It will not "snap" in, it will not jam in, it will not fit inside the top at all without shaving some of the edge off or breaking the plastic "clips" off. I used the baldwin pf7977, the mopar 68001914ab, and the wix. The wix is even wider and is off by 1/8 inch. Is there another top for the container? Do they all have the "clips"? The factory filter that is still in there and easliy fits has both ends open while all replacements are closed on the top end.

 

The clips as you mention are on all of the factory fuel canister lids and the Baldwin's (closed end) friction fits into the lid. After removing the factory filter (which I hope is not the case for a 2003 MY Dodge)make sure that there are no old filter pieces remaining inside the lid or inside the canister. I have attached a link which is a step by step fuel filter change procedure.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...prog=1&lang=en

 

I have watched that video. The problem is that the circle of clips is too small and no filter can be jammed into it.

 

BTW The "clips" in the pictures are different from mine. the ones in my cap are smaller and twice as many. Could my cap be from another year/model??

 

The link is not a video. Perhaps you can take some photographs and post them up for us. If the old filter is a factory Mopar for a 3rd generation Dodge, or replacement, than the PF7977 will fit as well. What is the part number on the old filter?

 

I had to put the old one back in and did not look for the part number at the time. Also the old one is different in that it is open at the top.

 

I know this is an old post ....

"I had to put the old one back in and did not look for the part number at the time. Also the old one is different in that it is open at the top"

indicates that the plastic top of the filter had actually came separated from the filter and the top was actually stuck in the lid. Was that the final discovery?