Bad news. I have a 2004 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 six. It has the "in tank" filter and it's fuel filter part number is the same as a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan. IMHO the "in tank" design is complete bull ****!
Fuel Filter Change?
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Toyota claims the fuel filter is a lifetime unit on my 01 4Runner. This is one of those manufacturer recomendations that I think are bad for the owner.
(Like Honda calling for break in oil to be run 5000 miles.)
I changed it at 30,000 & 60,000.
(Like Honda calling for break in oil to be run 5000 miles.)
I changed it at 30,000 & 60,000.
I have a 96 ram with the filter in the pump. I don't understand what they were thinking with this. I must say though 131,000 miles and no problems with it.
Why the other auto manufacturers do not follow Subaru's design to mount the fuel filter outside the fuel tank?
My 2003 Toyota Echo has reached 30k miles. I just bought all the parts from a dealer this morning, and plan to replace the in-tank fuel filter myself this coming Memorial Day. I wonder how long will the process take?
My 2003 Toyota Echo has reached 30k miles. I just bought all the parts from a dealer this morning, and plan to replace the in-tank fuel filter myself this coming Memorial Day. I wonder how long will the process take?
Glad I have a 96 Cherokee, it still has an inline filter, which I changed today in 15 minutes. Easy.
if youre dead set of changing out a tank filter, most cars have an access hatch under the back seat to reach the tank, pump and filter without dropping the tank.
although i think changing out a filter before 100,000 is rediculous in a modern car.
although i think changing out a filter before 100,000 is rediculous in a modern car.
My parents had 93k Caravan and it was really easy to change the fuel filter but yours maybe a totally different animal. But put safety first wear safety googles and gloves if you can. I just got a little gas splashed in my eye changing a fuel filter, nothing more frighting than having your vision hazy for 15 minutes.
Fuel filter fittings, when under the vehicle, do seize up if the fuel filter has not been changed in a few years and then it becomes a real problem because you cannot use heat to free up a seized nut. However, if you replace the filter every couple of years and you apply lots of antiseize on the nut then fuel filter replacement becomes easy. If you feel the filter needs to be replaced every so often then there is no need to avoid the task.
I wish the previous owners felt that way. I bought the car a month and a half ago with 184k on the odo.
I was worried to begin with but it's totally solid.
It was a nightmare to change the fuel filter on my Avalon.
I was at my ex-girlfriend's house doing it on a Sunday afternoon. I got the bottom flare nut to rotate a few turns pretty easily. Then, as I loosened it, it mysteriously started stiffening up on me, to the point where it became immovable and the nut started stripping (even with the crescent wrench I used!)
So at that point I was stuck. The nut was partially unthreaded, and the fuel line was loose inside there, but the nut was just plain stuck.
Very long story short, I got a ride home (40mi) and the next day I went to Napa and bought 3/8" NPT pipe threaded fitting and a metal hose compression fitting. The NPT fitting was close enough to the metric size on the fuel filter that it barely worked. I cut off the fuel line as close to the filter as I could with a Dremel, jammed the bottom half of the fitting onto the line, jammed the bushing on there, put teflon tape on the end that went into the filter, and cranked it down. It leaked a bit when I bolted the filter in place on the chassis, but I cranked it down some more and put some JB Weld around it.
I'm not proud of what I did, but it's holding and the alternative was to have it towed to a shop and have them replace the entire fuel line, which is a super mega ultra royal PITA on this car. Would have probably cost me upwards of $1,000 all said and done. I spent $5 at NAPA for my fix, but I'm kind of done with changing fuel filters
I was at my ex-girlfriend's house doing it on a Sunday afternoon. I got the bottom flare nut to rotate a few turns pretty easily. Then, as I loosened it, it mysteriously started stiffening up on me, to the point where it became immovable and the nut started stripping (even with the crescent wrench I used!)
So at that point I was stuck. The nut was partially unthreaded, and the fuel line was loose inside there, but the nut was just plain stuck.
Very long story short, I got a ride home (40mi) and the next day I went to Napa and bought 3/8" NPT pipe threaded fitting and a metal hose compression fitting. The NPT fitting was close enough to the metric size on the fuel filter that it barely worked. I cut off the fuel line as close to the filter as I could with a Dremel, jammed the bottom half of the fitting onto the line, jammed the bushing on there, put teflon tape on the end that went into the filter, and cranked it down. It leaked a bit when I bolted the filter in place on the chassis, but I cranked it down some more and put some JB Weld around it.
I'm not proud of what I did, but it's holding and the alternative was to have it towed to a shop and have them replace the entire fuel line, which is a super mega ultra royal PITA on this car. Would have probably cost me upwards of $1,000 all said and done. I spent $5 at NAPA for my fix, but I'm kind of done with changing fuel filters
I am glad my fuel filter is mounted in the engine bay. It will be getting changed along with my oil in a few weeks after my piston soak.
You, and more importantly the person who buys the car after you, do not know that for certain. I'm certain that won't hold.
Take it to a decent independent shop and get a estimate. It may not be as bad as you think and the estimate is usually free.
I change the filter on my cars and trucks every 15,000 miles. The service manager where I buy my cars says he has seen them go 50,000 miles or clog up less than 10,000 miles. So I play it safe and go 15,000. It's about once a year for me.I do it after the car has sat all night and there is not much pressure left in the line.
I should try to post pictures of it. If I ever find the need to repair it, I'll just try to source a proper metric tube nut and reflare the existing tube. Until then I have kept and will keep a fire extinguisher in the car
EDIT: Looks like I might have a winner here?
http://www.fedhillusa.com/catalog.html
I'll look into it when I have the time.
I just called the Dodge Dealer to ask about the fuel filter for the 02 Caravan...he said you have to replace the works...filter, pump and (something else..) and he said they basically don't do it...he said just wait till she poops the bed.
I cut open my fuel filter at 12K and it looked like it was about 1/2 of the way to being clogged. What this says to me is that 25K is probably the outer limit and that 15-18K would be a realistic change interval. That being said, I would think there would be a lot of variables from car to car.
Maybe on larger engines that use more gallons/mile, but on my 2.0 4cyl, I've changed it at 60-80k mile intervals and there was never a change in MPG or performance, so they could have easily gone longer.
My G/Fs '96 Civic, even with an easily accessable engine compartment filter, Honda was perplexed on why I wanted to buy a fuel filter - they said it was lifetime. I changed it out at 100k.
My G/Fs '96 Civic, even with an easily accessable engine compartment filter, Honda was perplexed on why I wanted to buy a fuel filter - they said it was lifetime. I changed it out at 100k.
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