What Nasties Await Me? (fuel filter change '94 ZX derv)

[jacquesketch]

Having tried to run my '94 ZX Auto 1.9 on a mix of shop bought cooking oil and derv, I find myself needing to change the fuel filter (before the pump to the injectors). If i learnt anything in my time as an apprentice mech it is that old French cars were originally designed by pastis swilling mechanics for even more pastis and vin de pays swigging French farmers and therefore might be repaired on the side of the road on a wet night in December between the villages of Upper Nosebleed and Lower Colostomy bag with a pen knife and the mandatory 'loises hanging from your lower lip (then unfortunately the 'le professionale' Design Team came and along and said 'Zoot Alors! Ve can not build zis car she is too easy to fix , zink of ve bottom line!!').

So my question: What awaits me and what tools will I need? I have ordered the filter Europarts says is the the right one (Yeah I know...). Normally I'd just lug my two tool boxes the 1/4 mile to where the car is parked but i put my back out hoovering (don't laugh, you'll be my age one day) and only want to carry the tools I will actually need. A glance at the filter housing says I will need an imbus (what you'd call an 'Allen' or hex I believe- i learnt most of my meching skills in Germany), what size? What awaits me under the plastic filter housing cap, is it just 'take out & replace (not forgetting to coat with derv)' or is there a further level of security to get through? Any tips would be appreciated (and if anyone knows of a photo walk through online...).

[ekjdm14]

Fairly easy to do, just make sure you replace the seal correctly and lubricate it with a bit of diesel (DERV = Diesel Engined Road Vehicle IIRC) and fill the filter housing after you drop the new filter in.

You'll find that using veg oil/a mix means fuel filters should be treated as consumable & it's worth carrying a spare + tools in the car until the veg has done it's thing cleaning out the years of crap built up in the fuel system.

Another thing to note, you may also want to change your engine oil about twice as often as running on pure diesel & the Lucas pump does tend to dislike anything other than straight diesel. Bosch pumps will happily run 100% veg, although I can't make out from the pic which type you have. the distributor head (where the high pressure pipes come out of) will be squared off on a Bosch whereas the Lucas pumps have a round distributor head

[RichardW]

Welcome!

I think it's 4mm - long time since I changed one like that... Basically just undo the screws, lift the lid off, change the element, refit the lid, pump the fuel primer to refill the filter, start the engine. A tip- lift the lid carefully a little bit and slip a screwdriver under the edge to hold the filter in the lid; otherwise it inevitable comes off with lid, until just before you can get hold of it, then it falls off back into the bowl and splashes diesel everywhere!!

[beko1987]

Very simple! I went through a stage one winter of a filter a week because the veg waxed up in the cold...

Allen key on the bolts, withdraw the bolts. Lift the lid off carefully and let it drain into the housing. Lift the old filter out carefully as it will be full of fuel, let that drop into the housing for a bit. New filter slowly lowered in as the housing will be full of fuel, then replace the lid and do the bolts up. You might beed to squeeze the primer a bit, I never had to though. Fire it up and check for leaks, old filter inside a sandwich bag then inside the box the new one came in then certainly do not lob it into a half full black bin...

Still got the tools in the car to do it, even though I don't have that filter setup now, I need £17 worth of BMW inline fuel filter for mine!

[jacquesketch]

Thanks for all the replies so far guys. Touching upon something I think you have all hinted at: I have had an email from a former Master Mechanic (FORD but has worked a lifetime on 'real' -ie French- cars) apparently there is one bit of specialist equipment I will need, an empty plastic food container that one's sweet N sour Alsatian comes in from the Chinese to catch the filter with. Typical! I have toolboxes of professional grade, racing grade, ratchets, spanners, sockets but do i have a cheap plastic eggfried rice tub? Do I whatis! For the want of a portion of Chop Suey .....