Replacing fuel filter on Civic 97

I'm thinking of doing this on my own. Is this fairly easy to do? How do you
know if this needs replacing? Would I be lacking power? I replaced it once
at the 48,000 KM maitenance but I never had it done at the 96,000 and now I
have 112,000 KM on the car. I don't notice any lack of power so I wonder if
it's worth doing?

I was also wondering about the use of FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER. I hear it's not
worth using and it really won't keep you from eventually having to have your
fuel injectors cleaned. Any truth to this? I've been using a bottle every
oil change.

 

Site http://www.honda.co.uk/owner/CivicManual/pdf/4-4.pdf is the maintenance
schedule for 95-97 Civics. It says the fuel filter is supposed to be replaced
every 40,000 km or two years, whichever comes first. So it appears your car is
due.

I'd do it as preventive maintenance and not wait for a loss of power. Doing it
as preventive maintenance seems to me will help keep the whole system as clean
as possible.

Directions for replacing it appear at
http://www.honda.co.uk/owner/CivicManual/pdf/11-86.pdf . Note that rarely are
directions in any Honda manual, other than Helms manuals, dead on. Be flexible.

(See http://www.honda.co.uk/owner/workshopmanuals2.html for how I found these
sites.)

The drawing of a 97 Civic's fuel filter location at http://tinyurl.com/2v6e4
might also help.

My 1991 Civic's fuel filter is similar in appearance. I'm an amateur mechanic
and find it not difficult to replace. First time's always the toughest.

I have never used fuel injector cleaner. My car is 13 years old, has 151k miles
on it, and gets 40+ mpg spring-fall.

I am thinking of putting a bottle(s) of fuel injector cleaner in the near
future, to see if I notice any benefit.

My general reading suggests a lot of ambivalent viewpoints on the benefit of
this stuff.

 

It's not that difficult to do but you need the right tools. I don't know
your model but on some models it's awkward to get at with some tools.
You'd probably want to take the rubber air intake hose off the inlet
manifold to make things easier to get at. You'd probably want a line
wrench to get the bottom connection off and both connections can require a
lot of muscle to loosen. If it's hard to get at from the top you'd have to
go at it from the bottom with two socket wrenches with long extensions and
crowsfoot "sockets". I follow whatever the manuals say on change
schedules.

Cleaner won't "revive" a fuel filter which is getting clogged if that's
what you're wondering. I once had a bad fuel injector on a VW at high
mileage and fuel injector cleaner helped; I've used it regularly, twice a
year, ever since. I think every oil change is probably excessive and you
should be sure to do it *before* the oil change. I've never had a
professional cleaning job on the injectors.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

If fuel delivery is good, why change the filters? How can it be a preventative
maintenance? I think old filters would filter better (unless they're clogged and
not delivering enough air/fluids).

Pars

 

Why do you think old filters would filter better?

 

Why do you think old filters would filter better?

New filters allow the largest particles to pass. As the filter ages, its
"holes" get smaller, and block smaller and smaller pieces of trash. Of course
there is a limit.

Quent

 

Isn't the biggest "hole" in a new filter the smallest particle it's
designed to let thru?

 

New filters allow the largest particles to pass. As the filter ages, its
"holes" get smaller, and block smaller and smaller pieces of trash. Of course
there is a limit.

Quent[/QUOTE]

That depends on the build. A common filter design uses massive amounts
of surface area combined with electrostatic attraction. Once the
surface area is used up, particles hit a rear screen that clogs quickly.

I don't think it matters for a fuel filter, though. Anything that isn't
big enough to plug up an injector is pretty much harmless.

 

Isn't the biggest "hole" in a new filter the smallest particle it's

Sure. " Designed." As the filter qages and the holes slowly plug up bit by
bit, smaller and smaller bits are allowed to pass. Nobody is claiming that a
new filter isn't perfectly OK. It just isn't as "OK" as an older filter.

Quent

 

Kind of thing you do because it's morally beneficial. Also, if there's
water in there, you'd like to get it away from the injector system, as
the gasoline will dissolve small amounts of the water and corrode the
injectors.

Make sure the new filter comes with new crush washers for the banjo
bolts so it won't leak. And it is generally good idea get a flare nut
wrench (5 sides and one side open) for the brass fitting on the ends
of the tubing, instead of using a regular open end with only two sides
to grip the fitting, because if it's stuck the open end will easily
destroy it and then you are in serious cursing land.

 

George,

When you say "*before* the oil change," are you implying that the fuel injector
cleaner in part ends up in the engine oil, so add the cleaner close to and
before the next oil change, so as to dump the "used" cleaner with the old oil
and refresh the lubrication system with good engine oil?

Note to others: I just bought a bottle of the Chevron Techron fuel injector etc.
cleaner (around $6), based on George's recommendation of it elsewhere. First
fuel injector cleaner ever on my 91 Civic, 151k miles. The bottle doesn't say
anything about ideally adding the stuff close to and before the next oil change,
but it sounds like George is using common sense and experience on this. Thus my
query.

 

I think it depends a lot on your driving profile - if you have a lot of
cold starts with rich mixture, I'm sure some of the FI cleaner can get into
the oil - covering their umm, ass. The trouble is that even quite small
amounts of surfactant/detergent in the oil will promote emulsification and
maybe even foaming.

Dunno where I read it but certainly some of the FI cleaners say not to use
more than one bottle between oil changes - maybe it was that which led me
to assume that some of it likely ends up in the oil. Of course the "one
bottle" should be measured against the size of the fuel tank too. Usually
the label says that it'll treat up to 20gals or so, so I put half in one
car and the other half in the other car.

BTW for the Chevron, the concensus here seems to be that of the Chevron
Techron products, you want the one sold as "Concentrate", which is usually
closer to $10. in price.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

I believe it.

For posterity, I have the "Chevron Techron concentrate Fuel System Cleaner." 12
oz. bottle. "Treats up to 12 gallons." Recommended usage is every 3000 miles.
Under $6 at my Wal-Mart (which still tends to beat Autozone and Pep Boys for a
lot of auto supplies, in my experience.)

Thanks.

 

Make sure the new filter comes with new crush washers for the banjo

Don't screw around with some aftermarket piece of junk. Buy an OEM
replacement which will be the right piece AND come with the needed
washers. Either get it locally or from some place like
www.manhonda.com .

I recommend a few good ones for use 1-2 times each year:

Red Line SI-1
Chevron Techron

I also use Schaeffer Neutra 131 but it's tough to find unless you know
a Schaeffer dealer.

--- Bror Jace

 

(Bror Jace) wrote in

i am using injector cleaner once a year
and please use premium brand fuel, it's cleaner and more econimical to run
the engine runs smoother too

marcel
the netherlands
1999 civic 1.5 vtec-e

 

Nope - that's simply not true.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??