How do you change the secondary fuel filter without making a mess? W124 300D

[Crazy_Nate]

Well, I recently changed both fuel filters (unknown age), and I had a fun time getting the secondary fuel filter out without coating things in D2. I'm sure it's not too great for the serpentine belt...I made sure to use rags to keep it from getting too coated, and cleaned it up afterward.

The primary filter was easy, just used a pair of vice grips with a piece of rubber to hold the hoses closed while I swapped them (drained it through the filter out side into the new secondary filter).

The secondary is amidst, mainly, a large vacuum hose and the upper radiator hose. Is there any easier way to get it out other than removing the vacuum hose bracket and holding the upper radiator hose as far to the front as possible? I don't have any way to siphon it, and it's pretty full I didn't even bother trying to fill the new filter and then put it in place, I got it in, slightly offset, and made a tube (metal center section from a changeable bit hand screwdriver - ha!) to use when I filled it slowly with power service. After which point, slipped it all the way back in, changed the o-rings on the bolt, and tightened it up. It only took about two 10-second crankings to fill up the primary and get the engine to catch. Yay, self priming

Anybody got any tips, or ideas how to make it easier for next time?

Picture attached for reference

[Crazy_Nate]

Go figure changing a couple terms in the search engine brought me to this thread:

Changing fuel filter -- 1987 300DT

Seems that there isn't much I can do, siphon a little off, perhaps. Maybe I'll decide to modify where it's mounted later on (perhaps with a larger, high efficiency filter..?).

Does anybody have any pictures of relocating this filter? A CAT diesel filter sounds moderately enticing

[sasquatchgeoff]

Here is my method.