The housing positioned in the essential tool mounted gently in a vice

The securing ring removed anticlockwise with half inch drive ratchet.

Housing cap now lifted off

Filter rotate and pull to remove

New filter insert and rotate anticlockwise

Seal shown hanging

Position seal

Replace top cap with respect to correct position of inlet outlet, taking a photo or marking postion before dismantling is a good idea
refit securing ring and assembly tool and tighten to 30nm.
The tool ensures the casing is protected from crushing or overtightening as it will distort rather than accept more torque.

Tool document
http://www.partinfo.co.uk/files/ADK85502.pdf

Can be sourced for sub £18 delivered

It is inconceivable that the housing can be damaged and leak if this tool is used.
I've heard reports of mechanics (even Fiat) saying when asked no we don't have the tool but we know what we're doing

LINK to PART I

As of now October 2014 complete UFI filter housing with filter brand new ready to fit can be found on ebay at under £70 delivered. It makes sense now to weigh up the option of buying the tool and a filter element against a straight replacement.
Dealer prices are scandalous

Two strap wrenches does the job just as well or one strap wrench and a pair of ape like assistants hands.

This acheives the correct tightening torque of 30nm how? :yuck: Spend £18 and sack the ape

What a VERY well put together thread, I am more than happy to undertake basic servicing on my van, but was perplexed as to how to replace the fuel filter. There is a slight leak on the filter at the moment, so I suspect that the last 'mechanic' has damaged the seal or housing!
Thanks for the photos, it makes it easier to understand, looks like I'll be buying one of the holding tools you mention.
Certainly worth it as I intend to keep the van for a few years.
Posts like this are gold dust.........good on you for taking the time to put it together!

Good article on filter tool,well worth buying, Sept.12 I fitted a new fuel filter,o/ring,tighting it with ape hands ,straps ect. I always had a slight dampness around the joint and although it did not actually cause a drip I wasn't worried about this until 2000 mls later I had a major fuel leak which put a real damper on our trip to France in april this year. On our return home I purchased the Lazer tool and fitted a new filter as per instructions,the filter housing is now dry as a bone and had no issues since, one other thing I did when fitting new filter was to coat both housing threds and o/ring with silicon grease, this helped in tightening the cap with the torque wrench and the plastic cap rotated more smoothly, hence not snagging the o/ring .(Ducato 130 multijet 2007)

Techno100 said:

This acheives the correct tightening torque of 30nm how? :yuck:

Click to expand...

:idea: By using a torque wrench and converting the torque same as you do for crows foot, injector spanners etc.
http://www.dmctools.com/Products/torque_conversion_charts.html

Techno100 said:

Spend £18 and sack the ape

Click to expand...

Yeah I could store it alphabetically on my infinite shelves with the hundreds of other vw,ford,toyota,mazda,peugeot etc. etc. specialist tools no-one really needs.

If you think that 30nm is a magic number whats the correct torque when the threads have diesel on them.

The tool is specific to numerous UFI filters used on many different manufacturers vehicles it is not specific to Fiat
Vauxhall/Opel, Citroen, Peugeot, Fiat, Saab etc etc

ecunotemu said:

Two strap wrenches does the job just as well or one strap wrench and a pair of ape like assistants hands.

Click to expand...

No they WON'T.
First an admission, I don't have a Ducato or the special tool and have never done a x250 UFI fuel filter. However I am an engineer and it is obvious from the excellent original post that the correct tool applies torque to 6 equispaced drive lugs on the locking ring. This will prevent distortion of the ring. Any kind of strap or chain spanner will A: compress the locking ring by their basic design and B: apply point pressure where the drive presses againdt the ring.
The only possible alternative, at a pinch, would be one of the 3 legged tools like ebay item 361084129807. This will of course work for removal only.
It would be impossible to get the design torque of 30nm with any tool that gripped the ring. You might be able to make up a tool to drive the lugs without compressing the ring, but unless you have a piece of pipe the right size, or free access to a laser cutter, why bother?
Get the right tool or make sure your garage has it.

Robert.

Equally important is that the tool protects the UFI housing from OVERTIGHTENING too as the body of the tool starts to deform beyond 30nm.
No such protection in a vice, the filter body will be overstressed

g8rpi said:

No they WON'T.

First an admission, I don't have a Ducato or the special tool and have never done a x250 UFI fuel filter. However I am an engineer and it is obvious from the excellent original post that the correct tool applies torque to 6 equispaced drive lugs on the locking ring. This will prevent distortion of the ring. Any kind of strap or chain spanner will A: compress the locking ring by their basic design and B: apply point pressure where the drive presses againdt the ring.
The only possible alternative, at a pinch, would be one of the 3 legged tools like ebay item 361084129807. This will of course work for removal only.
It would be impossible to get the design torque of 30nm with any tool that gripped the ring. You might be able to make up a tool to drive the lugs without compressing the ring, but unless you have a piece of pipe the right size, or free access to a laser cutter, why bother?
Get the right tool or make sure your garage has it.

Robert.

Click to expand...

THEORETICAL ENGINEERING is (cough) "Very Nice" .....May I suggest..

A. you come back when you've ACTUALLY DONE ONE

&

B. at least TRY to understand that most people on her are NOT engineers & are trying to do the BEST THEY CAN without spending hard earned cash on a "TOOL" that MAY (or MAY NOT) be used ONCE in its Entire lifespan ..........

Blathering on about "equi-distant lug spaces" & "compressing the filter" is not what this post is about its about item B. (above) ...

BTW ... I too am an Engineer (Heating & Ventilation) but when explaining to my Customers and/or less experienced Engineers I do not "look down my nose at them or treat them like a bunch of Baffoons ....

Hi,
I'm not treating anyone like a buffoon.
You said

The Seasider said:

B. at least TRY to understand that most people on her are NOT engineers & are trying to do the BEST THEY CAN without spending hard earned cash on a "TOOL" that MAY (or MAY NOT) be used ONCE in its Entire lifespan ..........

Click to expand...

The fact that most people trying to change one of these filters are not engineers is WHY they should invest in the tool. An experienced plumber who has done up lots of plastic threaded collars with rubber seals may be able to do up the filter housing without the tool, but most people could not. If under £20 is too much investment for the number of times you will use the tool, then pay a garage to do the job. £20 is less than a new filter housing, never mind a life if it leaks and catches fire. While I may not have done this particular task, I have worked with similar designs and understand the principles involved. I am professional enginer (CEng) and designer.
Giving advice that could lead inexperienced owners to believe that they can sucessfully complete this safety critical task (which apparently garage mechanics are having trouble with) without the correct tool is irresponsible.

I've done more than my best to educate and enlighten people of the issue.
I don't really care whether people use the tool or not, it is their decision. You can take a horse to water and all that.
Unfortunately the biggest resistance to using the tool tends to come from "mechanics" who you pay to do a professional job.
I'm sure that good mechanics out there are equally pissed at cowboys.
Even worse is that a garage can get away with blaming Fiat by saying the UFI housing is junk and charge you another £300 to replace a problem they caused by vice and grips.

To Reiterate http://www.partinfo.co.uk/files/ADK85502.pdf

hi techno 100
iv got a 2.8 on an 05 plate
just change my fillter here are picture of my fillter
i took fillter out with out taking it of the back wall
the fillter is driffrent

Not surprising since yours is pre X250

hi techno 10 does this mean that it has not got the same problem

HOPE not

No but it is unusual as most 2.8 had a metal canister filter.

One useful tip id like to share regarding the tightening of the filter head the torque is not that great same as a 5/16 bolt make sure the o ring is lubed and if found to be leaking undo the filter head before re tightening going tighter and tighter will destroy the o ring and make it harder next time Cheers Adam

watch out for the leaks

g8rpi said:

Hi,
I'm not treating anyone like a buffoon.
You said


The fact that most people trying to change one of these filters are not engineers is WHY they should invest in the tool. An experienced plumber who has done up lots of plastic threaded collars with rubber seals may be able to do up the filter housing without the tool, but most people could not. If under £20 is too much investment for the number of times you will use the tool, then pay a garage to do the job. £20 is less than a new filter housing, never mind a life if it leaks and catches fire. While I may not have done this particular task, I have worked with similar designs and understand the principles involved. I am professional enginer (CEng) and designer.
Giving advice that could lead inexperienced owners to believe that they can sucessfully complete this safety critical task (which apparently garage mechanics are having trouble with) without the correct tool is irresponsible.

Click to expand...

I thought your post was helpful and informative.
Keep up the technical posting.

I loved the technical part of it....but I like to know how things work.


I hate having to buy a special tool ...but you have to weigh up it's importance.
The right tool makes the job easier of course.


THis is an important job. Can't afford a fuel leak either with the price of diesel these days! lol

30Nm is actually quite a lot of force to go on a plastic housing.