How to Supplant Your Car's Fuel Filter

When your vehicle needs a new fuel filter, relieve coin past doing the job yourself. Here'south how.

Introduction

Vehicle fuel systems have several important components that keep engines purring. Replacing these components when needed can mean the departure betwixt a polish driving experience and being stranded on the side of the route. The fuel filter is one of these components.

Although a growing number of late–model vehicles no longer have accessible fuel filters, enough older models still practise that they're worth knowing about. Designed to keep dirt, rust, paint fries and other fuel contaminants from entering fuel injectors and ultimately harming the engine, experts recommend replacing the fuel filter in your vehicle every two years or xxx,000 miles. There is only one fuel filter in your vehicle, and failure to change it tin can lead to a breakup equally insufficient fuel gets to the engine.

If yous larn the steps of fuel filter replacement, you can practise this fast, economical DIY chore next time your vehicle needs a new fuel filter. Although details vary from one vehicle to another, the basic procedure is the same as I have described here.

Cost for parts = $fifteen to $125.

Toll for professional labor = $30 to $100.

Time for DIY replacement = 15 to 60 minutes.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Replacement fuel filter (must be correct size & type)

Project step-by-step (v)

Step 1

Relieve Fuel Pressure

  • To replace a bad fuel filter, first locate the fuse or relay for your vehicle'due south fuel pump and unplug information technology.
  • Try to start the vehicle. If you disconnected the correct excursion, the engine will turn over but not showtime. It might also start and run for a few seconds before dying.
  • Shut off the engine and allow it cool, if it has been running.

Relieve Fuel Pressure

Step ii

Find the Fuel Filter

  • Check an auto repair manual to locate your vehicle's fuel filter.
  • Remove the replacement fuel filter from the box.

Find the Fuel Filter

Step 3

Disconnect and Remove the Old Filter

  • Connect your garden hose to the nearest h2o source, plough the water on at the source, then make certain the hose is within easy achieve of the vehicle you're working on.
    • Pro tip: There's a chance a small corporeality of fuel volition squirt out of the lines when yous disconnect the filter, and if any gets in your eyes you'll need to wash information technology out right abroad.
  • Put on your safety glasses, then drive your vehicle up on ramps if your filter is housed underneath your vehicle and you need extra clearance.
  • Position your drain pan nether the filter.
  • Notice, loosen and remove the fuel lines continued to either end of the filter.
    • You may need to utilize pliers to remove retaining clips from the ends of the lines.
      • Pro tip: Watch out for squirting gasoline and take hold of it in the drain pan, if necessary.
  • Loosen the spiral clench or bolts holding the fuel filter in position, then remove the filter and place it to one side.

Disconnect and Remove the Old Filter

Step four

Install the New Filter

  • Put the new filter in position, and then tighten or clip it into identify.
    • Pro tip: Make sure it's facing the correct way considering fuel is but meant to flow ane way through a filter. Wait for an arrow on the filter body indicating direction of flow and orient the filter so the arrow points toward the engine.
  • Connect the fuel lines to each stop of the filter, and so replace the retaining clips.

Install the New Filter

Pace 5

Reinstall the Fuse or Relay

  • Reinstall the fuel pump fuse or relay that you disconnected earlier.
  • Try starting the vehicle. If it runs normally and at that place's no fuel leaking from the new filter, the chore is done.

Reinstall the Fuse or Relay

Originally Published: Baronial 17, 2020