Where is the fuel filter?

[bk63]

04 2.2 doing my 30k maintenance, new front brakes, clean and adjust rear, new air filter, where is the dang fuel filter located? I've got one, just don't know where to put it.

[Mr Joe Handyman]

Dunno, at 60K and haven't needed to replace it. Why should you at 30K? As long as you run clean gas there shouldn't be an issue. At least not for a long time. I've never had to replace one before 150K on any of my GM vehicles.

[bk63]

How do you know you are running clean gas from one station to the next? At 30k a lot of gas has run through that thing . Filters should be changed on a regular basis. How long do you go between air filter changes? Dirt is what kills an engine. It gets in through air, fuel and oil and it's important to keep the engine clean. I can't imagine how clogged a filter is by 150k. The parts store gave me one so it has to be some place other than inside the gas tank.

[Mr Joe Handyman]

I only buy gas from reputable company stations. i.e. Mobil\Exxon, and BP\Amoco. They have very high standards. I will not stop at a station that dosen't look kept up. By doing this I have been able to run to 150K before needing to change the filter. I also regularly use cleaners that will dissolve many of the deposits in the tank and stuck in the filter. When I do change the filter it's usually about 50% full. (I can tell this because most of my chevy filters were clear. It also makes it easy to inspect them regularly.)

Note: My 1977 Chevy 1500 (heavy half) pickup went 450K before it needed an engine rebuild, and the only thing on the engine that wasn't stock was the water pump. (Had to replace that about 225K.) It had two tanks and the fuel filter was only replaced twice.

And engines run a LOT cleaner now than they did then. Honestly, your manual, (or at least mine (2003) says it's recommended to inspect and possibly change the fuel filter at 100K. (GM has yet to perfect the art of making a manual with information that really relates to your car. My Father-in-law has gotten three different manuals for his '04 Vue, and they all have different info.)

[SylenThunder]

Joe's right about the manual. Mines says service at 100K too, but now that you bring it up, maybe that's what I need to do to regain some of my decreasing gas mileage. I know that in the 2003, it's right next to the tank. Unfortunately, I seem to recall seeing in here somewhere that starting with the '04 models, they moved the filter to inside the tank with the pump.

[bk63]

If they moved the filter to inside the tank they should not have a fuel filter listed for the 04 in the book. I guess I'll have to call the dealer and ask them.

[ssicarman]

The fuel filter on 2004 and up is part of the fuel pump assembly. Saturn will be more than willing to sell you one but you will not like the price.

[bk63]

I got a filter from my parts guy and had him double check it was for the 04 2.2 and this is not an internal filter.

[SylenThunder]

I got a filter from my parts guy and had him double check it was for the 04 2.2 and this is not an internal filter.

I would double check that with someone else. Saturnparts dosen't even list a fuel filter for '04. They do, however, list one for '02-'03 Vues. look like you're outta luck.

I happen to have an '03 and an '04, I'll go see if I can find it on the '03 and then check out the '04.

[Tom92SCm]

According to my FSM:

On page 6-1023, the fuel filter is apart of the Primary Fuel Tank Module, which is located inside of the right side of the fuel tank.

This is the same for the 3.5L engine as well.

[ssicarman]

The filter if it is external to the tank is by the fuel tank in the LR wheel area. It has two lines on the tank side and one going to the front.


Here is the 2004 fuel pump/filter assmbly

http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/30035/size/big/cat/650

The fuel level sensor (4)
The fuel pump and reservoir assembly
The fuel strainer
The primary jet pump
The secondary jet pump
The fill limiter vent valve (6)
The fuel pressure sensor (1)
The fuel filter (3)
The fuel pressure regulator (5)
The fuel transfer pipe (2)


Here is the 2003 fuel filter.

http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/30036/size/big/cat/650

[bk63]

The filter I got looks like the 03. It has two pipes on one side and one on the other. Funny thing is today I was in a Walmart and looked up the 04 in a Fram catalog and it listed a Fram filter for the 04 2.2 They had that number in stock and that filter has one pipe on each side of the filter only, not two. I've looked from the firewall to the muffler, followed the fuel lines all the way back and don't see anything. Why would the books list a filter if it's in the tank? If it's not a replaceable part by the consumer it should not be listed in the book and be on the shelf. Also why does Fram and the parts store show two obviously different filters for the same vehicle? I can always take the fuel filter back and get a few oil filters. At least I know where that is :D

[bk63]

OK next question. Coming out of the fuel tank are a couple lines that go into a black plastic box. Anybody have an idea what that box is?

[ssicarman]

This is part of the evap emission system that is used to contain gas fumes. The box is used to store the fumes until the system sends them th ethe engine to be burnt.

[bk63]

Thanks for all the info. I guess it's time to spring for a service manual :D