graham009

Hi - First time I have tried to change a fuel filter and made a newbie mistake. [ 100 1993 Avant 2.6 V6 60,000] On the top of the filter, the intake pipe has two nuts. A small one that 'sleeves' over the pipe, screwing into a big 19mm one, that then screws into the filter. Well I "unscrewed" the big one 1/2 a turn and slightly twisted the tube. Gulp. I stopped. My girlfrind who was helping stopped. The dog stopped. Then I unscrewed the small one first, and it came off easy. Then the bottom one easy as well. With the filter in my hand, however, the big 19mm nut is still in the filter and spins round freely and does NOT unscrew. The replacement filter has no such nut in it. I'm sat here with the bloody thing on my desk wondering if I have immobilized my car here - Help guys WadoIdo ? H E L P

Maini

paper elements inside.... but ensure that it is not leaking under pressure... if the loosened nut is not being able to tighten then you might have a leak issue.. but other than that it should work... my 2c

graham009

Hi - I'm not sure I fully understand. Are you saying that the big 19mm nut on the 'old' filter is in fact not needed, and I should discard the filter with the unscrewable nut, as a single unit ? I have tried to fit the slim nut that's on the end of the pipe into the top of the filter - the threads fit, but the only seal created will be made by the underside of the 9mm NUT, not the beveled end of the fitted pipe..... not sure if I explained it that well...

Mr. Malcontent

or some one post a diagram of the fuel filter assembly. The only 9mm nut that I recall is for the clamp that holds the filter down. There should only be two bolts going into the filter, one on each end. Each one is holding a banjo fitting(i may have this term wrong). The filter sits inside a bracket of sorts. This holds the filter in place. My understanding of your explanation is that you have removed the smaller bolt on the exiting end of the filter, but when you try to loosen the the bigger bolt on the other side the filter rotates inside of the bracket. Is this correct? If this is correct then you only need to secure the 9mm bolt to hold the filter in place. With a pair of channel locks you can grasp the enter end of the filter on what appears to be a bolt. This actually part of the filter, no? Hold there and try to loosen the 19mm bolt. If this is unclear, or I have misinterpreted something, please clear it up before continuing. I really don't want to give you the wrong advise.

VIPSA

you can't take the old bolt out of the old filter. If that's the case than just go grab a new bolt.

snowman '92 100

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/58837/fuel_filter.jpg" />

graham009

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/82711/filter.jpg"></center><p>
OK - I think I have a nut you do not - Look at this pic. The green is my fliter. The black is nuts. Ok I have TWO on the top, a 10mm I think. Then the 19mm. The 10mm screws intot he 19mm. I undid the 10mm and took of the hose. The 19mm remains on the filter spinning round..... The new filter does not have this nut, the new filter is the described by green bit as well. So in my hand I have the green filter, AND attached to it a 19mm nut that won't come off ... :0 and I'm supposed to drive to Brussels tonight ... By the way - thanks - No one at work know what the hell I'm doing and they think I'm mad doing work on my own car

graham009

It's called a reducer - it cost $2 -its a brass fitting that adapts the big hole on one end to a smaller size
- Phew
though I was going mad there

Mr. Malcontent

great pic!