Hey guys I was trying to replace the fuel filter on my 2001 Ford Explorer Sport with the 4.0 earlier today. One side of the fuel line (the side going from the filter to the engine) came off no problem using the remover tool but the other side (the side going from the filter towards the back of the car/gas tank was VERY stuck. Apparently I was too rough with it and the fuel line snapped. The fuel line going from the filter to the engine is still good, only the line going from the filter to the gas tank in the back snapped right after the quick connector on the filter. I’ve been looking everywhere even online but finding the exact part is difficult. Does anyone know the name of the correct part I need? Or even better could someone link me to the correct part? It is hard to find. Couldn’t find anything on Rockauto or autozone or Advance auto… OR is doing a fix such as using fuel line of the same diameter with a quick connector and/or hose clamps feasible? Any help is appreciated. I was going to drop it off at a mechanic this weekend. I just want to know the best way to fix this/what part I need to tell them
The silver connector seen on the fuel line on the left of the photo is missing from the fuel line right side of the photo because it is still stuck in the filter. The fuel line broke about a quarter inch after the connector (or where the connector used to be) on the right side.
I know this depends on several factors but what would you say would be a reasonable price range to pay a mechanic for labor time to get the job done using that kit assuming I order it and bring it to them?
When I call around and ask various garages does it have to be that exact brand/SUR&R or do I just ask if they have any fuel line replacement kit to do the fix?
I left it at a mechanic last night. They are closed until monday and will give me an estimate then. Another thought…the car is sitting in their parking lot outside and there is heavy rain all weekend…I called them several times but obviously no answer since they’re closed on weekends.
Should i go there and get under the car and wrap duct tape over the fuel line openings? Definitely don’t want water to get into the fuel system through the open fuel lines…or should I not worry about this since they’re under the car and the car’s not moving? But I’d rather be safe than sorry and have to replace a ton of other fuel system components if water did manage to get in. What’s your 2 cents based on the picture I sent earlier?
Is there any fuel leaking onto the ground? If so, good idea to do what’s required to stop it from leaking, could be a fire hazard. If no leaks, leaving everything as-is, unlikely to be a problem.
Hiring a shop to fix that problem seems like the best approach. If you run into difficulty, you could surf over to the LMC Truck website, see if they sell that part for your Explorer.
One bit of advice, when loosening/tightening fluid-fittings like that, apply some anti-rust thread penetrant the day before and let it soak, and use the correct tool for the fitting, usually that would be a flare wrench. It doesn’t seem like it would make much of a difference, but in my experience, it does.
Re-read OP’s post, and OP did refer to it as a quick-connector, so agree, using a flare nut tool won’t likely be of any help for that. Is there any helpful pro-active advice for the OP next time they are faced with this quick-connector problem?
Is there something OP (as a diy’er) could have done differently to prevent damaging the connector in the first place? Or is the only way to remove that connector is to take it to a shop owning the special removing tool? Or buying the tool themselves?
All I can say is make SURE you have the proper tool . . . and the correct size for the task at hand . . . use lots of penetrant and rotate the connection(s) as needed to minimize the chance of breakage
If the release tool isn’t in all the way and you persist on tugging on things, it may end badly
I watched a few videos about removing a stuck filter on these old Fords and a couple said brute force it because the clips that the tool pushes in aren’t always the problem sometimes it’s the o-ring seized up, in which case pb blaster might help but the videos say that’s deeper down the connector and you just need to PULL. Problem is I pulled and twisted so that’s what broke it. I definitely used the right tool though it was just stuck.
Depending how the mechanic says he’s going to fix it and what they were gonna charge I was pondering just buying copper tubing of the same diameter, cutting the broken fuel line end with a line cutter to make the edge smooth, and then using flared fittings to connect it to the broken line and the fuel filter. I’ve heard of shops using compression fittings to fix fuel lines which is a big no since they’re not meant to handle high pressure but sometimes they’re just lazy and don’t care. That’s why I like to fix what I can myself because there is a lot of dishonesty in this industry and knowing I did the job myself (within my ability) gives me peace of mind
Neither would I…I have to wait until Monday and see what they tell me. I hate to be THAT guy that tells the mechanic how to do their job or ask how they’re going do the work but some people may not know better. Like you said this is one of those jobs you definitely want done right and I’d rather have it done right the first time.
Using the method I described above would be a safe fix right? Since flared fittings are meant to handle high pressure
