Yesterday, we got the oil changed and the engine compartment cleaned up. Today its the fuel filter.
We started to hear some noise coming from the fuel filter area, which is near the passenger side foot well. The noise sounds like an air leak or something when you accelerate a bit off idle. As soon as you let off, the noise quits. It also goes away when you hit the accelerator harder.
I'm just going to assume its the fuel filter since its the only thing in that area and it is clearly related to throttle pressure.
Getting to these things is not the easiest thing to do. These Ford Explorers are actually pretty low to the ground and I can barely get under the thing. I do NOT like to work under vehicles on jacks at all.
Pull the fuel relay to relieve pressure. Pull the 30 amp fuse on the side closest to the engine. Forth hole from the front.
Locating the fuel filter
It is under the passenger side, near the exhaust and behind a metal shield and then another metal guard/ support that holds the filter in place.
I had to do it all one handed, since I couldn't get my left arm under the vehicle. Anyway, there are three 13mm bolts to come out to remove this outer guard.
Space is very limited.
Need to take off this other metal plate/ guard/ holder or whatever it is called. It just has the two 10mm nuts and off it comes.
Getting the tabs off this fuel filter was a real exercise in patience and perseverance. I had @William-Gregory come out and attempt it because I hoped his smaller size would allow him to get it done, but that was not the case.
After some real effort, too much time and some silicon spray to lube them up a bit, they finally came apart without any damage to the plastic tabs.
Make sure to have a collection receptacle for the fuel to go into when you pull the filter apart.
I got it all back together fairly easily and on to the next project, which is the power steering on the '11 E-350.
Posted from my blog with Exxp : https://steelbak.com/2022/09/08-ford-explorer-fuel-filter-replacement/
That looked waaaayyyy too easy. Last time I messed with one was in my old 07 malibu, damn thing was in the fuel tank and you had to drop it to get access to it. Eventually added up to about 24 hours spent under it up on jacks and I will never attempt that again. Or at least not without a lift. I feel ya though, I hate being under a vehicle that's up on those.
Yeah, it really wasn't that bad. If I had a lift, it would be super easy. I've been scratching my head trying to figure out how to come up with the cash to build a shop with a lift, but I can't see it happening.
They made those so if you wanted to do anything with it you had the replace the whole fuel pump, it was obnoxious. Growing up, my dad was the principal of the vocational school so I always had access to a lift. Didn't realize how nice that was until I needed one and didn't have access to one. It's a bit more of an investment than I can justify too, but that won't stop me from wishing for one.
I bet that was nice. I've never actually used one. My 14 year old son seems to have an interest in being a mechanic, so that causes me to want to figure it out. I guess we'll see.