Fuel Filter

I have a 99 Alero that I am trying to change the fuel filter on. My b/f was able to get it part way off but broke off the plastic clip part that you push in to get it to release. Any ideas on how to get it off now?

Thank you in advance and all help would be appreciated.
Mary Lou

Did he break off the whole clip or just the outside pieces? If the part of the clip that goes inside the fuel line is still intact, it should still work to unlock the internal tabs in the line. I would suggest using the flat side of an open end wrench to apply pressure on the remaining part of the clip pushing it away from the filter to release tabs.

If the clip is completely broken and no part of it remains in the fuel line, then he'll need to find kind of fairly rigid tubing that he can split in half and push the pieces into the fuel line where the release clip was at. I might try a large diameter ball point pen body to see if it would work. They also sell a set of air conditioning / fuel line tab release tools at autozone or the like that might work...but as I recall there is very little room between the filter and the opening for the clip, so I don't believe he would have much luck getting one in there.

The next problem is that he'll have to replace that section of the fuel line between the tank and the filter or face the same problem the next time. GM doesn't sell the clip by itself. Good luck....