Fuel Filter Woes

Oi-Punx · Oi-Punx's Garage

I changed my fuel filter last week (about as fun as a calculus exam for the mathematically inept). It took me several claustrophobia-inducing trips into the bowels of the car to tighten the fittings because I was getting small leaks. I finally got it tight enough so that the leaks fully disappeared. It's been 10 days since I changed it and it's leaking again (albeit very slowly). Has anyone experienced this before? How did you remedy it? I may take the car to my mechanic tonight and have him get it up on a lift and tighten it with air tools.

Lawrence Coppari · 03-05-2002, 09:45 AM

Don't see how you can get any kind of air tool on the fittings because air tools take sockets.

My experience shows that probably 20 ft-lbs is sufficient to seal them. I generally use a flare wrench which grips more of the brass fitting.

Suggest you remove the one that is leaking to see if any dirt is caught in it preventing a seal.

Obin Robinson · 03-05-2002, 09:47 AM

hmm, leaking from the filter area eh? i've had problems with slightly leaking filters before. if you think you did everything right, then it's safe to take it to a mechanic ASAP! kind of stupid paying $30 to tighten a wrench, but it's worse to lose a car over a fuel leak! i've paid twice to have filters replaced, though i know i could have done it myself, when i tried the filters were SLIGHTLY leaking as you described. i think it's the fear of overtightening it and breaking the fuel line.

check the tightness again, and then bring it to the mechanic if you feel that everything is still tight. worst case you'll need a new fuel line as that could be what's actaully leaking.

good luck!

obin

Oi-Punx · Oi-Punx's Garage

Lawrence and Obin,

Thanks for your quick responses. I use a torque wrench all the time when working on my motorcycle and am sure that I have more than 20 ft-lbs on the fittings. I used flared wrenches to tighten the fittings. Perhaps I overtorqued and a leak developed where the crimped on fitting attaches to the rubber hose. It did cross my mind that there may be dirt between the line and the fitting as I did not clean the line when I changed the filter.

I think i'll take it to the mechanic regardless. Dirt and Gas in your hair, eyes, and skin is just not worth the trouble.

Thanks again!

Roger Hall · 03-05-2002, 05:46 PM

go to home depot and buy some plumers tape wrap it around the threads and it will solve the problem its just a teflon tape with no adhesive

ae1969 · 03-05-2002, 06:13 PM

I second the teflon tape....works wonders.

gerd1 · 03-06-2002, 06:00 AM

I just installed a new fuel filter. Did you use the small copper washers when install the filter. They went directly between the filter and the nipple attached to both ends of the filter.

Good Luck: Gerd

PorscheG96 · 03-06-2002, 11:00 AM

My fuel filter was leaking a few weeks ago because I kinked a line trying to remove it.

Oi-Punx · Oi-Punx's Garage

Turns out I had tightened the filter correctly. It had developed a leak from where the line exits the lower portion of the tank on its way to the fuel pump. My mechanic put it up on the rack, tightened the nut and checked the hose for me for free. Life would be much simpler with a lift. Thanks for all the advice.