88 F-150 EFI, with dual tanks.
I have never worked with a dual tank system on an EFI truck before, and I am trying to remove the fuel filter.

I removed the debris shield, and from what I can tell, it is inside a plastic housing that, the fuel lines flow into from both tanks. The housing has some indentions that I can get either a big crescent wrench, or a large pair of channel locks on. I appears to un-screw. I do not have the new filter yet, as I want to take it with me to the parts house, as the counter jockeys are not exactly the brightest folk around. Am I looking at the correct place, and housing? There is another part that looks like an older style of fuel filter, but it is on what I have determined to be the return line.

 

Yah there a pain in the ---- but the good news is they get to be even more of a pain in newer models. This year truck fuel filter with switchable tanks does or should have that big "thing" (fuel fliter and switcher on the drvr side frame rail. It should have what I call "grasshopper" clips that hold the fuel lines on. some or all may be white and some may be black. Thay look like a triangular finger nail from the part of it you can see. just yank them out to release the lines (if that is he case) and your new filter switcher should come with new clips. Is there an electrical connection on that thing??? gmentum

 

I didn't see an electrical connection.That is why I thought this was just a filter.

 

that year may not have had an electrical conn,should have at least two lines in and out I believe

 

I believe you are talking about the selector valve (no electrical connection). If there is a filter in there, take it out and don't bother putting another back in it. The main fuel filter is up ahead of the high pressure frame mounted fuel pump. If you aren't having problems, I'd leave the selector switch alone and just change the main fuel filter.

 

Ok now I am more confused.

I have what appears to be a standard fuel filter, like from a single tank system on, what I thought was the return line.

The plastic housing I am referring to is mounted to the frame, along side the transfer case, behind a steel shield. It has two hoses from each tank on one side, one set above the other, and on the other side, it has two hoses. Also in a vertical arrangement, one hose above the other. The housing appears to unscrew in the middle, the lower half having facets cut into it, where a large crescent wrench or pair of channel locks could grab it.

 

Forward on the truck of the tank selector valve (dual function reservoir; the thing with the 4 lines on the back, and two on the front), there should be a high pressure fuel pump. Then follow that line up the frame rail and there should be a fuel filter near the valve for the rear abs brakes. That's the main fuel filter, but there could be some type of filter element or strainer inside the tank selector valve as well. If you have the filter in the main supply line to the engine, then you can take the filter out of the tank selector valve and leave it out.

 

I have just changed the fuel filter on my 88 F-150 (dual tanks as well). From what I can tell in my haynes manual, there is only one fuel filter. It should be mounted on the inside of the frame with what looks like a hose clamp. It will be on the frame, right under the drivers feet, near the transfer case. Get yourself a new filter, go under there looking for the old one and it will be obvious. There should only be one line going in and one going out. There are also the funny looking pinch clamps, but depending on where it was made? there could be 1 of 3 different styles of clamps holding the lines on. One thing to make sure you do is relieve the pressure to the fuel system before you pull off the filter, otherwise you will end up in a gas bath. These types of maintenance things are really simple to do if you have a good haynes manual to walk you through it.

Good Luck
Bull

 

Unless Haynes books are more accurate for a Ford, than they are for Jeeps. The best use of one is to keep the powder from my doughnuts from getting on the work bench.


Once, I pulled the rest of the mouse nests and field grass out, the system is just as EPNSC...... described. The plastic selector valve housing along side the T-case, a pump just ahead of that, and a 'classic' filter on top of the frame rail in front of that.

Like I said in the original post, I want to take the filter or filters with me to the parts house, as neither of the two near me are staffed very well. Computer Jockeys, and a couple of 'Chevy's are god' idiots.