I am about to take on a fuel filter change and was just looking for tips and tricks and maybe a bit of advice on brand.

2005 xlt 4x4 5.4

 

Brand...motorcraft tips...buy a good removal tool and de-pressurize the system prior to trying to remove the old filter.

 

How does one de-pressurize the system? There was a bleed valve on my last two vehicles but I haven't seen it on the truck yet.

I need to pick up a Haynes I guess. Speaking of that, whats a good service manual these days. The last Haynes I got was pretty bad. I used one to remove the TB on my last car and it missed about half of the needed steps to do it properly.

 

A couple of ways to do it...you can remove the fuse that powers the fuel pump, start the truck and run it until it dies; this "de-pressures" it. There should be a valve on the fuel rail to remove the pressure as well.

 

I just did my 2005 this past summer
One end came off easily w/small screwdriver, did not depressurize system (undid gas cap)
--no gas pouring out, just a little
The other end I used a Sharpie cap, cut the tip off, then cut it down the length
This then slides over the fuel line & you can take the other side off
=You Tube video tells how to do this

 

https://www.f150forum.com/f72/changi...04-08-a-25497/

 

I couldn't get the front side of mine off.. I tried 2 different times with 3 different tools and it wouldn't disengage. Same filter that was on my Ranger and I changed it in 5 minutes. I ended up paying Ford $45 to do it. They had it on the list for about 45 minutes so it must not have been easy for them either.

 

when somebody that don't know what they are doing bends the little fingers in the retainer clip it becomes jammed up ... then becomes a bitch to get off..

 

I just did mine for the first time last Friday. It took me about 20 minutes. The next time it'll probably take about 2.

Tips:

-Use a small flat head screw driver for releasing the silver clip
-Use the line disconnect tool to release both end of the fuel line. Make sure it's clamped down all the way too. Or else you'll be pushing with all your strength for no reason.
-Watch out for leaking gas.
-Pour the gas out of the old filter into a clear vessel like a water bottle. It'll give you some additional assurance that youre work will be appreciated by your truck when that brown sludge comes pouring out.
-Profit.

 

Good luck with the filter.

If you change it regular (10'000kms for me) then it just kinda falls off every time.