After doing a dyno run last Saturday, my air/fuel ratio showed that I was running lean. Putting on a new fuel filter was suggested. That is about the last maintenance piece I hadn't done yet.
So, yesterday, I changed it. The first thing I did was to disconnect the fuel pump by unplugging it under the gas door. Then started the car and let it run until it died (out of gas). Then, I jacked the car up, got a drain pan and a couple of rags ready and proceded to remove the fuel line.
Here's where I messed up. I took the return line apart to get better access to the filter since there's not much room to get a wrench in there. BAD IDEA! The return started siphoning the gas out of the tank. I had to scramble to get a rubber cap on it to stop the flow. I lost at least 1/2 a gallon.
Now I'm laying on the floor with gas running down both arms, dripping off my elbows. TIME-OUT! Got me and the area cleaned up, then I got the filter off. (Seemed nearly impossible if I didn't have crows feet wrenches.)
Put on the new filter and got all the lines put back on. (More gas and more clean up.)
Started it up. Sounded good. Took it out for a drive and it ran great. Glad that's not something that has to be done very often.
(Why does this kinda crap always happen?)

 

I had this same experience when I changed the Fuel Filter on my '89 Trans Am only I was wearing one of those rubber bracelets you see everyone with. I had to soak it (the bracelet) in Wintergreen Scented Rubbing Alcohol for five days to get that damn gas smell out of it. I did have my sister handy to hand me tools, rags, coffee can, etc.

 

God's way to keep us humble.

 

Try to get the front end higher than the rear and dont leave much gas in the tank. Remove the gas cap and once you break the lines loose youll only lose a tiny bit of gas. Make sure there are no pilot lights on in the garage.

 

Just part of the fun of Vette ownership. Best to remove the lines at the fuel rail and drop them down.

 

I just had a buddy of mine do it for me. He's a mechanic and it took him an hour. Who's ever idea it was to put it where it was isn't very nice. But at least i didn't have to do it.

 

Christ dude. No reason to undo the return line.

 

I did mine in about 20 minutes and it was easy. The only problem s you have to work around the cat. converter and make sure its not hot.

 

next time, take off the gas cap and relieve the pressure first. Remember every time you buy gas and when you take the gas cap off and it goes whooooosh? That pressure blows the gas out the return line.
not gonna say I told you so cause we didn't discuss it first............but now I told you

 

I found mine to be a pain in the butt on my 86, just because of location. I did get the job done in about a half an hour though. Wouldn't you guess it, after getting my scraped up arms soaked the first time around I looked at the filter and low and behold--I put it on backwards. Can you believe that. So I had to immediately pull it off again. At I had experience at it

 

I'm a pretty good mechanic but it took me about an hour to change mine. Getting off was easy. Trying to get everything aligned and the lines started is kinda hell on a convert because it is directly above where the X-bracing/under-chassis mounts to the frame. I could get tools to the line fittings but couldn't get my hands in there to start the lines, putting it back together!
I only buy fuel at newer gas stations (that have newer tanks) because I hope I don't have to change it again anytime soon!
Take Care Everyone, -John

 

The cap was off. I had the fuel pump disconnected under the gas door. Maybe it was bad because I had the car jacked up with the passenger side up in the air (both wheels). I should have raised the front.

 

After reading a little and looking at some pictures of a really dirty fuel filter I decided to change mine last night.

I followed the advise and let me tell you, this is no fun job!

I have a 94, so catalitic converters are on the way. I tried removing the catalitic converter and after some hard work forgot that the cat converter is also secured to the clutch bell housing!

So I assembled back the nuts I removed.

I went directly to the fuel filter, very tight quarters, my backup wrench would not fit, curiously it did with the replacemente fuel filter, so I used an adjustable wrench to hold it.
The flair nut wrench would fit to the fuel line but no space to turn it.

So I grabbed a stuby wrench (16mm) and gave it a try. After a lot of effort I got it loose and hell started.

Fuel was dripping everywhere, got fuel all the way to my armpits, darn it hurts!
And after maybe 1/4 gallon it only dripped a little.
I coud not fit the wrenches to remove the front part so I used the stubby wrench to hold the nut at the fuel line and used a tool to remove directly from the fuel filter nut wich by the way bent.

After I released the fuel filter I could unscrew it and noticed that there was no way I could have turned the nut at the fuel line. There was some kind of black gummy plastic over it that froze the part.

I screwed the filter back and then the fuel line at the back, tighten, checked for leaks and the nightmare was over.

Very difficult job, I did not enjoy it, and hope not to repeat it in a near future.

By the way I cut open the used filter and it was very clean.
I guess it was not that necessary, although I have 35k miles on the car.

 

Worst experience I had with this car involved the fuel filter and lines that would not stop syphoning. Never, ever continue the job once they start syphoning; close everything back up and try it a different way. I highly recommend removing the fuel filler cover and using a vice grips with two quarters on either side of the fuel feed hose to clamp it shut.

 

the easiest way to do it is to pull the motor.. gives you all the room you could ever need.

 

PrOzac is right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't mess with the thing until you pull the motor. Better yet, don't mess with it until you do a frame-off restoration (My Opinion)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In any case, This job 'Ain't nothingNice'(as we say in the south).

Take Care and BE REAL PARTICULAR WHERE YOU BUY YOUR FUEL!!!, -John

 

us guys with 84's have it eazy as pie.

our fuel filters are held on by hose clamps.
took 10 min to swap mine out the other day.

 

I did mine once. Decided it was going to be my last as gas was running down my bloody knuckles.

 

I will never understand what is so difficult about doing the fuel filter. I did it with two wrenches, patience, and 30 minutes of spare time. I don't even think I had the car level and barely got any gas on myself.

 

Do you mean to insinuate that we're complaining about nothing? News flash, the job goes differently for different people depending on amount of fuel in the tank, exact car angle, how tight/rusted/stripped each of the nuts are, etc. It went real easy for me too my second attempt, but that doesn't make the first attempt suck any less.