Undid the hose clamps, pulled out #32 fuse and started the engine until it stalled a couple times. But the hose is still stuck on there. What do I do?

 

Search is down but there are several good write ups on how to do this.

Well me being lazy, I change the fuel filter on my Maximas by cutting the middle of the fuel hose. This hose is the one that comes from the filter and goes to the fuel rail. After the hose is cut I then move the filter down so I can work on it with both hands. But I only do this when the enigne is cold and I surround the area near the cut hose with shop rags to soak up the gas that spills out. I also jack the car up and remove the front driver's side wheel to get even better access to the filter. When I remove the old filter I replace the cut hose and install the new filter. It now takes me about 30~45 mins to do this whole operation after having done it 3 times already.

From trying other methods this is what works best for me, im sure other people will chime in say my method sucks and tell you there method(s) for what works best for them.

 

I'm a newbie at this... never done anything but oil changes on my car before. I don't know how hard it would be to replace the hose. I can get at the filter, but the hose doesn't seem to want to come off. I don't want to break anything by jerking on it. It's already banging into the brake lines when I pull on it.

 

If you cut the hose on the top side of the filter, right where the filter ends, you won't need to replace the hose.. then drop it down, take it off from the bottom and the filter will fit back without any new hose.. at least it did on mine.. seriously though, probably just easiest to cut the hose off the top, pita to get off

 

Hence why I cut the hose so I dont have to stick my hands in there and bang anything up when trying to get the hose loose. I dont even have to take my intake off. I did this one day after getting fed up with trying to get the hose off, I just cut it and replaced the filter. But I had to borrow a car to go buy the replacement hose.

Nowadays I keep a couple feet of rubber fuel hose in the garage for these occasions. Heck some people recomend that you change the rubber fuel hoses when you change the filter. I figured this way would kill two birds with one stone.

 

haha never thought of that one...

Seeing as I replaced the hose and filter already on both of my cars for this year. I'll just cut the hose at the top of the filter and drop it down next time around.

 

What about on the bottom? I don't want to cut it off, then go to the bottom hose and find that I can' t get that one off either, and be stuck with the top part of the old filter still attached to a piece of hose so it can't be reattached, and get towed to a shop. Is the hose long enough for me to be able to cut both ends, if nescessary? I can't believe this sucks so much. The FAQ how-to said it was easy, and I'm stuck here with bloody knuckles and no replaced filter. Also, does the hose go on pretty easy? And do I just cut with a knife?

 

You dont need to cut the bottom end, once the top part is cut you can just drop the filter down and wiggle that bish loose. If you need more space to work with jack the car up and remove the front drivers side tire. FYI Ive never had to cut the bottom hose, Ive always managed to wiggle the old filter loose.

 

What almost always works for me, is taking a small flat head screew driver and prying it under the hose and the fuel filter nub. just break the seal, and start prying it off. once it is loose, the you can pull it off. did that make any sense? let me know if you are confussed by it, and i will try to explain better.


Chris

 

I have replaced mine twice already without the need to cut any hose. To make the job easy, remove the intake up to the throttle body (now is a good time to clean the throttle, too). To remove the hose, wedge a flat blade screw driver between the hose and the fuel filter and twist the scew driver to pry the hose loose. Also do not pull the hose straight up, it will just grab the metal tube and won't come off. Use a twisting motion and lift the hose at the same time.

 

I can't get the screwdriver up the hose to the nub. The hose stretches all the way down the metal tube to the cylinder. The geometry of the filter just doesn't allow it. It's clearly an aftermarket filter, since it doesn't look like the OEM one I just bought from Nissan.

 

Hey, also my car sounded horrible when I disconnected the fuel pump to let the car run out on the leftover fuel pressure. Tach rises and falls, the whole body of the car shook. Was that something I should've been worried about?

 

I believe that's just cause there's no gas in the system... no worries

 

Since you've already replaced the filter, shouldn't it be easy(ish) to get the hose off next time?? That's what I was hoping at least..

 

Nope... well for me at least.

This year I changed the filter in my 98 and 96, last year was the first time I did the fuel filter change (just had the 98 back then) and ended up using the hose cut method after several failed attempts.

This time around I tried to pull those hoses off to see if it made a difference, but they didnt budge so I went right back to the ol' cut hose method to get it done. They say to put some kind of lubricant on the tube of the fuel rail and on the top tube part of the fuel filter to make replacement more easier. I never found out what that lubricant was, or if I did I dont rememeber what it is.

 

Think I can crush the tube part of the filter with a pair of pliers, then pull it out? There'd be less contact area for the rubber hose to grip, and make for an easier removal? But would it destroy the hose?

 

Just spray a tiny bit of liquid wrench or WD-40 around where you're prying with the screwdriver. A couple more times pulling on the hose after doing this, it came off so easy I almost hit myself in the face You just need a bit of lubrication at the end of the hose to get started and then it's a piece of cake.

 

I use a pair of needle nose pliers to pry it off. That way you have force on both sides of the hose at the same time. Still tough to do but it works.

 

Uncle, you got it !!

15 minute job when you remove the air intake bellow.

 

+1 on the needle nose pliers. Just twist it and it will slip off.

 

Needle nose pliers? You mean just plier-grip the hose, then hold the filter in the other hand, and twist?

 

These work great: long handle needle nose pliers

Every once in a while I'll buy a tool and find it so useful that I wonder how I ever got by without it. This is one of those.

 

Those pliers are the exact same ones that I used in my third attempt at changing the fuel filter. It makes the job ten times easier!

 

Hey, got the top hose off. Thanks. But on the bottom, where'd you drop the filter down so you could get easier access to it? The hose doesn't seem quite long enough to get under the car.

 

No.
10 char

 

Jack it up, take the drivers side wheel off and you can barely see it hanging... there's a little slack so just pull it and eventually it'll come off.. use the needlenose to make it easier

wJ

 

Got it off. Put on the new filter. But now I see I looped it around another hose so it won't fit into the little metal bracket by the brake booster. Also lost one of those stupid little square nuts on the top hose clamp. It fell off when I was trying to turn the bolt to tighten it. Does this stuff matter? Do I have to get the top hose off again to loop it around right? I hate this piece of **** so much. I want to take a bat to my engine. It's been four hours, I'm cut and bleeding all over. The How-To writer who said this was easy should be shot. I will never work on my car again.

 

I'm sorry but the wording of that post was really funny.

 

I am doing mine tomorrow. Don't hate the car. It really is not that hard. Just takes patience.

Think of it this way. You put it on yourself. You saved about 60.00 bucks or more b/c you took a chance and did it. Way to go and good job man!

 

4 hours to change a fuel filter !!!!!!!

Th wording of the post also made me hysterically laughing !
I sympathize with you. I`d also quit fixing cars myself if I spent 4 hours on a fuel filter.

Look at all the experience you gained. That will make next job easier.

 

Ahh... bought a new hose clamp, and set everything right again. Car runs good now. Finally. I was thinking about buying a y pipe and putting it in myself, but if it's anything like this....

 

Panel Poppers - the kind you take door panels off with.

I've installed many fuel filters, MEVI's, etc....there hasn't been one hose that those couldn't conquer in less than 15 seconds. On many cars - some with high milage and dirty engine bays...no problems.

Just stick the hose in between the 2 prongs on the panel poppers and pry off.....easy.

 

i need to get one of those. aren't they really cheap too? i think my buddy's dad got one from jcwhitney a while back for next to nothing.

this thread reminds me of how that 300zx fuel filter sitting in my back seat should go in. i also ran into trouble taking the hose off so i quit cuz i had just finished another pita project. too bad this damn snow makes it impossible for me to do anything to the car.

 

I got mine at a local parts store for like $3.99....

It's one of my favorite tools.