I changed the plugs and fuel filter on my 01 f250 5.4
the other day--any way the middle plug on the drivers side was
only holding on by a couple of threads--just asking for disaster!
the inner boot was all brittle and sooty
might be a good idea to ckeck
btw I just hit 50k--rest of plugs came out easy

 

I did mine awhile back with no probs but this is why you all should check your plugs B4 you lose 1....

Thanks for the heads up!!

 

Brianas ( or anyone else),
I just bought a fuel filter and the "tool set" from Kragan Auto Parts. Did you use the "tool set" (they look like small top hats with slits in them)? If so, how do the darn things go on? where do they go on? and should I expect to be spilling gas all over the place while removing the existing fuel filter???

I looked at the drawing on the back of the tool set package and it didn't turn on any lights, if you know what I mean!

Thanks,

 

from what I understand you are supposed to put them on the line and push them into the clip lock dealey to unlock it. I just bought a filter but I didn't do it yet....

 

Just read my manual it says remove the locking clip or safety clip then slide the tool in and unlock the hose.
Caution there will be pressure you should bleed it down first. you could pull the fuel pump fuse while the truck is running...there is a valve on the engine

 

the hat things ride along the solid input and output lines of the filter and slide under the soft hose ends. the soft hose has little tabs all around it that need to be pushed in to allow the hose to slide over the raised tips of the filter. Sorry if this doesn't make sense.

Also, you should bleed the pressure in the engine bay. There's a shrader valve on the fuel rail that you can screw a fuel pressure gauge onto and bleed the pressure. I'm sure you can get the pressure guage from the parts store too for a small amount. It's certainly cleaner then letting the fuel pour all over you while you pull the filter apart. BTW, even after draining the line you'll get some spillage.

 

OK, so I got the little top-hat shaped dealy on the fuel line before the filter but I don't see how it's supposed to get the fuel line off the fuel filter nipple? (do I "just pull them apart with all my might" kind of thing?). The end of the fuel filter that is closest to the motor has a silver clip. I figured out how to lossen that easily enough. But how to get the line off from there is a mystery??? It is a solid (metal? aluminum?) fuel line and I don't know how to get it off the fuel filter nipple correctly. Does it just pull apart? or am I supposed to use the little top-hat dealies in some fashion to get the line off the nipple?

The end of the fuel filter that is closer to the back end of the truck has a rubber fuel line with a plastic end on it that's about 1.5" long. The plastic end somehow clamps onto the fuel filter nipple. I can rotate the rubber line with plastic end clamp on the nipple, but I can't figure out how to get it off correctly???


Frustrated.... and hoping I don't have to pay a mechanic to change my stupid fuel filter!

 

here's an easy way to bleed your fuel line

behind passanger side front kick panel is the fuel pump shut off switch unplug it and start the truck up untill die's . thats all!

Tony

 

Put the hat thing on the fuel filter line and push it into the end of the rubber hose that's on the back side of the filter. With the hat thing pushed into the endof the hose it makes the hose ID biig enough to fit over the nipple on the end of the filter. Look at the replacement filter and try the hat on that. You'll see the OD of the hat is about the same dia as the nipple. Inside the end of the rubber hose are a bunch of finers that face towards the back of the truck. When you push the hose over the nipple the fingers grab the nipple so the hose can't pull off the filter. All the hat does is slide into the hose and makes the fingers push out of the way allowing them to slide over the nipple. The same happens on the front of the filter. I don't think I can explain it any better without a sketch.

 

DS:

I have the same fittings on my '03 5.4L. Here's the easy way of doing it:

For the rear line (fuel line towards the rear of the fuel filter and vehicle) That line is a rubber coated garter spring fitting. It does not have the safety backout clip.

1) Put the fuel line disconnector tool around the filter tube and hold it on clamped with your right hand.
2)With your left hand, grab the fuel line and push it in towards the fuel filter (toward the front of the vehicle) and hold it there.
3)With your right hand, push the disconnector tool into the hose fitting as far as it will go without pushing the hose outward.
4)Now with your left hand, back out the fuel hose. You can either leave the disconnector tool where it is or move it outward with the fuel line. The fuel line can now be removed (slid off) completely.

For the front (towards the engine bay) fitting. Metal garter spring fitting with safety backout clip.

1) Remove the retainer clip and push it completely out of the way onto the metal fitting part.
2) Clip the disconnector tool around the filter with your left hand.
3) With your right hand, push the fuel line towards the filter (toward the rear of the vehicle) and hold it there.
4) With you left hand, push the disconnector tool into the fitting as far as it will go and hold it there.
5) With your right hand, pull the fuel line toward the front of the vehicle WITHOUT MOVING THE DISCONNECTOR TOOL. The line will move free.

On my trucks (1994, 1999, 2002 and 2003) this works on the very first try every time. In fact, on the 2003, if I look at the lines with an angry look or I use a sarcastic tone of voice, the lines just pop off by themselves. Easiest truck yet.
Make sure that you wrap a 2 x 2 rag around the area. As far as bleeding the fuel pressure is concerned, I've changed fuel filters about 13 times and it's like arguing with my wife, whether I bleed it or not, I get sprayed. That's where the rag helps. (Works on the wife too. No, not with the same rag!)

These instructions will not work on trucks equiped with vinyl seats, diesels or trucks equiped with little plastic Virgin Mary's glued to the dash.

 

My truck has vinyl seats, is a diesel, has two Virgin Mary's on the dash, and one Mary (virgin) on the vinyl seat. Will those directions work for me?

 

Dave,

No sir, I apologize. I'll write some instructions for the VS/D/VM package equiped trucks. (Vinyl Seat/Diesel/Virgin Mary package) I don't know if I can go back to 1986, though. I didn't know trucks and even fuel filters existed way back then.
Also, I sell a kit to convert your old glued-on Virgin Mary's with quick-disconnect bases. It's the new RIQD kit.($29.95 per efigy.) The Religious Icon Quick Disconnect kit works with Virgin Mary's, Buddah's, Koran's, Talmud's and Vishnu's.

 

I thought we couldn't sell stuff on here..LOL

 

n578md,

Wow, awesome instructions! If I can't do it after that, I DESERVE to pay a mechanic's price I guess! I printed out your instructions, along with a couple of others (alfie623, Dave Sponaugle, etc) and can't wait to give it another shot tomorrow when it warms up enough outside. I have a rejuvenated sense of mission.... thanks again!

I'll let you know how I fare... but I feel like I could do it just by reading your reply!

Alfie: thanks again to you, too...
Dave: get some sleep! (lol)



Best,

 

DS,
I'm certain that you can do it.

ps. I'm sorry, these are not called garter spring fittings but DUCK BILL fittings... Two different kinds entirely. There are two "pincers" one on top and one on the bottom of the fitting that grab the little indentation on the filter. The Disconnect tool spreads these two pincers apart. When the fitting is connected, the pincers are closed around the filter pipe making a "ring". (like two shifting forks around a pipe.) If you pull on the line instead of pushing, you wedge the "ring" tight against the indentation which makes it difficult to spread the pincers apart. That's why you want to relieve the pressure on the pincers by pushing them and the "ring" they form away from the indentation on the filter. (You push the fuel lines towards the fuel filter and the pincers away from the indentation.) Alfie is right, that is difficult to describe.

Dave has 3 Virgin Mary's in his truck? He must have very little faith in his driving skills!

99SD, do you think the RIQD would enhance Motorhaven's product offering?