How to change a fiesta diesel fuel filter?

Answer 1

Ford Fiesta 1.4tdci Mk6 - Fuel filter change.

Tools required - 8mm socket, T25 Torx bit, short length of flexible tube and funnel to fill new filter.

Also required - Fuel filter (expect to pay less than £30 on e-Bay), Air filter element, 2Litre container half-full of clean diesel fuel.

Procedure -

Pull the wiring plug off the air-sensor on the air-filter housing above the tubo, and unclip its lead from the air-intake pipe.

Flex the front end of the air-intake pipe out of its bracket above the radiator, twist and pull it out of the connecting collar and put that section of pipe in a safe place.

Using an 8mm socket, remove the screw from the air-pipe connecting collar and put the screw in a safe place.

Pull the air-pipe connecting collar off the back section of pipe and put it in a safe place. Allow the back section of pipe to drop down a little to give clearance below the fuel filter.

Using a T25 bit, undo the three captive screws at the front of the air-filter cover, pull off the cover, and put it in a safe place.

Squeeze the lugs on the sides of the two fuel-pipe fittings and pull both of them off the fuel filter. Plug or tape-over the ends of the flexible pipes in order to prevent dirt getting in.

Using a T25 bit, remove the screw holding the fuel filter to its bracket and put the screw in a safe place.

Slide the fuel filter out of its bracket and lift it so that the fuel heater wiring plug can be unplugged from the back of the fuel filter. It may be necessary to use a small screwdriver blade to flick the wiring plug's plastic tongue off its catch.

Carefully lift the fuel filter out of the engine bay as fuel will leak out of it (unless you've blocked the nozzles). Pour the fuel (nearly half a litre) out of the filter into a clean container so that it can be returned to the car's fuel tank, or used to fill the new filter.

Holding the new fuel filter next to its bracket, connect the wiring plug to the fuel heater. Place the filter into its bracket and replace the fixing screw.

Discard the air filter element and fit a new one.

Replace the air filter cover and tighten the three captive screws.

Fill the new fuel filter with clean diesel. This will take some time as the paper filter element inside will take time to soak up the diesel. The inlet nozzle at the front of the filter drops fuel into a column in the centre of the filter drum. Fuel percolates through the paper drum and passes over the fuel heater to exit from the nozzle next to the bulkhead. The bleed screw at the bottom of the filter bowl simply drains the bottom of the filter bowl on the understanding that any water in the fuel will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Try pouring fuel into both pipes or squirt fuel in with a baby-feeding syringe. Don't use the syringe to feed baby afterwards - throw it away. The syringe, that is, not the baby. When the filter is full, push on both flexible fuel pipes.

Squeeze the rubber bulb at the other side of the air filter housing a few times until you can hear fuel squelching in it. This primes the fuel system. If you hadn't filled the new fuel filter first, you would be squeezing the rubber bulb until the end of time.

Replace the air pipe connecting collar and the front section of the air pipe. Ensure that the back section of the air pipe is firmly pushed into the air filter housing. The engine sounds very noisy if this simple push-fit join comes apart! Replace the screw holding the air-pipe collar in place.

Connect the wiring plug back up to the air sensor and clip its lead in place on the air pipe.

Start the engine (it'll start right away - honest) and check for leaks.

Return any unused diesel to the car's fuel tank.

Put your tools away in the correct places.

Go for a cup of tea.