Hello yall, i just replaced the fuel filter in my 2000 ranger 2.5 5 speed pickup.

Its got the easy to change out clips (has 3 nipples on filter), where you pull the clips out and it releases it. All except for one which has a bigger nipple than the other two.

For this one i thought i had heard you had to squeeze the green ring and it would release it. Well i grabbed a pair of pliers and squeezed it and of course i ended up breaking the end of it. Also it turns out i cant find one of the clear clips that i had pulled out.

Therefore i put in the filter anyways without the clips on two of them. The filter sits in their fairly tight with the clip on frame rail, and the lines kind of snug up on the filter. So im wondering if anyone thinks that it would be fine to leave as is, or do i need to fix it? Also any suggestions on the fix? Mainly the one where i actually broke it?

The one i lost the clip im just going to put a zip tie through.

Btw, im lucky to not be freakin blind right now. When i was working on the last green clip, i finally broke it, and when i did so i was pulling on it in my direction which caused me to spray gas from the line all over my face and straight into both eyes. Burned like a mother. I hurried and ran inside and rinsed them out and put contact solution in. Argh what a pain in the ***.

 

im not sure if anyone has told you but you run the truck and unplug the fuel pump kill switch (inertia switch) on the passenger side floor panel. the truck will die when the fuel line is empty, then you remove the fuel filter. I still wrap the filter in a rag cause gas will still come out.
good luck finding those clips. it pisses me off that ford/motorcraft does not put clips in the box with the filter. I found clips at a small mom and pop auto parts store.
I bought a tool to remove those clips but never was able to correctly use it. I use a small standard screw driver now and pop the cllips out. fairly easy.... I have the same truck as you.

 

When I changed the filter on my Sable, it has the same clips. I bought new ones from the dealer when I bought on the filter. I also let it sit over night and it bled all the pressure off. All I got was a couple drops out of the lines.

 

Don't know about the filter, but you just discovered the virtues of wearing safety glasses. They're fairly cheap. I won't get under the truck without them. I've had enough sand drop on my face to learn my own lesson.

 

Agree'd reddog. I've actually got a good habit of wearing saftey glasses on most projects.

But i was workin in 20 degree weather and had 3 inches of snow on ground while it was snowing, and my hands were cold enough i had to take a few breaks. So i hadnt really thought of them. Really wish i had now though!