Changing a Flare Nut Style Fuel Filter: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hey guys, Chris Fix here! Today, we're going to change a flare nut style fuel filter commonly found on GM vehicles like this Chevy, but also used by Toyota and Honda, and a few other companies. The first thing we need to do is locate the fuel filter under the car.

To access the fuel filter, we'll put the car on ramps and make sure it's secure. We don't want the car to roll backwards while we're working underneath it. Now, let's come to the passenger side where the fuse box is located. On the back of the fuse box, there's a very helpful number, 14, which corresponds to the fuel pump. Let's pull that fuse and listen as the engine just stalls out. Perfect! This tells us that we're in the right place.

Now, let's locate the fuel filter on the passenger side under the car. The first thing we need to do is remove the drip pan. We'll get our drip pan ready and position it under the tire to catch any spills. Ah, there it is – the fuel filter is located right up behind this front tire. This filter is clamped in, so we need to be careful when removing it.

The first thing we need to do is remove the fuel line from the filter and the clamp will help us hold the filter in place. Now we have two wrenches that we're going to need – a larger wrench for the fuel filter itself, and a flare nut wrench, which is highly recommended if you have one. The flare nut wrench will prevent stripping the threads, so let's use it.

Now, that wrench won't come off easy, so let me show you a trick. We'll slide the closed end of another wrench over the open end of our flare nut wrench. The longer your wrench is, the more torque you'll have to remove a nut or bolt. Now we can hand loosen the nut. Remember to wear your goggles so gas doesn't get in your eyes and just let it leak out.

Once it's finished leaking out, we're going to go remove the fuel filter bracket bolt. This is the final step before we can separate the fuel line from the filter. Notice on the other end of the fuel line is an o-ring – if this o-ring is dry, cracked, or rotted out, replace it so you don't get a fuel leak.

I'm going to push this piece of paper towel in between the filter and the line to limit the amount of fuel that leaks. Now we can use the closed-end of our wrench on one side and the box end on the other side to break this filter free. There's way more room to turn the filter than the wrench, so it'll be easier to remove.

So, there we go! We've removed the old filter and put in a new one. Always compare your parts and make sure they're the same – if you look at the threads on the old one, you can see after 30,000 miles that there's some corrosion which made it hard to come off. So what we're going to do is get some Anti-Seize on our finger and get some right in there and rub it into the threads.

This will make it a lot easier to get off in the future. When installing our new filter, pay attention to the flow arrow – we need to flip this around because the flow's going this way, through the filter, up to the engine. So our flow is now correct.

Now, let's get a wrench on the flare nut and tighten the filter down by hand. Good! Now, get your wrench and snug it up. Good! Now get your fuel line and push it into the filter. Hand-screw the flare nut into the filter with one wrench on the filter nut and another on the flare nut.

Snug it up! Just like that! When doing this, one trick that saves time is always put the screw in the bracket hole first. Then you can align the bracket, screw it together, and tighten it down. Good!

Now remember to use a marker and write down the mileage so you have a record of when your filter was replaced. Alright, once we finish putting that fuel filter in, don't forget to put everything back in its place.

After the installation, make sure everything is secure and tightened properly. Now our vehicle should be running smoothly with a new fuel filter installed. Hope this video was helpful – if it was, remember to give it a thumbs up. Also, if you're not subscribed, consider subscribing.

Up on the screen are a couple of videos – you can get to those videos by clicking on the screen or finding the links in the description below. Along with the links to all the products and tools we used in this video.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enHey guys, Chris Fix here! Today, we'rechanging a flare nut style fuel filtercommonly found on GM vehicles like thisChevy but Toyota Honda and a few othercompanies use the same style filterwhere you need to use a wrench to remove it.Just like most cars, the fuel filteris located under the car and since theVette is so low,we're gonna go put it on ramps.And then any time the car goes up on a ramp, makesure you put a block on the rear tiresso doesn't slide backwards.Now we'll come to the passenger side where the fuse box is.On the back of the fuse box, it's veryhelpful. Fuel pump one, number 14.We'll pull that.And you can hear the enginejust stalled out. Perfect!Alright for the Vette, thefuel filter is right under here on thepassenger side. Get our drip pan ready.That is the passenger front tire right there,and if you look right behind the tire, thefuel filter is right up there.Now this fuel filter is clamped in, and keep it that waythe first thing will do is remove thefuel line from the filter and the clampwill help us hold the filter in place.Now you have two wrenches you're gonnaneed, the larger wrench goes on to the fuel filter itself, while the other wrench, inthis case I'm using a flare nut wrenchwhich if you have one definitely use itwill prevent stripping, and that goes onthe flare nut on the fuel line.Now that's not gonna come off easy so let me show you a trick.Slide the closed end ofanother wrench over the open end of yourflare nut wrench.The longer your wrench, the more torque you're gonna have to remove a nut or bolt.Now we can hand loosen the nut.Remember to wear your goggles so gas doesn't get in your eyesAnd just let it leak out.and once it's finished leaking out, we'regonna go remove the fuel filter bracket boltNow just slide the bracket out, andremove it.Now we can seperate the fuelline from the filter. Notice on the otherend of the fuel line is an o-ring.If your o-ring is dry, cracked, rotted out, replace it so you don't get a fuel leak.I'm gonna push this piece of paper towelin the filter to limit the amount offuel it leaks.Now we can use the closed-end of the wrench on the side.And the box end on the other side.And break this filter free.One you break it free, you can keep the wrench on the flare nut inthe back as you turn the filter sincethere's way more room to turn the filterthan the wrench.And there we go!So that's our old filter and this is the new one.Always compare your parts and make sure their the same. If you look at the threadson the old one you could see afterthirty thousand miles, there's somecorrosion which made it hard to come off.So what we're gonna do is get some Anti-Seize onyour finger and get some right in thereand some on the other side and rub itinto the threads. This will make it a loteasier to get off in the future.So when installing our new filter, payattention to the flow arrow.We're gonna have to flip this around because the flow's going this way,through the filter,up to the engine.So our flow is now correct.Now get a wrench on the flare nut, and tighten the filter down by hand.Good!Now get your wrench and snug it up.Good!Now get your fuel line and push it into the filter.and hand-screw the flare nut into the filter.get your one wrench on the filter nut andthe other wrench on the flare nut.and snug it up!Just like that!Now that this side and that side are tightened down,we can get our filter and snake it back over the filter.So when doing this, one trickthat saves time is always put the screwin the bracket hole first.Then you could align the bracket,screw it together,And tighten it down!Good!Now remember to use a marker,and write down the mileage so you have a record of when your filter was replaced.Alright, once you finish putting that fuel filter in,don't forget to put the fuse back in.It just pushes back in.Close the cover up.And lets test it out!Now don't immediately start the car, turn it to the run position,wait 2 secondsthen shut it off.Repeat this twice so the fuel pump fillsthe filter and builds up pressure.Now you can start her up and we're gonna immediately check for leaks.She's leak free so job well done.After watching this video, you'll be able to change yourfuel filter and keep your vehicle in tiptop shape.Hopefully this video was helpful, if it was, remember to give it a thumbs up.Also, if you're not subscribed, considersubscribing.Up on the screen are a couple of videos. To get to those videos you can click on the screen,Or you can find the links in the description belowAlong with the links to all the products and tools I've used in this video.\n"