[CHEBBY]

I purchased a fuel filter for my 2000 malibu V6 with intentions of changing it myself, but thought i would ask for some pointers before i dive into it. i've done it on older cars, but everything tends to be more complicated as cars get newer. thanks in advance.

 

[CHEBBY]

anyone have anything??

 

[Joeyavhu]

Hmmm... I've never personally done it, but from what I have read...

It is located pretty much right on top of the fuel tank. It is reachable and you do not need to remove the tank... but I have seen twice that you need some kinda special tool.
Good luck.

 

[green03malibu]

i just did my fuel filter on my 03. the fuel filter is located right behind the gas tank. check right behind it and it should be up right next to the floor panels. before you attempt to change it, disconnect the negative cable from the battery, take off the gas cap, and bleed the system. to bleed the system, take a very small screw driver and cloth, go to the motor. where the system gets bled, which is on the fuel rail, next to the power steering reservoir, take the cap off and very softly stick the screw driver with the cloth on it and youll start to hear the hissing. no back to the filter, you have a clip and a bolt that hold it in. the clip is for the line that runs from the fuel tank. the bolt is to the line that runs to engine. twice the filter a little bit, so it relieves a little more pressure (if theres any). be careful cause a little fuel will spill out. start with the clip (which is pretty easy). after unclipping it, try the bolt which will be a huge pain. it has an arrow on the new filter (youve said you changed this so i dont think youll have much of a problem. when done, bolt it back up, then clip it, then make sure the cap for the fuel rail is on, connect the battery and close the gas cap. the pressure will built back up and bam your done. good luck

 

[green03malibu]

o and the if you have a fuel gauge with a drain off valve for bleeding the system, thats better than the screw driver

 

[CHEBBY]

thanks. i'll get on it next weekend.

 

[Davemmanc]

Somebody help me! I have changed the fuel filter on my wifes 01 malibu ls and I cant get it to stop leaking. It leaks from the inlet side. I have tried 2 new filters, new clips and o-rings. I cant get the leak to stop.

 

[green03malibu]

man thats a tough one, it might be the line. Make sure its not torn, scratched, or no damage.

 

[Malibu Glow]

Did you damage the line or the clip that snaps into the connection? The inlet line is only plastic and can be damaged if not careful. What about the O- ring on the inlet line, was it still there?

 

[CHEBBY]

i'm back...i procrastinated until today when I went to change it. I did all the necessary steps - I released the pressure on the fuel rail and opened the gas cap, but taking the clip off resulted in fuel pouring out. I let it go for a bit because i expected it to stop, but it just kept on coming. Am i missing something or do i just need to be extra fast??, which is hard to do with such a small space to work with. Due to only having limited time I put everything back and decided to procrastinate a little longer until i find the answer.

 

[green03malibu]

That's odd, only a little fuel should have came out. How much gas do you have in your tank?

 

[CHEBBY]

It was pretty much full now that I think about it. I suppose i'll try again when its lower.

Is there a trick to getting the bolt side of it off? My thoughts were to take the clip off...hold the fuel line bolt with a pair of vice grips while turning the filter side bolt a little at a time with an adjustable wrench. Is there a better way?

 

[Malibu Glow]

Did you disconnect the battery? The filter has a hex shaped portion on it's body so yo can use an adjustable wrench along with a wrench that fits the bolt, I had no problem getting the bolt loose this way.

It is imperative that you disconnect the battery first before you remove the filter.

 

[CHEBBY]

i did not disconnect the battery. I took that step as a safety precaution and didnt feel the need. How does that affect it?

 

[Malibu Glow]

How? How about the possibilty of a fire risk. I'm not exactly sure but from what I've understood on the fuel system it will turn on the pump if pressure in the lines drops. Whether this is the case or not it is RECOMMENDED to DISCONNECT the battery before changing the filter.

You had fuel still pouring out, right? I didn't, because I disconnected the power, although I pulled the fuel pump relay instead of the battery cable and still only had the fuel that was in the filter spill out and nothing more.

I'll add this. I went into opening a garage years ago with a friend, one day I went on a run to come back and find the fire department at the little garage we were renting. What happened was that my partner decided to change the fuel filter on a Honda Accord, problem is he didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground when it came to wroking on cars from this accident, the car caught fire when he was changing the filter and he got burned while under the car. Now he stated he didn't know what happended but by looking at the car it was obvious, the fire department cut the battery cables for one, the fuel system activated the pump when the fuel pressure dropped. Bad thing is the fuel filter and fuel pump are in vey close proximity of each other on an Accord.


Just make life easier and disconnect the battery before you try again to change the filter.

 

[CHEBBY]

Are you sure about the filter being close to the pump on an Accord? ...ultimately it depends on the year and model I know, but I have owned many and the filters have always been in the engine compartment and the pump is in the gas tank. And how would anyone know that the fuel pump was activated and that was the cause of the fire?

I hear you and I understand, but I will say the chances that something on the car will ignite the gas are very very slim. I see it more as annoying to get gas all over me then being unsafe.

I know it only takes a second to disconnect the battery, so i don't even know why i'm trying to justify not doing it. I think once I have kids my idea of being invincible will fade.

I will try it again by disconnecting the cable.

I really do appreciate your help.


PS Did you friend come out okay...you didnt say?

 

[CHEBBY]

also, wheres the fuel pump relay?? ...i'd rather do this to avoid resetting everything and having to deal with security codes and what not

 

[Macleod52]

also, wheres the fuel pump relay?? ...i'd rather do this to avoid resetting everything and having to deal with security codes and what not

Check the owner's manual. There's a diagram in there that should list the fuel pump relay.

 

[green03malibu]

Fuel pump relay should be under the hood, in that fuse box.

 

[Malibu Glow]

Are you sure about the filter being close to the pump on an Accord? ...ultimately it depends on the year and model I know, but I have owned many and the filters have always been in the engine compartment and the pump is in the gas tank. And how would anyone know that the fuel pump was activated and that was the cause of the fire?

I hear you and I understand, but I will say the chances that something on the car will ignite the gas are very very slim. I see it more as annoying to get gas all over me then being unsafe.

I know it only takes a second to disconnect the battery, so i don't even know why i'm trying to justify not doing it. I think once I have kids my idea of being invincible will fade.

I will try it again by disconnecting the cable.

I really do appreciate your help.


PS Did you friend come out okay...you didnt say?

It was a early or mid 80 Accord and the filter is right by the tank on the earlier models, but it did cause the fire, a spark happened when the fuel pump turned on and ignited the fumes that were nearby. Remember it's not the liquid it's the fumes and as long as ambient temperature is at the point where gasoline vaporizes it will ignite with an ignition source.
He faired ok, just some burns on his arm, but because of his ignorance on cars I packed up my tools and ended the business. I didn't need the liability he would've been.
The relay is under the hood in the fuse and relay box near the master cylinder, it takes a bit to pull it out but that's what I did since I also did not want to reset everything on the radio.