Fuel Filter Replacement

[Rick Biarritz]

83 Eldo, 4100.  Replacing the fuel filter.  Got one wrench on the line coming from the tank and one wrench on the filter itself.  Trying to twist the nut on the line counterclock wise, leftsy loosey and all that.  Can't get anything to budge.  The nut on the line is starting to round off.  What am I doing wrong?  Are they supposed to be this tight?  I'm getting a line wrench in the morning.  I hope that will help, but I suspect that it will not.  I did, of course, spray the connection with penetrating oil.  Am I screwing up somehow?  Thanks.   

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Rick,

Trouble with trying to undo a "Flare" nut, is that the tighter the nut is, the more chance of squashing it when using a two sided spanner.

Special "Flare-nut" spanners are available, and these are virtually a Ring Spanner, with the end cut out just enough to slip over the tube.

Whenever I have a stubborn nut like these, or any other nut, I use the biggest Shifter that I can get into place, tighten it up as tight as I can, then apply the pressure.

Using a small spanner on a tight nut will actually cause the faces to spread slightly, and then rounding of the nut occurs.

Bruce.

PS.   These joints are a "Compression" fitting, and are required to be tight.

[Rick Biarritz]

The job is done.  The line wrench did the trick.  That thing was on there TIGHT.  The gas coming out of the old filter was black as could be.  Does this mean it was really time for a filter change, or is it just black because it's a charcoal filter?  I'm presuming there's charcoal involved somewhere.  Am I right?

[TJ Hopland]

Fuel filters are usually just a paper like media.  Black stuff in a fuel system is usually from the hoses breaking down.  At that stage there are not many hoses involved.  There is a short piece between the pump and sending unit inside the tank.  There is then a short piece between the sending unit on top of the tank to the steel lines.  Its all under pressure so you would think if they were that bad you would have a heck of a leak and a pressure problem.   I would be tempted to safely and carefully cut open the filter for a closer look.  I would also plan on changing the filter again in a few weeks to see if there are still signs of the black stuff.