Okay, I went to O'Reilly's, got a filter for $24 and thought about doing the filter change......

YEAH RIGHT!

**** me running.....I will do 10 downpipe installations before I ever do the fuel filter.....what the **** was Mazda thinking? Hiroshima's revenge?

The filter on my car is directly above the differential....even with all the access shielding off, there is simply NO WAY I can get my hands up there....there just isn't room....not from the front, back, OR sides.....
In fact....I don't see how it can be done without dropping the differential....I am serious! I have worked on a lot of cars over a lot of years...but this thing just friggin' takes the cake!

 

Easiest way is to unbolt the whole bracket, hoses... all of it. Then disassemble away from the car.

 

That's one of the few things I let the dealships do...

Best $65-70 bucks you'll ever spend.

 

ive heard you could re-locate the fuel filter to under your hood. im too sure about this though...

 

I'm gonna let someone else do it next time, it is a PITA and you need skinny hands. I have skinny hands and it still sucked.

 

Good to know. I won't wast me time trying to figure out how to do this either.

 

Yeah, and if you do do it yourself make sure there isn't much fuel in the tank!!! I hate the way 92 octane amoco tastes. :P
art

 

Common..it's easy. Pull off the plastic tray, use a 3/8 inch drive with a 10mm and go directly behind the fuel filter and diff. Unbolt it and wrap a rag around the filter ends and pull of the clamps. Put it back in the same way..10 minute job.

 

God.... this one seems to come about every other week. Check out the Robinette pages, his relocation is easy and cheap. IMHO.

 

Yep, its not really that hard. Just take some time, the worst part is getting off the lines.

 

relocate, relocate, relocate

never bust your knuckles again....move it to the engine bay

 

$65-$70? The dealership close to Bajaman and I want ~$150 to change the filter.

 

Do you guys depressurize the system or just let it fly? How do you all go about keeping the fuel from constantly squirting out of the tank/lines? I'm planning on doing this sometime soon. Thanks.

-Kyle

 

Really? They are robbing you...

EDIT: just looked at my receipt from the change and it was $87 total with parts (the filter of course).

 

jesus man..its not really that hard..im 6'2 240 and can pull that hooptee in under 30 min..once you get the filter loose get the clamps pushed back..then take a razor slice horizontaly down fuel line near barb..line comes right off...move to side and let gas trickle down arm...mnnn makes you smell like a pimp

 

I've done a few. Like others have said run the tank just about dry, this is an important step. Remove fuel pump relay while the car is running and that'll depressurize the system. Then take off the gas cap.

Otherwise its just some 10mm bolts, I use some extensions to make it easier. I wouldn't relocate it to the engine compartment, there is enough stuff in there already...

I wouldn't take it to the dealer because I've seen two cars that supposedly had the filters changed (I saw receipts) but the filters in the car hadn't been touched. Original filters (installed at the factory) have a silver/chrome label that doesn't come on new ones from Mazda.

If you want it done right sometimes you just gotta do it yourself.

Jeff

 

You are a show ! This a 30 min job and Ive only had to do it once.Its a tight fit but come on

 

garfinkle moves them lower with longer lines -he said that two holes are drilled and a filter without the bend can be used

 

Well, either I have way too big of hands or my filter sits just a little differently, because I just can't get too it!
I have done just about anything and everything to vehicles of many makes and models over the years, but that damned filter......
The rear crossmember is EXACTLY in the way of even getting to the bolts, without some sort of VERY small universal jointed ratchet....and the driveshafts and the differential just thwart my attempts to get my hands up there......
I know that having the flu-from-hell has lessened my desire to lay on the cold concrete....but damn....
This is one of those personal goal events now....a quest, if you will.....I CAN'T be beat by the filter.....

Must........get.......the......filter......off.... ....

 

I just did this by myself this weekend. Put the rear of the car on jackstands, get a creeper so your back and neck don't start hurting, and follow Rob R's instructions. A 10 mm socket with a 3" exentsion will let you get to the bracket bolts from the opposite side of the crossmember. I depressurized my system by pulling the relay, and with a full tank of gas I didn't get any on me (well, until I spilled it out of the filter...). Just put your finger over the hole immediately, and poke a dowl or something in the line to keep it from dribbling. Took me about an hour, but I'd never done it before. Agreed, it IS a PITA and I don't look forward to doing this every 10-20k miles!!!! But I also don't want any relocate any more sources of gas leaks to my hot engine bay..... (not to mention the potential to vaporize the fuel)

I happened to also be changing the differential mounts, so I had that bar out of my way which helped some...

 

Buy some inexpensive hemastats (that's a fancy medical name for roach clips with long scissor like handles) and clamp those suckers on the the lines before removing - no gas dribble (OK, maybe a little) and no need to depressurize the system! Just make sure to get the lines squarely in the jaws so you don't nick the hose. If you do have to cut the hose on the nipple (you will) to get it off make sure you replace it with FUEL LINE SPEC HOSE ONLY. And yes, it is a metric hose - of course! SAE hose will not fit properly!
Now you get to spend the rest of your day finding metric fuel line hose!
Tape a large (as in bath towel) around your arm and hand and make sure you are well off to the side when you cut the lines/and or pull the filter or you will get a mouth and eyeful of gasoline. And if you think having the flu sucks you have no idea how much gasoline in mucus membranes hurts!
It gets easier the more you do it........

 

It's not fun, but not the near death experience everyone describes. Here's how I did itFuel Filter Install Instructions

 

Don't tell him that, we are supposed to keep the whole world thinking that we are very dedicated to our cars by routinely doing a 2 hour fuel filter install.
Actually I changed mine for the first time a couple months ago and it did take me almost 2 hours. I think I could do it again in about 1 hour now that I am experienced.

 

i never did it without a lift so i cant realy comment on that other than i would not want to. takes a total of a few minutes. have done a few of them on my car, and my last one. it gets easier.
bring a box of tissues under the car next time to wipe your tears from crying about it. its better than a blown motor

 

I just had mine replaced by the fine folks up at KDR! I just know I would drown myself in gas if I did it myself