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DIY Fuel Filter Replacement

272K views 229 replies 114 participants last post by  stephenbbb 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Fuel Filter Replacement by BlackElantraGT

Difficulty: 2 on a difficulty scale from 1-5

CAUTION: Please do not smoke or have any open wires or electrical sources nearby. Make sure your battery negative is disconnected. Work on the car in a well ventilated area because the fumes will be strong.

Tools Needed:
3/8" drive Ratchet
1/4" drive Ratchet
12mm socket
8 mm socket
10mm combination wrench
Phillips and flathead screwdriver
Plier

Step 1:
Remove both rear seats using the 3/8" ratchet attached to the 12mm socket. There are a total of 4 12mm bolts, 2 for each seat.



Step 2:
Remove 1 panel clip. It easily came out using just my fingers but you might need a flat head screwdriver to pop it out.



Step 3:
After removing the panel clip, pull back the carpeting. Open the fuel tank access lid and disconnect the harness




Step 4:
Once you've disconnected the harness, start your car and let it idle until the engine shuts down on its own. While you're doing this, it's a good time to roll down all your windows for some fresh air while you're working. It'll take about 3-5 mins before the engine turns off. This process is to depressurize the fuel lines. If you forget this process, you'll have pressurized fuel shooting everywhere. After the engine dies, remove the negative terminal from your battery with the 10mm wrench.



Step 5:
Now that the power source is disconnected, pull up both front seats to give yourself plenty of working room if you already haven't done so. Have some shop towels or some old rags ready to wipe down fuel because you'll have some gas shoot out no matter what. Disconnect the first line by pressing the tabs on the side. This line will definitely shoot out some fuel. Wipe it down, and then using some pliers, squeeze the hose clamp on the other line and place the clamp towards the bottom so you can remove the hose. Wipe any excess fuel off.




Step 6:
Using a screwdriver, remove the 8 screws holding down the fuel assembly. On my car, 2 of the screws were badly stripped from the factory, so I found it much easier just to use a 1/4" drive ratchet attached to an 8mm socket. Once all the screws are removed, carefully remove the ring and its gasket and place it aside. It'll be much easier if you take it off without turning the ring, setting it aside, and placing it back in the same way you took it off. By doing this, you won't have much trouble aligning the 8 holes for the screw when you put it back on.



Step 7:
Have your rags ready. The next step is to take out the whole assembly from the fuel tank. In order to do so, you have to pull it up, and then at an angle for it to clear the opening in your fuel tank. Once you have it at an angle, a lot of fuel will be spilling out. Try to have most of that fuel go back in the tank. Just make sure you have something to wipe it down and soak up the fuel.

Step 8:
To remove the top part of the assembly, push in on the 3 clips holding it in and carefully pull up on it to take it off. Once this comes off, you'll be able to disconnect the harness, along with the harness that attaches to the fuel pump itself.



Step 9:
Pop off the metal bracket that holds in this unit using a screwdriver or in my case the end of my pliers. Once the bracket is off, the unit can be easily removed just by pulling it off. You don't have to remove the hose. That hard plastic hose is pretty hard to come off, so just leave it in the assembly as is. You will later attach this piece back onto your new fuel filter, and then hold it in place again with the original metal bracket.




Step 10:
There are 2 clips holding in the fuel filter. Pull back on the clips while pulling out the fuel filter unit itself. Eventually you'll be able to pull it off completely. Do not throw away your old fuel filter just yet! Unfortunately Hyundai does not supply the new fuel filter with these 2 plastic washers, 2 rubber rings, and a cap that you will need. If you forget to put these on the new fuel filter, you will NOT be able to start your car. DON'T FORGET! The white plastic washer goes in first, then the black rubber ring, followed by the other white plastic washer, and finally the last black rubber ring. Once you have this inside the new fuel filter, pop the original cap back on







Step 11:
Once you have these items transferred over onto the new fuel filter, place it back into the fuel assembly. Now reverse the steps to put everything back in!

Before you start your car, put your key in and put it into the on position. You should hear the fuel pump priming itself. Once the noise stops, you can go ahead and start your car.

Note: There is an O-ring on the original filter that people sometimes miss which can result in the car not starting after installing the new filter - make sure you've read this post before you begin installation.
 
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#2 ·
Excellent, Thanks
 
#7 ·
Nice timing.. doing that next weekend. I figured it would be easy but atleast i know what ill be working with now. Good job.
 
#9 ·
I would say that most people on here are probably more mechanically inclined than I am, so if you have the basic tools and you know how to use those basic tool, it's a fairly easy job, although slightly messy. You might want to consider waiting until your gas is a bit low. I did it when I still had more than 3/4 of a tank.

As far as length of time, it took me more than a few hours because I was taking pictures and because of the heat we've been having in California lately, I waited until after dinner to start the job and found myself having trouble with screwing the ring and gasket back on in the dark. I also made the mistake of just taking off that ring, and tossing it aside instead of remember how the holes were. That was probably the hardest part of the job, until I realized that the holes only lined up a certain way.

Since I had to go back into the fuel tank 3 times, if I had to do the job again I can probably do everything in less than 30 mins now that I've learned from my mistakes. I don't remember the exact price, but if I remember correctly, the total came out to less than $35 at the dealer, and that's with L.A. county 8.25% tax.
 
#12 ·
Also the GLS seats have bolts in another position than in your pic. They are in between the upper and lower cushions. MAKE SURE you snap that pressure regulator ALL the way down. I didn't and 4 days later it came loose. Allowed pressure to drain off and made warm starts kinda hard. If you get that a few days after doing this recheck that thing. I know i snapped it but it didn't seat all the way. A bump must have dislodged it.
 
#15 ·
On the 02 Elantra the 2 bolts are between the the seat.. after removing the 2 bolts u have to pull both end of the seat up.. u need to apply some pressure while pulling up the seat.. unfortunately the dealer gave me the wrong filter.. it was too big and had more outlets than the orignal
 
#20 ·
quick question, i have a 2003 elantra gt, and i went to the dealer to buy the fuel filter and they said that only 2002 and prior models had fuel filters, that the 2003 was unserviceable, that it only had a sock, and you just wait for the pump to die, which didn't make sense to me, also haha, they said i should drain my transmission fluid cause anything other than hyundai's fluid would ruin my engine, what do you think about that?
 
#21 ·
I have an 03 and I changed it. The book even has when it is suppose to be changed. I think its around 40k.
 
#27 ·
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