I took a stab at changing my fuel filter today. It's a cylinder of about 3" diameter, about 3" long, and fits in a bracket inside the frame rail ahead of the gas tank. THe connections have a spring clip, which was easy to remove. But I can't make anything else budge.

I'm guessing that the outer collar slides, much like an air hose fitting. However, I couldn't move it and I didn't want to force anything.

Can someone give me a pointer?

 

Go to Auto Zone or where ever, and ask for a Spring Lock Tool for a Ford Fuel line. You can get a set of 4 different sizes for about $10±.

 

Here is what you're looking for....
http://www.ackits.com/TOOLS/IMAGES/93000N.JPG

 

can u get a stap wrench on the cannister. you can get a new filter element and o-ring and maybe not have to pull it. what year e150?

 

strap wrench. sorry. like a oil filter wrench.

 

No need for a strap wrench. The canister easily pops out of its holder, and it's a one piece sealed unit. It will spin easily - the fittings aren't a screw type, they're more like what's illustrated in the picture that was linked above.

 

Close, but not right. That's apparently for a refrigeration line. The site says it's for "Four sizes 3/8" (#6), 1/2" (#8), 5/8" (#10) and 3/4" (#12)"

The fuel line is about 3/16", and there is a spring clip that can be popped off by hand - no tool required. I just don't know where to go from there.

I think I'll take some pictures and post them - that will be better than my lame description!

 

That link was posted so you could see what the tool looks like. Sorry for the wrong size, but as I earlier suggested, ask for a Ford fuel line tool if you don't know the size.

 

Ah. Gotcha. Sorry - I misunderstood.

The picture of the line below the tool doesn't look like my fuel lines, though. There is no 'donut' type thing on my lines - is that part of the line or the tool?

 

OK, then you won't use this type tool.

As requested earlier: What year is your van? What engine?

 

Is this what you have ---> http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/j...3d801ed835.jpg

You'll have to copy and paste the above link. Seems the FTE site sends it to some crazy page when you click on it.

 

Closer, but not quite it. I'm grabbing the camera! Stand by for pictures!


BTW, I copied and pasted, and got "Page not found." I think the forum softwear messed up the URL. Perhaps it was too long. A tip to all - if you need to post a looooong URL, take it to www.tinyurl.com

It gives you a tiny URL that you can copy and paste, and when someone clicks on it, it redirects them to the original looooong URL. You don't even have to sign up to use it! It's great for sending in emails, too.



Oh, '93 E150, 5.0L engine. Auto trans, air. (Apparently it had the rear air at one point, but that's been capped off.)

And lots of rust underneath!

 

Well. let's see if I can post some pictures. This one is the front side of the fuel filter with the retaining clip in place. The view is looking up at the frame rail (that rusty thing in the background, lower part of the picture). The green area is the bottom of the van's floor. The fuel filter itself is held by a rusty spring steel clip. To the right is towards the front of the van. Notice that the fuel line is braided SS. The one feeding in from the rear is rubber.

 

Here's the same view with the retaining clip half removed. The clip can be pulled off with fingers.

 

And last, the fitting with the retaining clip completely removed.






So, anybody recognize this fitting? It seems to me that the larger part (which fits between the legs of the clip) should slide to the right, away from the fuel filter body, and that should release it from the fuel filter. But I can't move it with just my fingers, and I don't want to force it unless I know that I'm doing the right thing. That could get expensive!