I pryed the tank down a bit with a 2x4, got the filter out by cutting the unnecessary strap off. Had my brother hold the dangling filter while i loosened the banjo bolts and then i replaced the crush washers and tightened banjos, then i ziptied it in there. It wasnt going anywhere before I tightened the fuel tank straps. Once I tightened them no chance its gonna fall out. This is one of the few audi related jobs I dod where I ran into 0 problems and no surpises. I replaced an oem filter with another oem filter.

 

I had stretched the plastic clamp a little by trying to break/pry it with a large screw driver. That plastic band/clamp also has a lip on the bottom, which the filter has to clear. I reinserted the banjo bolt and grabbed that bolt and pulled the filter down and out, making sure to clear the lip with another pry device. I think I also had to move the hard fuel lines around down there to get clearance.

 

so you didn't drop the tank? (if I understand correctly)

 

correct, I did not drop the tank. But, I didn't care if I broke the holder/plastic strapping. In fact I was doing my best to break it with a large screw driver by prying, so I loosened it up a bit by it stretching. I could have cut it but decided to leave it once loose and it worked out for me. A second set of hands is ideal when you are placing the new one in because it is difficult to get the bottom-last on banjo bolt torqued down without spinning the new filter without help.

 

Hey everyone. I just did this today and it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. I had the car up on ramps and was able to do it without dropping the gas tank which was a huge relief. At first I tried to use my 8mm L shaped triple square but the space was too tight so I tried a 6mm and I was able to turn the bolt. I was lucky enough that the bolt holding the bracket together was only hand tight and was able to undo it with my fingers.

After getting that bolt off, I undid the first banjo bolt by putting an open ended wrench on the banjo and a socket on the bolt. I let the fuel drain into a container.

The plastic bracket has a lip on it to hold the filter in place so all I really had to do was pull the filter away from the lip, then it dropped. It was tight due to the two hoses that run along side but with some unclipping of those two hoses from each other and some wiggling, the filter finally dropped down so I could get the second banjo bolt off. This time I had to use the built in nut on the fuel filter to help undo the bolt as the banjo was round in shape and had no flat sides like the bottom one.

Installation was in reverse. I bought 4 washers total. 2 for the inlet and 2 for the outlet for under $2 at the dealership. The washers go on either side of the banjo and torqued the top bolt to 20NM (approx 15 lb-ft) using the open ended wrench again and my torque wrench. There really isn't a way to pressure test it without somewhat reinstalling the filter back into the bracket as there isn't enough length to install both banjos with the filter dangling so I went on the assumption that the filter would not leak. Upon pushing it back into the bracket I noticed there was an indent for the fuel line for the top banjo fuel line to be inserted so I had to make sure that was lined up in order to get it up there correctly.

Once in, I installed the lower banjo and again used the two washers on either side of the banjo and an open ended box wrench to hold the banjo while I torqued the lower bolt to 30NM (approx 22 lb-ft). I started up the car with fingers crossed and wouldn't you know it. No leaks!!! After reading all the horror stories about dropping tanks, seized bolts and leaking filters, I was dreading this job but everything I was dreading didn't happen. Lucky me I guess.

My purpose for reporting here is for anyone who was dreading this like me and dreading for no reason. This is not to say that you won't run into problems but at least it will give you a reason to do this maintenance rather than a reason not to. Good luck.

Doug