I just did my ff change yesterday and wanted to thank Brooks and the other posters on this thread for all the wonderful tips. Thanks to you sharing your experiences, I saved myself from having to pay $60 (!) to have this done for me. I was also spared gas all over the place by having rags handy and properly positioned when removing the old filter.

Thanks again guys!

-Ollie

 

does it go any better?!

 

 

I'm sorry, but all this panic over the fuel filter is totally un-warranted.
I have changed my filter twice now (every 15k) and both times the filter was like new. I cut both apart afterwards and they were in very new condition.
It is cheap security i suppose, but I've been working on vehicles for far to long to believe the "I can feel a difference in power now that I have installed my new fuel filter" speech.
If you dying to go under the truck or are there anyways then by all means do it. It won't hurt anything - usually

 

In YOUR experience.... There have been far to many examples of fuel filters being clogged and trucks running lean because of it to dismiss this maintenance task as unwarranted based on your sample size of one truck and 2 filter changes. The BIG advantage of forums like this is the LARGE sample size makes some discoveries statistically significant.
The filters are cheap and the change takes about 5 minutes with few tools.

Doug

 

Depending on the condition of the gas storage tank at your favorite gas station, the "panic" may or may not be warranted. Personally, I've changed the filter twice and the first filter that came off the truck definitely was restricted. With a relatively small filter, it only takes one tank of gas to get it clogged up. Since there is no see-thru window on the filter, it is cheap insurance to change the filter at least once a year.

 

Here is a pic of the 1998 Navigator fuel filter next to the L's filter:

https://www.f150online.com/galleries...7034&anum=3208

I installed the Navi a few weeks ago and so far, so good.

Dan

 

I have the Navi filter as well....discount autoparts has it listed for a 99-up lightning filter...it works fine, just a little hard to get into the bracket, but once its in there it definitly isnt going to fall out! ... I changed my 1st fuel filter at 20k miles, and there was a DEFINITE improvement. Im probably going to use the smaller filter next time but thats just so it doesnt look like this....

 

I was somewhat leary after reading all the posts on this topic.

Once I decided to just "DO IT", it took all of 10 minutes!!!! This includes the time driving it onto ramps, doing the change, the clean up and driving it off the ramps! I released the pressure at the fuel rail per the other posts. I also bought the special tool at that is anodized aluminum.

It made a difference across the driving spectrum, I do believe!

 

Advice sought...
I opened the filler neck cap (never did find the Schader valve) to remove system pressure.

Used the plastic tool and pushed, pulled and tugged. No dice. Fuel line is not coming off.
Would fuel line pressure hold it on like that?
Suggestions?

 

Youre not releasing the garter spring correctly. You need to slip the tool over the connector and pull it apart.

 

They sell the universal tool at most auto parts stores, I never have seen a plastic one though? Anyway **** is very correct in that you muct not be releasing the clip, once it is released it will slip off will little effort.
PS.. I WILL NEVER PAY 60.00 AGAIN FOR THAT SERVICE!

 

I release the fuel cap and let my L sit overnight. I have the pot-metal tool(about $12 from Pep Boys) and I too have trouble getting the line/coupler to pull off the filter tube nipple. You have to wiggle it some and keep pulling, steadily sometimes.

Dan

 

I know your the moderator and all Doug, but read my post!
I did say that it will not hurt anything, unless the person doing the work happens to screw something up.
How many people in this "large sample size" have actually taken the time to cut open their filter and check it?
Do they even know what a new clean filter looks like?
What constitutes a dirty filter to you? Discoloration?
What I said was that the fuel filter has become a "panic" maintenance item. A better way to say it may be that it is a scapegoat for bad tunes.
How many F150's have been sold?
There must be a FEW MILLION (2 or 3 maybe) running around that are running lean then with "clogged" filters.
It is cheap maintenance and again if you've got nothing better to do and are dying to go under the truck then by all means change it, but don't blame the filter for your bad tune.


And I'm not pointing any blame to any tuner, my L is stock.
The question is to the truck owner - do you want a street truck or a race truck? You can't have both (that starts the "you gotta pay to play" threads). I've been around race cars most of my life and guess what - they break down!
YOU are in charge of your vehicle. It is YOUR tune make sure it is a safe tune for your application. Otherwise we all have to read the "you gotta pay to play" posts.

 

Thanks, LIGHTNINROD. Picked up that tool today. Will try it tomorrow. The plastic 'collar' type aint doing it for me.