Replace the Fuel Filter
This Technical FAQ (How to...) has been carefully compiled by John Handford
It's basically it's a coke can sized canister, with a spout at each end, mounted on the drivers side, near the rear suspension trailing arm front bush mount, on the underside of the floor. You need to remove the large cover panel by unscrewing the multi fingered washers and a couple of nylock nuts. You can just see the filter before removing the cover by peering in from the rear.
Keep everything clean - you don't want the chance of any dirt getting into the fuel line and blocking an injector! Clean around the connectors until everything is spotless.
Make sure you see the arrow for the flow direction on the canister. The petrol flows towards the front of the car. Have the new filter ready to fit.
You then need to undo a large jubilee clip which secures the old filter. Then press in the inserts on the plastic connectors which release the lock within, allowing the connectors to release - they then pull off. Use the plastic caps from the new filter to keep the petrol in the old filter (it's full!). If you're quick getting on the new filter you won't spill much out of the pipes but be prepared to spill some, so have a rag handy.
Tighten up the jubilee clip, reassemble the cover, run the engine and check for leaks. You can pour the old filter contents back into the tank.
Here's my old filter complete with leak where the band was:
Here's the filter in situ with the large cover removed. It's snuggled up against the petrol tank. You can see the large hard nylon pipe and connector to the front. There is a little plastic flush insert on the flange of the connector that you can press in with your finger. Once it pops in, the connector is free to be pulled off with a bit of twisting - not need to force it or prize it off.
This is another shot looking towards the rear. You can see the jubilee clip. Ignore the trailing arm hanging off - I was in the middle of changing my bushes
