How do you change the fuel filter on a 1986 Honda Accord LXi FI?

Answer 1

OK, it took me 4 hours to do this but if I had known these things it would have taken less. My Honda Accord has fuel injection and one filter. It is located on the firewall right in front of the passenger side. There are two lines: one in line and one out line. Your new filter should have come with 5 washers, with one of them smaller than the others.

Breaking the bolts

This is the hard part, and they where on good and tight. I would recommend trying to break the bolt that is 6 sided while the filter is still in the bracket. If the filter starts to turn at all stop. Take the filter off of the bracket.

Take off one of the small hoses coming from the canister so it's not in your way. Take off 2 of the vacuum hoses so they aren't in the way either.

Note: Take off the gas cap to release the pressure in the lines.

I had to use a monkey wrench to hold the old filter still enough to break the bolt. Whatever it takes, although steel probably isn't the best thing to use while working with fuel.

Unscrew the bolt. In the new package there might be extra rubber stoppers to stop up the opening so gas doesn't go everywhere. But if you have a small bucket you can probably drain the gas in there.

On the outlet bolt there is another screw inside of it. Don't worry about that screw right now. Take off the bolt on the outlet line. It is round, and flat on two sides. It was 17 mm on my car.

Your halfway there.

Take off the first bolt fully and take the washers off. There should be two of them. Now take two new brass washers from your new box. Place the hose the exact same way it was when it came off. One washer goes between the hose and the filter. The other washer goes between the head of the bolt and the end of the hose. Tighten the bolt on. I had to have help. I held the new fuel filter in place with a large wrench while my help tightened it all the way down.

Now, take off the flat bolt. There will be a smaller bolt (10 mm?) in it! With the bolt free of the car and the old filter, take off the smaller bolt in the large bolt. Replace the washer and re-tighten the smaller bolt.

Now, take the outlet hose and set it in the same spot as it was on the old filter One washer goes against the filter and one washer between the bolt and the end of the hose. Tighten that bolt down. You might need to hold down filter with a larger wrench and have someone else tighten the bolt. It was 17 mm on my car.

Replace the filter and bracket it in after you check for leaks. Replace the two vacuum hoses! Replace the hose going to the canister!

Replace the gas cap. Turn your key until the fuel pump starts. Check for leaks. Start the car. check for leaks!

Congratulations.