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Contact: Tad T Brunye (ttb@kepler.unh.edu)

Changed my fuel fiter on my Neon today, and since there have been questions regarding the process, here it goes:

-All Neons have the same filter, location and changing procedure.

  1. Jack up (put on a ramp/lift..whatever) the rear passenger side of your Neon.
  2. Crawl underneath (ahead of the rear tire), see the gas tank? There are a bunch of tubes (fuel tubes) coming out of the gas tank. Follow them toward the front of the car about 8-10" and you can peek and see the fuel filter.
  3. You should by now notice the fuel filter is barely visible due to a splash shield covering it.
  4. Remove this metal shield by removing the 3 bolts that hold it on. Sorry, I forget the sizes, but you will notice two of them are real small, and the other is larger (about a 9mm; I used a 10mm, but it was a little big..but it worked!:).
  5. O.K... now you can see the odd looking contraption called a fuel filter. It is shaped like an oil filter, but a lot smaller, and has 3 tubes extending from it.
  6. YOU MUST RELIEVE THE FUEL SYSTEM OF PRESSURE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE OLD FILTER. IN YOUR ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ON THE FUEL RAIL THAT IS LOCATED ABOVE THE INTAKE RUNNERS, YOU WILL FIND A SCHRAEDER VALVE. (TEST PORT). THIS LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THE AIR VALVE FOUND ON YOUR TIRES! GET SOMETHING..(I GOT A WATER BOTTLE AND A TOWEL) TO HOLD THE SMALL AMOUNT OF GAS THAT WILL COME OUT, AND A RAG OR TOWEL TO KEEP THE GAS FROM GOING EVERYWHERE! REMOVE THE CAP FROM THE VALVE (SCREWS OFF). I GOT A MEDIUM SIZED NAIL, AND USED IT TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE FROM THE VALVE IN THE SAME MANNER YOU DO TO LET AIR OUT OF A TIRE. FUEL AND AIR WILL SPRAY OUT OF IT AND YOU SHOULD TRY YOUR BEST TO CATCH IT IN A BOTTLE OR "APPROVED CONTAINER : )". ONCE ALL THE PRESSURE IS GONE FROM THE LINE, YOU CAN PUT THE CAP BACK ON THE VALVE AND GO BACK UNDER THE CAR FOR THE FUN PART!
  7. The inlet and outlet tubes and the other tube are permanently attatched to the filter (as you will see when look at your new one). You must remove the first 2 tubes from the gas tank. The tubes use quick-connect fittings and if you look closely at them, you will see how they work. You may need a pair of pliers to remove them. The tabs are light blue colored and remove by applying pressure to both tabs at the same time..allowing the tube to slide off. The blue-colored plastic-connectors stay on the gas tank side.
  8. The last tube connects forward of the other two and removes in the same manner.
  9. There is one bolt now holding the filter itself to the frame rail. Remove this bolt. (ithink it was 3/8")
  10. On your new filter you will see they included extra blue-color-clips at the ends of the tubes. You can remove these unless you happened to break one of the ones originally (and still should be) connected to the gas tank.
  11. The service manual says to apply a light coat of 30wieght oil to the fuel filter nipples before connecting new filter. (most likely for ease of future changes)
  12. Bolt the new filter to the frame rail tightly.
  13. Connect the new filter's tubes in the same order/way the old ones came off (don't worry you cant screw 'em up, the fittings are different sizes!) Be sure to align the tabs on the connectors so that they properly lock onto the tubes. (you should hear an audible click...yes you'll have to get both hands up there to do this!)
  14. Once you are SURE the fittings are all connected securely, go ahead and start your car. It may take a bit of cranks, and stumble a bit, but that's just the system re-gaining pressure.
  15. If it doesn't start, one of your connections is loose/wrong, and there is most likely gas squirting all over!
  16. If it does start (hopefully!!), with it idling go back and look to make sure there are no leaks in the fittings.
  17. Shut the car off.
  18. Leaks:Check connections
  19. No Leaks: Replace metal splash shield and your on your way!

Good luck. It is really not a hard job. If you don't know where the fuel rail is (or what it is), don't do this job w/o help or a service manual(the most important step -and possibly most difficult for some- requires this knowledge)). Though this process worked for me, I am not liable for any mishaps. If you have any doubts, bring it to the dealer. It only took me a half hour, so they should charge you AT MOST an hour's labor. Plus the cost of the filter: I paid 25.95 for it from a dealer.

Happy tinkering!!
--Tad
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