Help! Can't change fuel filter due to rusted screw!

[PurpleMystique]

So my car is currently sitting outside jacked up because I can't get the old fuel filter off. The clamp holding it on there is rusted together so that I can't unscrew the screw. I've already started stripping it so I gave up on that. I'm assuming it's not safe to dremel-cut it off due to sparks and gasoline. Any help??

 

[amarv12]

Heh, it sucks...same thing happened to me before...the screw head on the worm clamp was so rusted that it crumbled to dust when i tried to turn it....iirc, i ended up prying at the area that the screw is held in until it broke apart.

Any way you could crush the filter a little and slide some tin snips around the worm clamp and cut it?

 

[98TredSVT]

on a past car I owned (chevy blazer) I cut the clamp around the fuel filter, it was plastic if it makes a difference, and you'll know once you cut through the clamp cause you will be able to wiggle the filter then, just turn the cutting blade off immediately then ( I used a dremel) but its not like the instant you hit the fuel filter with the cutting disc its going to cut through, sure its dangerous and some might warn against it but its what I did and worked fine for me. Can you just cut the screw off?

 

[PurpleMystique]

I ended up tearing the clamp apart with some needle nose pliers and buying a new clamp at Ace for $2.