Fuel filter question

[Zalvern]

On 5/18/2020 at 12:09 AM, Jon604 said:

Zalvern,

  As always, you are a wealth of knowledge. Wow you can rent a service manual??.. I didnt know that.  I wonder if someone copied it and have a free one floating around. 

I might not even have the tools to do the fuel filter service so after all that for something you will do every 3 years is a bit much. 

 

It'll be nothing more than basic tools for the most part, things you could find at a hardware store once you verify the steps. It's a 1 hour service book job (the rate you'll be charged at, even if done faster than an hour), but of course service hour rates are higher than ever.

I had some 2017+ MKZ workshop pages saved but they're not with me and I only took what I used for the times when I was diving into mods, and to do all the engine fluid changes and other services that are DIY friendly. I do not have the fuel filter procedure though as I didn't notice it existed back then, and my old MKZ stuff is on a hard drive I cannot access at this time.

[scn101]

I had a similar filter on my 2003 Sable that I replaced every 30K miles.  Sold the car a long time ago but replacing it was easy.  From memory: remove fuel pump fuse, start car, car will run for a few seconds and stall.  Now you've relieved pressure in the fuel line.  Gain access to the filter, and on each side of the filter there is a rubber hose connected via a U-style plastic clamp.  I used a very small slotted screwdriver to open the legs of the clamp while prying it up.  You don't remove the clamp, you just move it up to its next stop, about 4-5mm.  Then the hoses will slip off.  You may need to spin the filter a bit to loosen it from the rubber hoses.  Install new filter with the arrow pointing towards the engine, push the clamps back down and you're done.  Replace fuel pump fuse, turn ignition to run position and then off again a few times to allow the fuel pump to fill the filter and restore pressure (you should hear the pump priming each time you turn the key to run), then crank the engine and it'll fire up.  Check for leaks and replace any trim/cover that you removed to gain access.

 

Do this outside or with the garage door open as there will be gas in the filter.  Have a catch can and rags at the ready.

 

Ask me about how much fun it is to replace the fuel pump on your driveway!  That happened on the Sable just shy of 90K miles.  Learned my lesson, don't run your car with less than 1/8 or preferably 1/4 of a tank of gas as the pump sits in the fuel to cool itself.  And I can only imagine how an overheated pump (due to a low fuel level) must like cold gas poured all over it when refueling, that fast expansion can't be doing it any good.  I never ran out of gas but would often run to E and fill up along the highway.  I think that shortened its life.

[kramf411]

Update:
After several months of rescheduling due to the pandemic, this has finally been done 6 days ago. But not without the added drama which I will spare all of you about it ?

$24.50 parts + $60 labor.

Today, I just received an email from the service manager - very nice person to talk to (TALK = EMAIL) I have communicated with her on a few occasions. She is refunding the total bill from the last visit (State Inspection/Emission and Fuel Filter) to "make things right".

[SW_Lincoln]

Update: the printed (pdf) manual says “lifetime filter”. The on-line manual says replace for 3.0L AWD. I called Lincoln - they say online is more up to date. they are trying to contact the dealer. Stay tuned.

[kramf411]

If you do have a 3.0L AWD are you still staying tune for the reply when there is proof here that it is indeed an external filter and replaceable at X miles?

[Jordan]

Thought I should drop a line on this thread real fast.  My 2.0T has this filter in it's service interval for 60K, and I have had no luck getting the location nailed down on the internet.  I am about to order one, and DIY with my next oil change and tire rotation.  The part is listed in the official FoMoCo parts catalog, and the supplied diagram is pretty useless(suggesting it is between the tank and engine).  I have changed these filters before on 90's vehicles, and if you have a set of jack-stands you will hate yourself for paying $100 for it.  I will have to hunt them down, but they make tools to pop the line off of the filter(plastic rings that slide over the line), which I threw away a decade ago because no one was using in-line filters any more.  The filter SHOULD be located along the frame, and be pretty accessible once the covers are removed(used to always be placed at or about the driver's or passenger's seats on the frame rails).  This job will require more time to remove the underbody covers than to actually change the filter(not even a 5 minute job), and will spill fuel and de-pressurize the fuel line(necessitating double or triple priming the fuel pump before start-up).

 

Having dealt with these filters being clogged before(on 90's cars), the problem that an old one causes is a vastly reduced throttle response.  The engine will run fine, but you will have a highly reduced low-end power output, and the engagement of full throttle will be delayed by 1 sec+.  It will not harm anything until it is so blocked that the fuel rail can no longer get proper pressure for the injectors, and is a maintenance item that only those interested in optimal performance should care about.

 

Here is the link on the FoMoCo catalog-

https://www.oemfordpart.com/oem-parts/ford-fuel-filter-2m5z9155ca?c=Zz1tYWludGVuYW5jZS1hbmQtbHVicmljYXRpb24mcz1maWx0ZXJzJmw9MjYmbj1Bc3NlbWJsaWVzIFBhZ2UmYT1saW5jb2xuJm89bWt6Jnk9MjAxNyZ0PXNlbGVjdCZlPTItMGwtbDQtZ2Fz

 

Thanks to everyone that has shared to try and help with this issue

[bbf2530]

On 10/1/2021 at 6:41 PM, Jordan said:

Thought I should drop a line on this thread real fast.  My 2.0T has this filter in it's service interval for 60K, and I have had no luck getting the location nailed down on the internet.  I am about to order one, and DIY with my next oil change and tire rotation.  The part is listed in the official FoMoCo parts catalog, and the supplied diagram is pretty useless(suggesting it is between the tank and engine).  I have changed these filters before on 90's vehicles, and if you have a set of jack-stands you will hate yourself for paying $100 for it.  I will have to hunt them down, but they make tools to pop the line off of the filter(plastic rings that slide over the line), which I threw away a decade ago because no one was using in-line filters any more.  The filter SHOULD be located along the frame, and be pretty accessible once the covers are removed(used to always be placed at or about the driver's or passenger's seats on the frame rails).  This job will require more time to remove the underbody covers than to actually change the filter(not even a 5 minute job), and will spill fuel and de-pressurize the fuel line(necessitating double or triple priming the fuel pump before start-up).

 

Having dealt with these filters being clogged before(on 90's cars), the problem that an old one causes is a vastly reduced throttle response.  The engine will run fine, but you will have a highly reduced low-end power output, and the engagement of full throttle will be delayed by 1 sec+.  It will not harm anything until it is so blocked that the fuel rail can no longer get proper pressure for the injectors, and is a maintenance item that only those interested in optimal performance should care about.

 

Here is the link on the FoMoCo catalog-

https://www.oemfordpart.com/oem-parts/ford-fuel-filter-2m5z9155ca?c=Zz1tYWludGVuYW5jZS1hbmQtbHVicmljYXRpb24mcz1maWx0ZXJzJmw9MjYmbj1Bc3NlbWJsaWVzIFBhZ2UmYT1saW5jb2xuJm89bWt6Jnk9MjAxNyZ0PXNlbGVjdCZlPTItMGwtbDQtZ2Fz

 

Thanks to everyone that has shared to try and help with this issue

 

Hi Jordan. Your 2.0T MKZ engine does not have a serviceable fuel filter. It is located in the fuel tank, is considered a lifetime part, and does not require changing, as per Lincoln/Ford.

 

There may be a fuel filter "available", but you would need to drop the fuel tank and remove the fuel pump to access and change it. Unless our MKZ's have an access panel beneath the rear seat, in which case you would need to remove the bottom of the back seat to reach the access panel, then remove the fuel pump from the fuel tank (through that access panel), to get to the fuel filter.

 

I also checked the Maintenance Schedule, and do not see any mention of the 2.0T engine requiring or recommending a fuel filter change at 60,000 miles. Perhaps you can link us to where you find that information so we can double check all the information.

 

Hope this information helps and good luck.