b5 2000 1.8 fuel filter replacement
 

I replaced it today. On ramps under the rear end. I started loosening the tank straps, and thought one was spinning, plus I wondered how it was going to be to get it back in place, so I just used a flat screwdriver to loosen the plastic band around the filter (it never broke, as I was hoping) and pulled it out by the bolt with pliers protected with cloth. I had bought a filter and 4 washers from the dealer ($44 dollars). There are two silver ones and two red ones (aluminum and copper?). The alum ones went on the 19 mm bolt and the copper ones went on the 17 mm bolt - you can't screw this up because they are different diameters. I greased her up, pushed it in half way (there is a lip on the plastic holder at the bottom), drove around a while, and found no leaks. then with wood block and rubber mallet, I pushed it further into place. It ain't going nowhere.

Glad to hear it went well enough. I'll be doing my fuel filter in a couple weeks I hope. Pretty sure it's still the original with 134,xxx on it.

I did my original with ~95k miles on it and it definitely needed to be replaced. All kinds of nasty shit in there.

mine is going in this week im at 148k miles and im gonna guess its the original...

Same, 135xxx assuming I have the original. Add that to my checklist.

This is the stuff that came out of the inlet side of my filter when I disconnected it:

Attachment 28722

Attachment 28723

Just sayin...

Chocolate syrup, yum.

It was more the consistency of coffee if you made it with no filter. Super gross lookin and smelled terrible

All right!! This thread gives me a pretty good feeling that I can handle this project, And with 108,XXX miles and more than likely the original fuel filter, Probably should be done sooner than later. I'm at a period of maintenance right now, and this seems like a good one to do.

It's really not a tough job, and you'll definitely be glad you did it. One tip: Don't do it with a full tank of gas. I almost dropped a nut trying to lift my full gas tank back up against the body after I was done.