2005 Quick-Connect Fuel Filter Broken Off

[FiremanBob]

I'm the guy who never learns and every repair I do is a fight with the Balrog of self-inflicted disaster.

My wife's 2005 9-5 wagon needed its fuel filter changed long ago. I noticed this yesterday when gas was leaking from a hole in the rusty filter. This is the one with the GM-style "quick-connect" fittings, not the banjo bolts. I bought the special tools (both metal and plastic) and began to struggle. The front fitting came off after about an hour and a good soak with penetrating oil. The rear, not so good. The filter's rusty inlet tube broke off inside the fitting, leaving about an inch of tube, including locking rib, stuck inside the lock tabs of the fuel line fitting. A photo is attached.

Is there a way for me to extract this tube and continue the repair, or am I stuck replacing the entire fuel line or having it towed to a shop? I'm working on my back in the carport, no lift available.

Thanks for helping.

[MikeB63]

Can you try to get needle nose pliers onto the piece that broke off and either pull it out or deform/break one side to get it out? How about trying to get something to hook on the edge inside, like a crochet needle, to pull on the piece that broke off? Screw a lag bolt into it and pull it out. There's got to be something that can grab onto it.

[GeoffR]

BF&I is the only answer, that is brute force and ignorance.

[FiremanBob]

Well, after several hours, it is still stuck. I have broken off the part with the rib and can see that the locking tabs aren't touching the tube. But the tube remains immobile in the fitting. I have sprayed Kroil into it and broken off the tip of a needlenose plier so far, and used screws, taps, awls, and pliers, but can't get the stuck bit to move in any direction.

8/25 Update: Got it! I threaded a 6mm tap into the tube and slowly, carefully, started turning it. Once the tap bottomed out on the shoulder of the connector, the threads cut into the tube force it to back out. This process took about an hour and a liberal amount of Kroil.

8/25 Update: Got it! I threaded a 6mm tap into the tube and slowly, carefully, started turning it. Once the tap bottomed out on the shoulder of the connector, the threads cut into the tube force it to back out. This process took about an hour and a liberal amount of Kroil. There was a large rust spot on the broken filter tube, probably the cause of the problem. Photo of the parts and tools is attached. Installing the new filter took five minutes and I'm very relieve to say that the connector is intact and there are no leaks.

[MikeB63]

I have to remember that term!

BF&I is the only answer, that is brute force and ignorance.

[GeoffR]

I have to remember that term!

A common engineering term, regularly applied.

[FiremanBob]

I have to remember that term!

Unfortunately, it doesn't work on a part that's 1cm square and dangles from a plastic hose, and you can't afford to damage the hose because they don't make them any more.

[nordwulf]

Saab cars are usually well engineered but some choices like putting the fuel filter in that spot seems like an afterthought. And yes, looking at that filter sure seems it was long overdue.