Oldsmobile's 1999 Alero came equipped with a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine standard in the GX and GL models. A 3.4-liter V-6 was standard in the GLS model and an option for the GL. It doesn't matter which model or engine you have, the fuel filter is in the same place. To start the operation I loosened the fuel filler cap and then relieved the fuel pressure so it didn't spray gas in my face when removing the filter.
It would have been nice if the folks at Oldsmobile had mounted the fuel filter in the engine compartment; but no such luck. The filter is mounted on a body crossmember in the center under the car below the trunk area and to the rear of the fuel tank. To get to mine, I had to chock the front wheels and jack up the rear of the car -- one side at a time -- and then support it on jack stands. I took the precaution of using a floor jack and sturdy jack stands to support the car, because, let's face it, the flimsy little scissor-jack that comes with the Alero just isn't safe enough to hold the car while I crawled underneath it. Yes, I know my ex would have been happy if the car fell and squished me; but me, not so much. Pay attention to the jacking points. There are notches in the body 18 inches in front of the rear wheels. The Alero has to be jacked and supported at those points.
Removing the old filter was pretty straightforward. I had to use a backup wrench on the fitting that holds the fuel line to the filter so the whole thing didn't turn and it took me a minute to figure out that I had to compress the tabs and pull to get the quick-connect fitting off. With the lines off, I was able to slide the filter out of its bracket. To reinstall it all, I just reversed the process and tightened the fitting to 20 foot-pounds, using a crowsfoot and torque wrench.
