fuel filter frustration....

argghh! I just can't get a break lately....

Sunday afternoon take my XJ for a shakedown run after doing a bunch of work over the last few days....ford 8.8 installed, brakes bled, 4.10 gears installed in the front, driveshafts, etc, etc....

I stop to get out and check the temp of the diffs and look for leaks or obvious problems. the only thing was a slight smell of gas at the back. I can see that the fuel filter (above the driver side rear wheel) is wet and dripping slowly. Interesting, since I haven't touched it but no big deal. Scoot home, get a new fuel filter, when I removed the old one I see there is a split in the rubber hose at the outlet attaching it to the hardline going to the engine. no prob, cut a small section of fuel hose, install it with a new filter, turn the key on/off a couple times to fill the filter and WTF? it's leaking worse than before.
checked my hose clamps and they are good and snug. wiped it off and WTF? again...the fuel is coming from the seam on the filter. Defective freakin FRAM filter. Of course by now all the stores are closed.....

Even though I'm laughing, I feel and share your pain.

A few weeks ago, I swapped out my leaky radiator and decide (in the middle of job) to change my thermostat as well. My local Pep Boys had the thermo but didn't have the gasket. They checked some other stores and found one on the "other side" of town. However, there was an Autozone closer, so I went there. THEY didn't have it either. They checked and found one in a store on the "other" "other side of town". I ended up going to the second AZ since it was now closer than the other PB. So in the end, I spent almost as much time driving around for a lousy 98 cent gasket as it took me to replace my radiator. (BTW: I have a Nissan p/u too - my parts truck)

Get all parts in advance

I've had the same issues but with Purolators, they leak at the seam also. I took 3 in a row back to Advance, finaly the manager just gave me my money back and told me to get one at NAPA. I haven't had any problems since.

No good deed goes unpunished... I was going to replace the starter on my TJ yesterday. OK, got the starter, got a E12 socket, disconnect the battery, get under to unbolt the starter and $#$%$## my 6" 3/8 extension is too thick to fit around one of the bell housing bolts. Thought about it and by then the stores were closed, considered removing the bell housing bolt but went 'Nope, been there done that, I have no idea what that will do, what other can of worms that will open' I'll do the starter NEXT weekend AFTER I pickup a skinny 3/8 extension.... or two 1/4" to 3/8" adapters....
With my luck I would have pulled that bolt and then not be able to get it back in without loosening all the others and having to jack the motor around, heck with that....

I had to be satisfied with rotating the tires on both jeeps, greasing them, going to summer wiper blades and giving them both a good interior cleaning. Today is wash and wax both. Maybe do a tune up on the TJ...

I ended up taking the FRAM back and getting one from the stealership. It was $5 more but if someone had offered me the deal of "save $5 and do it twice, or pay the extra $5 and do it once" right at the beginning, I would have paid the extra $5.

Silly thing about it is that the OEM filter could very well be made by FRAM and just badged MOPAR....but the seam does look different...