How to Replace Fuel Filter 1997-2003 Chevy Malibu

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Hi, I'm Mike Green. I'm one of the owners of 1A Auto. I want to help you save time and money repairing and maintaining your vehicle. I want to use my 20 plus years experience restoring and repairing cars and trucks like this to show you the correct way to install parts from 1AAuto.com. The right parts installed correctly, that's going to save you time and money. Thank you and enjoy the video.

In this video, we're going to replace the fuel filter on this 2001 Chevy Malibu, same as any '97 to '03 Malibu and this filter actually fits a lot of GM vehicles, so the basic procedure is the same, although some of what I do in the video is specific to this car. Tools you'll need for the Malibu are Jack and Jack Stands, Flat Blade Screwdriver, 10mm Socket with a Ratchet and Extension, 16mm Open End Wrench and 25/32 Open End Wrench.

The first thing you want to do is de-pressurize the fuel system, so basically with the car running and you come in here to fuse center. Now, you want to pull up the fuel pump relay which is number 18 so this small one here with this one here. Now, you pull that out and after awhile, your car will stop running because it runs out of fuel.

Now, we transition under the car. You want to lift up and secure your vehicle, the higher the better so you have more room to work under there and we're going to remove the canister that's behind the fuel tank, makes it a lot easier to get to the fuel filter. You pull this out here. So you basically want to press here and then start pulling on that plastic and pull it off, the small one. This one, basically squeeze this ring and pull it off. A pair of pliers, pinch this clamp, pull it down. Take and twist this hose some so it's coming off. I'm going to speed up. Now underneath, 10mm socket with a ratchet and extension, you can see here and there's a bolt and right now, I'm in front of the suspension. I'm looking up between the suspension and the fuel tank and that's on the driver side of that square canister. Remove that bolt, the canister comes down and slides a little bit to the driver side. Unhook that hose and get it out of your way.

Now, you can see here, there is a tab right in behind here, pull up and then pinch this side and push that through. Pull that off. At this point, you are going to get the fuel coming out of that fuel filter. I didn't have it coming out because I had taken it apart earlier for a different repair but she will get fuel coming out of there so you want to be aware of that and have a catch can underneath. To better illustrate this, I'm going to show you on a new sending unit that, I'm actually replacing on this vehicle and down on the ground so you can see it easily. These are new clips, so you can see how they work here. Just like up there, you pry this like that and then you kind of pinch and push that through and then if this is your line, it comes right up. 15mm, goes on to the line nut, and then a 25/32 goes on to my filter, and you only want to turn the filter. And once it gets going I should be able to turn the filter right off, and there will be gas inside of it so be careful. New filter from 1A Auto. It does come through with this clip on the end which is used on some vehicles. For this vehicle, we can just angle that and pull it right off.

Okay, I'm going to increase the work speed here as I put that canister back up in there and start the 10mm bolt and tighten it up. Put the smaller lead on the canister, the larger tube, both those you push until you hear a click and it's on there nice and secure. We'll put the hose, reconnect the hose, put that harness up above the hose, reconnect the hose, use pliers and reset that clamp. I'm going to put our fuel pump relay back in. Now, what you want to do is cycle the key a couple times. Check underneath, make sure there's no fuel leaks or anything.

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