replacing fuel filter - tips?

I'm about to replace my fuel filter. My car (97 Sunfire GT) has started stalling again and it's been a while since I've had it's fuel filter replaced.

I know the filter is near the gas tank. And I know what it should look like. I'm about to go and purchase the filter and I'm just wondering if there is any tips any of you have?? Is there any specialized tools I'll need??

Any help would be appreciated.

And on a side note, I'm glad I finally found a forum that covers my car!! :smokin:

ugggg...ok, so I've been trying to get the fuel line off but I can't get it to release itself from the filter. Is there some sort of special tool needed???

The special tools helps significantly

especially if you effed the quick disconnect tabs

Quick connect tabs are fine. I bought one of those plastic disconnect tools but that didn't help. Who's brilliant friggin idea was it to come up this way to hook up a fuel filter??? :banghead:

good question! those friggan banjo nuts are fun too. Your best bet is to buy one of those metal disconnect tools. They sometimes just slide in and take it right off. I believe though if you still have the quick dissconnect tabs you squeeze them together and the line should pull apart, but it won't.

whatever you do don't brake the tabs off. i did once and had to use a hacksaw to get the filter off. try spraying lots of wd-40 in the fitting. the whole idea is you push the tabs towards the line and everything pops off usually a couple screwdrivers and some carefull prying will get it off. i don't think you'll get a disconnect tool in there not if it's got a gm filter on it anyway.

The current filter that is on there is the GM filter. I'll probably try again on Saturday.

i replaced mine a week ago and i broke off the black plastic tabs the fuel filter came w/ a new one but it didnt fit.. but the inside of the black disconnet was still there and its help up since then w/out the black tabs

The disconnect tools fit in those lines perfectly but if you do break the tabs its harder to get them off but a hacksaw is a little excessive, just a little work will get them off.

the one i had problems with didn't have enough room for any disconect tool i tried everything i could find in the shop hopeless4life let me know what kind of tool will fit and i'll buy one i tried at least 10 different ones even high end snap on tools and nothing woud work so i did what i had to do at the time.. seemed logical. i'm just glad they don't make them like that anymore.

they are generic tools from snap on with the two different sizes of fuel lines on each end. if you look at it behind the quick disconnect tabs its the same as the generic ford fuel filters.