96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details
 

My Haynes manual recommends disconnecting the negative terminal on the battery to change the filter. Is this bogus info?
Do I need a flare wrench for any of the fittings?
Any gotcha's or is this an easy change?
This is my first time changing the complicated looking thing. Every other car I've owned had easy slip connections for the fuel filter.

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (LeonardDB)
 

If you disconnect the battery there is no chance of spark !
Let the car sit awhile after running, remove the gas cap to relieve any pressure.
I had to open the filter holder/bracket and pull the filter and lines out a bit to get a good grip for wrenching.
Be sure to use new washers.
Make sure all the threads are clean etc when you reassemble.
Open end wrenches worked for me.
Get a Helms manual

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (alotawatts)
 

Instead of the gas cap I would hook a jumper wire up to one of the injectors to bleed the pressure out that way instead.

I never disconect the battery on my car its too much of a pain in the ass IMO, unless Im working on airbag related stuff or something similer, even the starter I dont disconect it. I instead pull the fuse for that circuit or with the starter remove that wire from the battery not the car power. (I have an aftermarket positive clamp because of my sterio that lets me pull any one wire not the whole thing if I want)

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (LeonardDB)
 

better safe then sorry when it comes to sparks and fuel ...... last thing you need is to burn yourself bad because you didnt wanna take a couple min and undo a neg battery connection or catch your car on fire .....

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (rdaggett)
 

Fuck the gas cap and jumper wire idea. Pull the fuel pump relay and start the car. When it dies that is a good sign that there wont be much, if any, fuel to spill out all over the place.

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (JDM-97CX)
 

JDM-97CX,

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Fuck the gas cap and jumper wire idea. Pull the fuel pump relay and start the car. When it dies that is a good sign that there wont be much, if any, fuel to spill out all over the place.
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Really good idea! Where is the fuel pump relay located? Thanks.

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (LeonardDB)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LeonardDB &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Really good idea! Where is the fuel pump relay located? Thanks.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

The relay is in the under hood fuse box.

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (JDM-97CX)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM-97CX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Fuck the gas cap and jumper wire idea. Pull the fuel pump relay and start the car. When it dies that is a good sign that there wont be much, if any, fuel to spill out all over the place. </TD></TR></TABLE>

exactly what I do... https://honda-tech.com/forums/images/smilies/emthup.gif My fuel rail is leaking fuel so to fix it I have to remove it...I just piull the fuse

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (specv5150)
 

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The following reply was posted by JDM-97CX:

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LeonardDB &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Really good idea! Where is the fuel pump relay located? Thanks.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

The relay is in the under hood fuse box.

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Has anyone else tried this and can you please specify the label on the fuse / relay. I could not find a relay under the hood that had any mention of the fuel pump. I did find a fuse in the under dash fuse box, 2nd row, 3rd fuse, labeled "Fuel Pump (SRS UNIT)". There is also a fuse, top row, 2nd fuse labeled, (SRS). Not sure if this SRS fuse has anything to do with the Fuel Pump (SRS UNIT) fuse. Is this the right fuse?


Modified by LeonardDB at 9:08 AM 8/26/2005

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (LeonardDB)
 

Less than an hour's work. Quick rundown: Diconnect neg term of battery. Takes me less than 30 seconds. Uncap gas cap. Cover the top side of the filter before loosening with a rag. Also, put a rag underneath as well. Use 2 wrenches at the top of the filter (1 to hold down the top of the filter and the other to loosen the banjo line). Loosen the banjo bolt 1 turn to relieve pressure. discard the 2 copper washers. Your new filter should come with 2 new ones. 2 screws and 1 nut hold the bracket to the car. Remove bracket. This will give you access (or more room to get to the lower end of the filter). Do the same thing at the bottom with 2 wrenches. Here, I would use a flare wrench for the hard fuel line. Once that's removed, you can remove the hold down screw from the bracket. Now, reverse the procedure in installation. I just did this yesterday so it's pretty fresh in memory. When you have everything buttoned up, start 'er up, keep the rag in place and check for any leaks. Usually the bottom fitting will so make sure you torque it good BEFORE mounting the bracket back onto the firewall. Otherwise you may have difficulty getting to it.

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (gbodybilly)
 

gbodybilly,

Thanks for the reply. I changed my filter yesterday as well. I did not remove the entire support bracket as you did. I was able to reach the filter bracket nut with a socket. The one detail that nobody mentioned; the threaded fuel line nut was all gooped up. I cleaned it thoroughly with gumout spray. Per an Auto Zone techs recommendation, I used blue thread locker/sealer on the threaded fuel line nut. Also sprayed down the banjo blot with gumout before installation to ensure a clean seal with the 2 new banjo bolt washers. I was not able to get the new filter to fit back into the ribs on the bracket, it just wouldn't fit, I had to use a longer 10mm bolt since the original bolt was too short to reach due to the not perfect fit. What a pain in the neck, the hardest fuel filter change I have done in 30 years of auto work. The issue of gas spillage for filter removal is negligible. The amount of gas seepage is just a piddle with the gas cap removed. I wouldn't worry about fuses and such.
I got my filter at NAPA for about $15 (#23559). That was $10. below everybody else.
I am going to buy a full flare wrench set for next time and other such jobs. You don't even want to think about possibly ruining a fuel or brake line nut. A full set of flare nut wrenches is cheap insurance considering the alternative cost.

Re: 96 Civic Fuel Filter Change Details (LeonardDB)
 

Well, for me, it was no big deal. The way I see it, doing it right AND in less than an hour, why do it any other way? But, that's just me...