wow, some fuel came out of the filter. Black as black can be! That really needed to be done.
Thanks for the tips!!
Viva maxima.org!

I have a 3rd gen and its nearly impossible to pry those hoses off from the old fuel filter. The clamps crushed the rubber and there is no way it will expand, although I havent tried hot water...

I was thinking of cutting off the hoses near the old filter and there should be enough clearance, but what about just getting new ones? Is a fuel-hose just specified by it's inner and outer diameters, or does it need to have specific temperature/pressure tolarences and be made from a specific type of rubber?

I just did mines, had about 70k on it. The spillage didn't seem black to me, but oh well. I trully believe it helped a bit right now. Things are a bit smoother, and I believe this was the 1st time I did it. I think a lot of people overlook this.

The hardest part is getting it off, my back started to hurt. I twisted and twisted and try using a flat head to prty and it worked. I relieved GAS CAP to relieve pressure or whatever and believe it to have helped a bit a well. Seriously just twist at it but dont' wrekc or break anything. Try going it on a hot day where rubbers are a bit loose.

lmao I was about to tell you guys to use a heat gun to soften the rubber...HAHAHA...then I realized we are talking about *fuel* lines...Woohoo!
Dont listen to me. But you can massage the rubber with your fingers to help soften it up I guess...I just used my gator grip pliers (a life saver...) and clamped on the hose with little force and twisted over and over until the rubber was soft enough to pull of...Yes this is the hardest part of the fuel filter change...Rubber hoses SUCK

I just went through this. There was no way that I was going to get the hose off so I took it to a shop. After they finished, I asked them how they got it off. They have special tools to take them off. They're a couple of extra long plier type tools. You might be able to pick them up at a parts place.

can someone help me with a guide to changing the fuel filter in my 2001 maxima 5th gen? i bought a $10 at star autoparts? should i return it and call my nissan dealer instead?