Hey H-T.
Doing a tune-up today and part of that will be a new fuel filter.
Last time I replaced a filter on a 98 EX it was a massive pain. I ended up bending the fuel lines and had to rebend them into place. Whole thing took a while because it was just ridiculously tight.

Anyone got any tricks to making this thing easier to take off? I used some WD-40 last time and that really didn't help much.

Just some product/trick suggestions is all i'm looking for, thanks

 

Not really. Just two wrenches for teh bottom bolts. One on the flare nut and the other on the fuel filter itself.

 

That's what I did last time.
Guess I'll just have to muscle this one too. Thanks though

 

Use a breaker bar on your wrenches, or use a third wrench to extend your torque range. Brace one of them against the sheet metal, so you can concentrate on just moving one wrench.

 

Wrench and a 3/8 drive impact gun to get the top banjo nut off and a good line wrench for the bottom fuel line, works every time.

 

Ah great idea thanks.
While i'm at it i want to get rid of all the road salt buildup. I've never dealt with road salt before as I lived in Texas. Think just a blast of water in the engine bay is fine?

 

^ post pics of the said salt build up/debris

while your at it post pics of the del sol

 

Will do. There are some in my garage but I'll post up new ones once I get off work.
The salt is just a fine white crust all over everything. Never had to deal with this stuff till I drove around in NY winter.
That said, the car does awesome in the snow

 

I'm pretty sure when I did this last summer I simply used a little Aero Kroil and and a breaker bar on the top bolt. WD40 is basically useless for breaking corroded bolts loose. Try something a little more aggressive like Liquid Wrench, PB Blaster or ATF+Acetone. If I remember, I think my main worry wasn't necessarily breaking the bolt loose, but bending the flimsy little bracket the filter sits in while I was trying to do so.

 

Yeah when I did this on my 99 EX I bent the bracket and the fuel lines. Actually I bent the fuel filter itself.
This one is a little worse because it's definitely got some corrosion on it.

 

Have some used ATF sitting around? Mix it 50/50 with pure acetone and spray it on and around the bolt. Take a wrench or something and tap the bolt a few times like you're doing a drum roll. Go back in the house and let it sit for like 20 or 30 minutes. The bolt should come loose quite a bit easier then.

The acetone will dissolve some of the corrosion and also has a tendency to creep into microscopic crevices (like the threads). When it does so, it'll pull the ATF along with it. Best penetrating lubricant that money CAN'T buy.

 

^ thats a new solution to me! sounds good i will give it a try next time i have a lower strut bolt that has seized.

 

Yea, just don't get it on plastic/rubber. If you do, wipe it off fairly quickly. Acetone and plastic go together about as well as **** and strawberry shortcake.