Hello all,
I have a 2002 4.2L F150 (140k miles). Is it possible that there is not a schrader valve on the fuel rail? I am assuming it is on the left (passenger side) in the engine compartment but I can't seem to find it. I can see two that I believe are for the Air Conditioner, but do not see one for the fuel line. I've looked at manuals (Haynes) and even a drawing from a 2002 shop manual but no luck in finding it on my engine. I would like to change my fuel filter and would rather relieve the pressure using a fuel guage and run off than disconnecting fuses or using the inertia switch. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

you can just pull the fuse for your fuel pump and turn your truck on till it dies, then it will be depressurized. The shrader should be on your passenger side fuel rail towards the back, over the second cylinder i believe.

 

I never touch them after I relieved pressure on a 460 and the damn thing started leaking afterwards. Pulling the fuse and starting the truck is the only way I do it now.

 

Thanks for the advice. I will pull the fuse and start the truck. I appreciate your help.

 

Either pull the fuse, or unplug the crash sensor. Its a black box thing in the passenger side kick panel.

 

Just a quick update. I changed my fuel filter ($12 motorcraft) today. I pulled the fuse (#10), cranked the engine (no start), jacked the truck, and replaced the fuel filter (with $8.00 tool from Harbor Freight) all in about 10 minutes. I am good to go for another 15,000 miles. Thanks to the forum for your help, I really appreciate it. For anyone else debating about changing their fuel filter themselves, I say go for it! The job is easy and you can save some money. Thanks again for the help.

 

If it's a returnless system(which I don't think this year was), your not going to have a schraeder valve. The fuel rail will have a pressure sensor that the pcm can read rail pressure off of.

 

nope, it has a schrader valve. so do the new ones. returnless systems were on early carb systems.

 

ford doesn't use returnless systems is what i'm getting at, and regardless of the "type" of system used, it will have a schader valve on it, which is only used to check the fuel pressure and volume, the vehicle itself doesn't use it for any purpose.

 

The schrader valve was pretty well hidden on my truck, and it has the 4.6 engine. I would assume that the 4.2 is buried even deeper into the engine compartment, making the valve a tougher find.

 

well it's got to be on the fuel line that's connected to the fuel injectors, so it shouldn't be that hidden