I am hoping you all can clear up some confusion I am having about fuel filters before I dive into changing them this weekend. I have an 1986 ranger with 2.9 V6 2wheel drive 5 speed manual. On rockauto there are two different fuel filters. A tubular metal one ( seems easy to change ) and a filter that seemingly goes inside of a canister. I am assuming that is the black canister on the frame rail between the metal filter and the tank? I ordered both filters. Love to understand how to get both replaced. Here is the link https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...el+filter,6200

 

The 1986 canister was a fuel filter but is actually used as a fuel reservoir for startup, to keep the high pressure pump Primed
High pressure pumps have 0 suction, they can not "pull in fuel", which is why there are two fuel pumps, one in the tank and one in the frame rail, on 1986 to 1988 Rangers
In 1989 high pressure pump was move to inside the tank so needed no suction

The reason for the explanation is that your reservoir may or may not have a filter inside, the filter was not the purpose for the canister, but if there is a filter inside it would need to be changed
The cap should twist off and the cartridge filter can be changed, but...................do not FORCE the cap off, if there is no filter inside the cap was glued on, so can not be removed, well it will break if too much force is used and come off, lol

On older Fords with a mechanical fuel pump on the engine(they have LOTS of suction) the canister unit was the only fuel filter so would always have a cartridge inside, so these were readily available for use when Ford started changing to fuel injection and installing the needed high pressure pumps
These canisters were no longer needed/used in 1989 and up Rangers

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me RonD. So if the canister is glued shut and I cannot open it, is there a way to clean it? Can I take it off the frame rail and shoot some carb cleaner through it? I also saw somewhere in this forum where someone opened the canister but there was no filter in it. I guess I'll have to pull it tomorrow and see what I can make happen. I believe my truck sat for a long time and I am on a mission to get every part that old gas touch cleaned up.

 

Don't see any reason you can't or shouldn't clean it, there shouldn't be much in it, any "sediment" would stay in the tank

Yes, no filter is common, 2 filters are enough for any gasoline engine
There is one in the fuel tank, "the sock" filter on the pump, and then one on the fuel line somewhere

 

Well I got under my truck yesterday and no inline fuel filter anywhere, just the reservoir and the inline fuel pump. I took my oil filter strap and tried twisting the bottom of the reservoir off without success. It is on there good. What is interesting is that it appears from the markings that someone before had tried the same thing. Unsure if they had success or not. I am curious the lifespan of the inline fuel pumps. The one on my truck looks like its not original but also I cant tell that its that new.

 

Worse case, you can cut the hoses on the cartridge canister and remove the unit from the frame rail
Install a larger inline filter, large to act as a reservoir
Or another new canister type filter

You are only dealing with maybe 7psi pressure between tank and high pressure pump, so barb fittings and hose clamps are fine
Ford uses 5/16" nylon fuel lines in Rangers

If it has 4 hoses connected, 2 are for the Return line, so can just be spliced back together, they will have different size connectors but should be the same size hoses

Nylon fuel line should be warmed up to insert connectors, dip end in a glass of HOT water to warm it up, open flame is not a good idea, lol

The reason for 4 hoses(2 on one side 2 on the other) on these types of canister filters was because of the Dual Gas tank option available, a different canister that had 4 ports on one side and same 2 on the other was used
So when you switched tanks the RETURN was also switched, same plumbing just add the tank and 2 hoses

Newer requirements for EVAP systems killed the dual tank options on most trucks, was just too expensive when you have to install a 2nd EVAP system on the 2nd gas tank