WHY should you change your fuel filter?

Originally Posted by WDE46

Pull the fuse for the fuel pump when replacing either one and crank the engine to relieve pressure. You don't want electricity to be able to reach the pump while you have it over an open tank with gas fumes everywhere anyway. Some would even say you should remove the negative battery terminal.

+ dont smoke or let any one smoking come near you.

Originally Posted by trj

+ dont smoke or let any one smoking come near you.

I recommend wearing all wool clothing and rubbing your feet on carpet and rubbing ballons all over.

A thread a month ago came up, fuel filter cut open. Pretty crazy stuff.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=950552

Originally Posted by GSherbs

If I were to do the fuel pump & fuel filter at the same time, does replacing the pump first relieve pressure on the line without having to do this trick with the fuse?

Or is it advised to relieve pressure on the line prior to replacing the pump as well?

-G

The point is to relieve pressure and minimize spillage. If, for example, you were to loosen a clip without any prior action to dissipate pressure the fuel will spray all over the place like an aerosol. It will go all over you as well as the bottom of the car. Apart from the obvious fire hazzard getting a gob, a lung or an eye full of petrol is a very serious and dangerous thing. Pulling the fuse, running the engine and letting the line run dry is the simplesst approach to draining the feed downstream of the pump.

Originally Posted by FenderGuy05

A thread a month ago came up, fuel filter cut open. Pretty crazy stuff.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=950552

Thanks for that. Saves me doing it.

Originally Posted by dmax

...and a couple of other reasons to change it:

I read here that one fanatic had a no-start issue because of an original fuel filter not being changed up to 130K miles.

Sounds like me. Or someone had the same problem as me.

But yes it just suddenly wouldn't start. I ended up buying a new filter from Tischer and I have noticed no performance problems whatsoever.

Originally Posted by ChrisRedmon

Says the guy who just shoved a $700 lighting setup down some guys throat a few threads back because thats what HE used, the man probably had a loose connection therefore had bulb firing problems. You didn't lone star find BMA parts homie, you may have stumbled across it and informed other fanatics.....

Like i said previously, smart guy. Really shitty superiority complex. More and more threads lately have turned into you arguing and trying to demonstrate your dominance. Which clearly has no leverage most of the time...

Nice try. More of my threads lately? Shows you're new to the forum. I've been like this for years. Nothing but the best advice.

BTW, I was not forcing $700 lighting setup down anyones throat. IIRC, that poster did a half-ass chinese HID conversion (as is on your car, admitted by yourself) which is downright ineffective, dangerous, and illegal. The best thing to do is leave it stock halogen or do a real conversion which costs real money.

Don't insult me just because you (self-admittedly by you) can't afford to properly modify your car.

Originally Posted by ///MPR77

I'm with Mango.
Preventative Maintenance is definitely a way of life, its addictive, and a pleasure for me.
I get parts at resale, and the parts house gives me a tab that I settle monthly, If this weren't the case it would be much more difficult.

I realize that, not everyone can afford to go through their cars replacing everything, and there is no rule against diagnosing, isolating, and fixing just the problem, but when you have been around these cars long enough, you realize there are certain PM items that are non-negotiable, or that the only negotiation is to be left stranded, or at best waiting for a tow.

My commute is 1 mile round trip, and yet I put roughly 200 miles a week on my car in remote canyons, where cell reception, and civilization is non-existent. That being said I would be an idiot to roll the dice, and wait for problems to surface before fixing.
Does that make me immune from a breakdown? No, however my chances are greatly reduced, and the reward of getting to work on my own car is just a perk.

You can fix it cheap, but it wont be thorough, or You can fix it thorough, but it wont be cheap.

Your uniform is ready.

Originally Posted by E46Mango

Nice try. More of my threads lately? Shows you're new to the forum. I've been like this for years. Nothing but the best advice.

BTW, I was not forcing $700 lighting setup down anyones throat. IIRC, that poster did a half-ass chinese HID conversion (as is on your car, admitted by yourself) which is downright ineffective, dangerous, and illegal. The best thing to do is leave it stock halogen or do a real conversion which costs real money.

Don't insult me just because you (self-admittedly by you) can't afford to properly modify your car.

Illegal? My lights are just fine they are 5k in projectors. Nothing illegal about them. Nice try though. I cost effectively modify my car. Not because i cant spend 700 dollars on some light bulbs....but because its moronic. If you have money to waste. Sure! But as far as im concerned you are some internet nazi with a run of the mill base model 10 year old BMW. Congrats, you do indeed give good advice. But the moment anyone goes against the grain of your advice you get butt hurt. Grow up man.

Originally Posted by ChrisRedmon

Illegal? My lights are just fine they are 5k in projectors. Nothing illegal about them. Nice try though. I cost effectively modify my car. Not because i cant spend 700 dollars on some light bulbs....but because its moronic. If you have money to waste. Sure! But as far as im concerned you are some internet nazi with a run of the mill base model 10 year old BMW. Congrats, you do indeed give good advice. But the moment anyone goes against the grain of your advice you get butt hurt. Grow up man.

Apparently, you've never heard of the Department of Transportation.

Your $20 DDM HID KIT CONVERSION whatever the heck you did is cheap, dangerous, stupid, all of the above. You are trying to force your bad and cheap habits on people.

It's not about being hurt or going against my advice, it's about people (like you) giving false, fraudulent, or dangerous information.

Not happening. I'll catch it.

Stay stock halogen or go full proper OE quality HID.


PERIOD.


NO DDM
NO KHOALTY
NO GENERIC

when it comes to lighting, especially.


Enjoy your $20 special

I have had a new fuel filter rolling around in my trunk for a couple of days now. Think I will change it tomorrow.

Mango chill. You should probably be a little more open minded and stop getting offended when people don't like your attitude. If his headlights are adjusted properly and they don't catch the car on fire, then there is no problem.

Originally Posted by E46Mango

Apparently, you've never heard of the Department of Transportation.

Your $20 DDM HID KIT CONVERSION whatever the heck you did is cheap, dangerous, stupid, all of the above. You are trying to force your bad and cheap habits on people.

It's not about being hurt or going against my advice, it's about people (like you) giving false, fraudulent, or dangerous information.

Not happening. I'll catch it.

Stay stock halogen or go full proper OE quality HID.


PERIOD.


NO DDM
NO KHOALTY
NO GENERIC

when it comes to lighting, especially.


Enjoy your $20 special

Wow....just. Wow.

Internet policia take their job to serious.

Originally Posted by ChrisRedmon

Illegal? My lights are just fine they are 5k in projectors. Nothing illegal about them. Nice try though. I cost effectively modify my car. Not because i cant spend 700 dollars on some light bulbs....but because its moronic. If you have money to waste. Sure! But as far as im concerned you are some internet nazi with a run of the mill base model 10 year old BMW. Congrats, you do indeed give good advice. But the moment anyone goes against the grain of your advice you get butt hurt. Grow up man.

I suggest you refrain from giving others advice regarding their maturity when you clearly haven't any yourself. Remember when you previously insulted me for having 130,000 miles on my e46? Or has your memory not fully developed yet?

You're a joke

Originally Posted by tock172

I suggest you refrain from giving others advice regarding their maturity when you clearly haven't any yourself. Remember when you previously insulted me for having 130,000 miles on my e46? Or has your memory not fully developed yet?

You're a joke

You and mango should change each others fuel filter. Probably about 20 times in a row. Just to make sure its properly maintained. You know?

Originally Posted by ChrisRedmon

You and mango should change each others fuel filter. Probably about 20 times in a row. Just to make sure its properly maintained. You know?

My fuel filter is still within it's generally accepted service life.

Originally Posted by tock172

My fuel filter is still within it's generally accepted service life.

Lulz. They were had

Originally Posted by ChrisRedmon

Wow....just. Wow.

Internet policia take their job to serious.

I like how I do things the proper way and guys like this come around all angry, jealous, and upset.

You bought such a nice car, M3. But insist on installing poor quality stuff on it? Important stuff such as lighting??

Poor cars! poor public!

DDM/generic HID bulbs= poorer quality, low-cost copies of the real thing. Bulbs that burn hotter, have a small fraction of the life, and display inconsistent and other wise poorer pattern, color, and projection than a quality OE/OEM bulb pair that would have only cost $80 more than the copies so proudly purchased.

It only costs a little more to do it the safe way!

Oh and if i'm not mistaken, the chinese HID bulbs tend not to filter out damaging ultraviolet light that can yellow your housings. just saying!

This thread is full of LOLz

I will second the Cold-start issues contributed to a bad fuel filter/regulator. At around 54k miles I had cold start problems. It would start, die, then I'd restart it and it'd be cool. After replacing the filter, problem has been solved and never returned. I'm @ 107k now.