I tried my hand at the fuel filter tonight..

I purchased the correct fuel line disconnect tool, but apparently it is not able to penetrate into the fitting deep enough to reach the spring it needs to open???

Anyway, can I use a piece of 3/8" copper tubing and cut it in half and wedge it in there to get the same effect?

This thing was driving me nuts tonight...

They need banjo fittings with a bolt fitting like my old cars



Something like this, cut out of tubing... then wedged in there.. Would that do the trick?

 

The fuel lines on 92 on up are just a pain in the butt. I got mine apart using the plastic tool and some elbow grease. I ended up wrecking the metal pieces that hold the fuel line on the filter. I would purchase new ones anyway before you start to change the filter or disconect any fuel lines. If i were to do it again I would probably take the dang thing to a Ford Dealer.

 

I've made one similar to what you're thinking out of a strip of aluminum, and it's worked several times. But the metal scissor-type tools have always worked for me, too. The plastic ring-types are too short for some applications, though.