Fuel Filter Change Procedure

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mad1150
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Fuel Filter Change Procedure

Post by mad1150 »

OK, I know it was here somewhere, I remember seeing a procedure with pictures. :-k

...and search isn't cutting it on this one. Or it could be that I have no patience :oops:
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taosports
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Re: Fuel Filter Change Procedure

Post by taosports »

It's a pretty straight forward procedure. Only difficulty is getting the fuel filter/pump assembly back into the tank. See photo below and you'll see what I mean. Looks absolutely impossible. :shock: But you got it all out, so you know it will fit back in!

A couple of hints that will make the procedure easier :

Have much of the fuel out of the tank to make lifting it easier and to eliminate any over flow issues while opening up the panel on the right side tank.

This will save you time : make an alignment mark on both the top of the cover plate and the side of the tank. Note the white tape with a black mark next to one of the screws in my photo. You want to align that mark with the corresponding mark on top of the plate. I learned this the hard way. :(

As you take the unit out, some rotating is involved. Be gentle as you do not want to tear the sock filter.

Make sure you have a replacement O ring that helps seal the cover plate. It's a good idea to replace it with every change although not absolutely necessary. You'll also need two clamps unless you're good at prying open the oem clamps on both ends of the fuel filter.

When you put the unit back in, rotating the unit is again necessary, making sure those two alignment marks you made match up. While you are doing this, make sure the O ring stays seated in the shallow groove.

Next very important point : gradually tighten the six screws in a cross pattern - do not over tighten - or you will strip them. You just need even compression on the O ring.

Lastly, make sure there are no leaks. You may want to add some fuel to the tank and angle the tank so that you can really check the seal. I'd let it sit this way for 30 minutes or so just to be certain there are no leaks.

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Dr. Strangelove
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Re: Fuel Filter Change Procedure

Post by Dr. Strangelove »

also, the fuel filter is held in place by those proprietary bmw clamps as well as some other lines within. You will need to remove these and they are not reusable, so you'll need some FI clamps. iirc they are NOT 5/16" they are smaller, 1/4? 3/16. can't remember.

Also close all nearby children's ears to spare them the screams of anguish and solitude as you replace this, most heinous of all filters.

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Dr. Strangelove
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Re: Fuel Filter Change Procedure

Post by Dr. Strangelove »

'09 Schwarze Blanche DuBois
Well, don't do that-Hippocrates
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iowabeakster
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Re: Fuel Filter Change Procedure

Post by iowabeakster »

Make sure you have a replacement O ring that helps seal the cover plate. It's a good idea to replace it with every change although not absolutely necessary. You'll also need two clamps unless you're good at prying open the oem clamps on both ends of the fuel filter.

also, the fuel filter is held in place by those proprietary bmw clamps as well as some other lines within. You will need to remove these and they are not reusable, so you'll need some FI clamps. iirc they are NOT 5/16" they are smaller, 1/4? 3/16. can't remember.
Strangelove's mention of "some other lines within", are the two breather lines. In order to replace the big O ring, you will have to disconnect them (and replace clamps). Give yourself a clue (piece of tape or whatever) to reconnect the lines back the way they were. And, be careful not to let them fall into the gaping hole and into the gasoline. I used zipties and string temporarily attached to the lines.
I was dreaming when I wrote this, forgive me if it goes astray...
mad1150
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Re: Fuel Filter Change Procedure

Post by mad1150 »

Thx Tao, DrS, and IowaB! =D>

I can add another sugestion - don't do this on a 85F/85% RH day unless you need to loose weight. Getting that Pump Assy out takes time and patience!


Mods - can we get this thread moved to the Maintenance topic? Please [-o<
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Re: Fuel Filter Change Procedure

Post by CycleRob »

I just did one today on combustor777's 2002 blue Roadster. Maybe it was the 93+degF heat and me having about 5½ hrs sleep the nite before, but we had a tough time with it. It came out easy enough with the CW rotation/tilt/tip/turn. As it came out, the inlet sock filter popped over the 2 vent lines behind it. Reversing that process would prove to be impossible without removing the filler neck and it's attached vent lines to get more slack. Something wasn't right on this bike with an 02/01 (Feb 2001) build date. I could have sworn I replaced my 06/01 bike's fuel filter without removing the filler neck assembly containing the rollover valve. Maybe my internal vent hoses were longer? The fuel filter change kit from BeemerBoneyard also had the clamps for the 2 smaller vent lines and the fuel filter. The bike's internal vent lines had 4 reusable squeeze to unlatch/latch clamps, one on each end. About those internal vent hoses: They need a really good seal to the steel and plastic pipes they connect to -or- the gasoline that surrounds them will weep into either the charcoal canister soaking it or the cap area water drain to the street. If it goes into the canister, even less than a teaspoon's worth of gasoline, it will cause a running problem while it carbons up your sparkplugs. Garth's bike had external vent hoses that were not only swapped in their connections (cap area water/fuelspill drain hose went into the charcoal canister!!) but they were loose enough to spin easily on their internal fuel pump plate fittings. We used the 2 vent hose screw clamps for the "deeper under gasoline" pump plate internal vent lines.

His filter had the original 1-time-use squish clamps. When I began to cut them off with dykes to see if I could, the clamped hose moved so much I put down the cutting pliers, grabbed the loose hose and pulled it off the 8 year old filter! The other side too! Loose enough to just slide right off the filter. Why it did not blow off the filter inside the tank, I'll never know. :-k It may have leaked a lot though. :shock:

OK, going back together the internal vent lines are connected to the pump plate and fed into the hole upward toward the filler cap. If your hands are too large to fit in the fuel cap opening to grab those hoses, first feed a string up to the cap from the much larger pump plate opening, so you can use it to pull the 2 vent hoses up-n-out the filler cap opening for their hookup. I was able to use a pair of dykes (wire cutters) to compress the internal hose's latching clamp with a hard squeeze and a large needle nose plier to squeeze/push down the catch over the tab. Study the clap and then these words make sense.

I put a very light film of Silkolene waterproof racing grease (any grease will do) on the large O-rings and the mating steel pump plate and filler neck. The O-rings themselves were also very lightly smeared to create a better seal against the dry surfaces. Remember the filler cap drain hole goes at the 9 O`Clock position and the fuel cap hinges at the rear. When the fuelpump mounting nuts go tight all at once, they are tight enough. Same for the filler cap screws. Put the tank back on and hook up the 2 QD's and fuel pump electric plug.

After you put the gas back in, turn the key on until the pump runs then stops, turn it off and repeat the on/run/stop/off key cycle at least 5 times so the air is forced out of the system and the sound coming from the pump is uniform.

To hook up your vent lines choose one leading to the fueltank and blow thru it while you hold your finger loosely over the 9 O`Clock drain hole. If you feel your air pressure, that's the drain down hose and the other one goes to the center pipe of the charcoal canister. If it's hissing inside the fuel tank, stop immediately and blow thru the other one to confirm it's the 9 O`Clock hole. Use that procedure to correctly connect the hoses, no matter WHO connected them last.
I decided to put a small ziptie tightly around the rearward barbed end of one vent hose connector pipe and the front barbed end of the other vent hose's connector pipe. That way, when it comes time to separate them again, the ziptied portion is NOT the one you unplug, creating a foolproof gender specific reconnection.

Enjoy the ride. :smt026

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dechaoz05
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Re: Fuel Filter Change Procedure

Post by dechaoz05 »

this is a timeless post

recently changed my fuel pump plate and used this guide to make sure the vent lines were connected correctly

thank you
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Ol' Jeffers
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Re: Fuel Filter Change Procedure

Post by Ol' Jeffers »

Copied & pasted to my BMW notes!! Thanks Rob!! (Again!)
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