LT35 2.5TDI Fuel filter location Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh

[boisty]

Hi Folks

I'm now on my second LT35 and although they are a brilliant van some design features are so frustrating!!!

Take the positioning of the fuel filter for instance; buried in the bowels of the engine bay and a b*!tard to get to hence I'm thinking they don't get changed as regularly as they should by us home mechanics.

I'm thinking of cutting the fuel pipe to the pump and the return pipe found just behind the throttle body and the flow and return pipes to and from the tank just along the chassis leg which will allow me to remove the filter as an assembly by just undoing the clamp bolt. This should allow me to swop the pipes over easily from the old filter to the new and then refit the whole assembly in the reverse fashion.

I intend to use quick release couplers on the cut ends which will make the whole job simple and tool free.

Can any of you technical wizards see any downsides to this before I carry this out? The couplers I intend to use are similar to those in the following thread:

Buy Hydraulic Quick Connect Couplings 1/4in BSPP quick action s/steel nipple Parker SH2-63BSPP online from RS for next day delivery.

[Steveo277]

I thought it wasn't that bad a job. The only problem is priming the filter before hand. As long as its all sealed i would have not thought there would be a problem with any of the above.

[Delsal]

Hi steveo277, I've got a 2003 lt46 engine code anj converted to motorhome.

The fuel filter on this will be the same as the LT35 behind the passenger front wheel.

What are the step by step instructions to change the fuel filter. Do you take off the single bolt holding the filter housing to the chassis first or what?

If I can't get the step by step instructions it will never get done. Would appreciate any help.

[boisty]

Hi Delsal

Whilst I'm sure the actual filter is the same on both the lt35 and 46 I'm not sure whether the fitment is the same or not however I've found that the easiest way on the LT35 is to disconnect all the pipes at the top of the engine and pull the whole filter out of it's bracket having removed the pinch bolt completely from the bracket but leaving the bracket attached to the body. Once the filter and pipes are away from the vehicle the pipes can be swopped to the new filter with ease remembering to fill the new filter with diesel before refitting it. The refitment is simply the reverse procedure.

Hope the above helps.

[Delsal]

Hi boisty

From its positioning you would be working blind and with a lot of difficulty to disconnect the top hoses.

You would need to cut the ties holding the fuel lines to the chassis/body to enable the filter to drop down and hopefully give you some space to disconnect the top hoses from the filter.

The procedure to access the top of the filter that is the problem

[Disco10]

Im with you on this one Boisty , a stupid place to house the filter , only had my LT a couple of months and got it serviced straight away , my regular mechanic said how s---t a job it was to do but it is poss with a struggle , sure I've heard of someone on here moving and re plumbing it elsewhere if anyone can remember the post or who ???

[boisty]

Sorry I can't help you further Delsal. This is my second LT36 and the procedure I've described is the best I have found. As I said, I'm not at all familiar with the LT46 although I beleave there is less space around the engine bay than on the 36. Guess you're just gonna have to get your hands durty and get on with it learning as you go for next time. Best of luck.

As you can probably gather Disco10, I didn't bother replumbing in the end as I now only do about 15,000 miles a year so only have to replace the filter once a year at most. I must say that what I do now is certainly easier than trying to release the pipes from the filter while you're lying under the van.