Tips for removing fuel filter

Anyone have any tips for removing the fuel filter from my 2001 Malibu? I got the rubber hose side down pat, but it's getting the fitting off the other side that's giving me probs. Anyone with suggestions? Thanks

Nobody has changed a fuel filter on one of these cars?

Anyone have any tips for removing the fuel filter from my 2001 Malibu? I got the rubber hose side down pat, but it's getting the fitting off the other side that's giving me probs. Anyone with suggestions? Thanks

I am struggling with a fuel filter on a 2000 Grand Am.
Might be the same set up. I will keep you psoted on how it goes.

T Wood

I am struggling with a fuel filter on a 2000 Grand Am.
Might be the same set up. I will keep you psoted on how it goes.

T Wood
I am trying to replace the fuel filter on my 97 malibu, I get the threaded side off but am unable to disconnect the other side (quick connect) The original had black plastic around the outside unlike the replacement with the two inner clips. The black plastic on the original broke off.

Any ideas?

If this is the fitting with the green tab on one side, you have to pop one side of the tab up, then push the whole green part through to the other side. This releases the filter.

Im trying to replace the fuel filter on my 98. It has a black round slotted cover that spins around the fitting.. how do I get this off??

(And they call this a quick connect? would have been quicker just to use a bolt and a nut..whadda pain!)

I am trying to replace the fuel filter on my 97 malibu, I get the threaded side off but am unable to disconnect the other side (quick connect) The original had black plastic around the outside unlike the replacement with the two inner clips. The black plastic on the original broke off.


I donnu how to do this quote thing but anyways sloechli the same thing happened to me and I just went in with a precision screwdriver and physically pressed the tabs that were holding the fitting in and removed that way sorry there wasnt an easier way that I know of if there is can someone enlighten us

Actually, I usually clip the black plastic off. When you replace the filter, the new one with plastic clips usually snaps right in. I am not understanding the difficulty?

1) With one hand, squeeze tabs.
2) With your other hand, grab the fuel line and push towards the filter, then pull it out.

I've done this on several different makes and models, works everytime with little to no effort.

ok if you have or had the black plastic quick connect heres what you do, if you still have the black plastic on the quik-connect side do this: get a pair of needle nose pliers and gasp the filter between the quik-connect and the filter body, push the hose into the filter as if you were putting it back on and hold it, then pry up with the needle nose pushing the black plastic into the line away from the filter, keeping pressure on the the black plastic pull the line away from the filter. thats it, if you have ever used a quik disconnect tool it is the same way but it is built in the line. use the pliers only to push the black plastic up not to actually grasp it.

now if your black plastic part is broken: go to the autopart store and get a set of fuel line disconnect tools should be about $10. 3/8'' is the size you will be using. attempt to break the rest of the black plastic away from in-between the filter and the silver fuel line connection. you must get it all out, use a small screwdriver, ect. ok now insert the white disconnect tool in-between the filter and silver connection and push them together then pull the line away just like i described above except without the pliers. if you cannot dig out the black plastic which is likely to happen use a large pair of tin snips to cut the filter in-between the body and the connection. then use a pair of regular pliers to straighten the peice of tube still in the connection till it is semi-round again. now you will be able to see how this connection works by looking into it, there are 4 tangs that catch the rib that goes all the way around the tube on the filter. gasp the peice of the tube with the needle nose and slide inthe disconnect tool, push in and pull the tube out of the connection. if the new filter comes with a white clip on the quick connect side of the filter remove it, these are for a different (and much easier) type of quick connect but uses the same filter. hope this helps

Ok.. So my friend and I tried the needle nose pliers thing and ended up breaking the plastic off.. so we moved on to the part that says use the white 3/8" fuel line disconnect tool.. my tool, which came from Advance Auto Parts, is metal and silver.. has 3/8" on one end and 5/16" on the other end..it is too long to fit in between the fuel filter and the connector. So do I have the wrong tool or what?

My car cut off yesterday, I think the fuel filter is so clogged, my car isn't getting enough gas. I really need to get this thing off!!

Thanks for your help.

ok if you have or had the black plastic quick connect heres what you do, if you still have the black plastic on the quik-connect side do this: get a pair of needle nose pliers and gasp the filter between the quik-connect and the filter body, push the hose into the filter as if you were putting it back on and hold it, then pry up with the needle nose pushing the black plastic into the line away from the filter, keeping pressure on the the black plastic pull the line away from the filter. thats it, if you have ever used a quik disconnect tool it is the same way but it is built in the line. use the pliers only to push the black plastic up not to actually grasp it.

now if your black plastic part is broken: go to the autopart store and get a set of fuel line disconnect tools should be about $10. 3/8'' is the size you will be using. attempt to break the rest of the black plastic away from in-between the filter and the silver fuel line connection. you must get it all out, use a small screwdriver, ect. ok now insert the white disconnect tool in-between the filter and silver connection and push them together then pull the line away just like i described above except without the pliers. if you cannot dig out the black plastic which is likely to happen use a large pair of tin snips to cut the filter in-between the body and the connection. then use a pair of regular pliers to straighten the peice of tube still in the connection till it is semi-round again. now you will be able to see how this connection works by looking into it, there are 4 tangs that catch the rib that goes all the way around the tube on the filter. gasp the peice of the tube with the needle nose and slide inthe disconnect tool, push in and pull the tube out of the connection. if the new filter comes with a white clip on the quick connect side of the filter remove it, these are for a different (and much easier) type of quick connect but uses the same filter. hope this helps

It's probably the fuel pump, and not the filter, that's causing the stalling

my sister has a malibu and according the the shop she took it to, her fuel pump was killed when her filter got so clogged it wasn't allowing enough fuel through the line. My car is doing the same thing hers was doing, so I'm hoping if I get the filter changed, I'll avoid the VERY expensive fuel pump replacment. But lets not get off topic here, I need suggestions on how to get the fuel filter disconnected.

Thanks!

You might have th snip or tear the old one off. Just think - you will not need it anymore and the new one does not have the plastic on it like the originals. I also agree that a bad filter could ruin a fuel pump. Then, its off into the fuel tank we go!

you probably have the metal tool with a different size on each end. these will not work unless you cut/snip the end of the filter off. i use the small white plastic tools that do not have an a handle made to them like the metal one you have does. it is also much smaller and can be sqeezed into the fitting because you can bend the plastic. a clogged filter will kill a pump but it is always a good idea to replace it reguraly or when a problem is suspected because it is much much much cheaper than a fuel pump

Sorry to get off topic but does the 2000 Malibu have one or two fuel filters? I've been told that it has two but I'm only finding one. Does anyone know?

ok if you have or had the black plastic quick connect heres what you do, if you still have the black plastic on the quik-connect side do this: get a pair of needle nose pliers and gasp the filter between the quik-connect and the filter body, push the hose into the filter as if you were putting it back on and hold it, then pry up with the needle nose pushing the black plastic into the line away from the filter, keeping pressure on the the black plastic pull the line away from the filter. thats it, if you have ever used a quik disconnect tool it is the same way but it is built in the line. use the pliers only to push the black plastic up not to actually grasp it.


I have a green piece of plastic in the way. Do I need to remove the green piece of plastic first? It looks like it wraps around the black connector. Thanks

no the green plastic is opened with a small screwdriver and then you push it in so it pops out the other side a little and thenpull it away from the filter. re-install the filter and then close the little latch

no the green plastic is opened with a small screwdriver and then you push it in so it pops out the other side a little and thenpull it away from the filter. re-install the filter and then close the little latch

Oh..duh sounds very easy. Thanks a bunch