where is there a good step by step instructions for changing out the fuel filter. any good websites??
thanks yall

eugene

 

http://www.rx7turboturbo.com/robrobi...er_replace.htm

 

take it to a shop...rotary power is charging me 30 bucks to do mine

 

30 bucks sounds a bit low, Mazdatrix sells the FD fuel filter for ~40 bucks. I'm getting mine done this friday at Alpine Auto Service in Baltimore for 100 installed.

 

$30 labor.

 

are Mazda dealerships competent enough to change fuel filters?

 

good question, I am wondering the same thing myself. I have to order some parts from the dealership here (the fuel filter being one) and I was wondering if they could install it instead of me going through all that.

 

garfinkle moved mine down lower on the rear of the dif subframe .Any one can change it in several minuts

 

Mazda dealerships are not competent enough to wipe my *** let alone change a fuel filter on our cars. I guarantee you they will screw it up. You might as well show up with a Bugatti as an FD3S. It's a major pain in the *** to change but VERY important to do it at least every 10K miles. The first time you do it you will curse every engineer in Hiroshima for putting it there in the first place. It gets easier the more you do it...... It's kind of a right of passage thing - along with the vacuum hose job.

 

From what I've read about changing the filter (admittedly mostly from Rob Robinette's site), it's a PITA, but doable. I'm really curious about two things:

1) Is the fuel system de/re-pressurization info on his site accurate? Anyone do anything different?

2) How many have relocated their filter to a different (easier to get to) place that's NOT in the engine bay? I'm not going to undertake moving it to the engine bay due to a few considerations (it's a lot of work and you still have fuel spilling places, and vapor lock from engine compartment heat). I like the idea that duboisr has there...moving it just to a better place on the diff subframe.

 

I changed mine last week and I didnt think it was that bad. I did it with jackstands. I got a little gas on me but altogether not too bad. I plugged the lines with bolts after I took them off. I took the gas cap off, put it back on. When I was done, I cranked her and she started right up. about and 1 of labor.

 

Dang! That's hell of a deal. I remember being charged like $100.

 

Took me about 1 1/4 hours. I got hardly any gas on me, I think that you just have to think of it as something that is going to take an hour or more the first time you do it, then its not very frustrating. I get more frustrated when I think something should take 1-2 hours and it takes 4.

 

I tried this myself and in theory it's not much. Two screws and two hose clamps. After getting gas ALL THE WAY down my arm removing the line running to the engine, I decieded I'd rather pay and be out of it. Man, your hands and arm get cold after a while as the gas evaporates. BTW I did my own rats nest.

The part about this I really could not figure out was how I was going to press the line from the fule tank back on to the new filter, laying on my back, reaching around the differential, gas pooring out. Ok, I give up how is this done?

My mechanic had a pair of right angle neddle nose pliers, Oh and a lift, and lots of practice. He was doing two other the same day he did mine

 

Make sure to depressurize the fuel system before doing it. How to is on robinette's site. I also used a vice grip on the line, but I probably didn't need to as it didn't leak when I took it off to put the line on.

I sprayed some lithium grease on the ends and the hoses went right on.

Jeff

 

Thanks Smilez. I did not ope nthe gas cap before I started. Also did not think of using grease. Likely Triflow would do the same thing. I have not given up on a repair for a long time so I'm definatly going to have to hit this one again....in about 12k miles.