How to Replace Your Car'due south Fuel Filter

When your vehicle needs a new fuel filter, save money past doing the task yourself. Hither's how.

Introduction

Vehicle fuel systems have several important components that keep engines purring. Replacing these components when needed can hateful the difference betwixt a shine 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 take accessible fuel filters, plenty older models still do that they're worth knowing about. Designed to keep dirt, rust, paint chips 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 30,000 miles. At that place is merely ane fuel filter in your vehicle, and failure to change it can pb to a breakdown as insufficient fuel gets to the engine.

If you learn the steps of fuel filter replacement, you can do this fast, economical DIY job next fourth dimension your vehicle needs a new fuel filter. Although details vary from one vehicle to some other, the basic procedure is the same as I take described here.

Toll for parts = $15 to $125.

Cost for professional person labor = $30 to $100.

Time for DIY replacement = fifteen to sixty minutes.

Tools Required

Materials Required

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

Project step-by-step (5)

Stride one

Salvage Fuel Pressure

  • To supercede a bad fuel filter, kickoff locate the fuse or relay for your vehicle's fuel pump and unplug information technology.
  • Try to kickoff the vehicle. If you disconnected the correct excursion, the engine volition plow over but non offset. It might too start and run for a few seconds earlier dying.
  • Shut off the engine and let it cool, if it has been running.

Relieve Fuel Pressure

Pace 2

Find the Fuel Filter

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

Find the Fuel Filter

Step three

Disconnect and Remove the Old Filter

  • Connect your garden hose to the nearest water source, turn the water on at the source, then make sure the hose is within easy reach of the vehicle you're working on.
    • Pro tip: In that location'south a chance a small amount of fuel volition eject out of the lines when you lot disconnect the filter, and if any gets in your eyes you'll need to wash it out correct away.
  • Put on your safe 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 under the filter.
  • Find, loosen and remove the fuel lines connected to either end of the filter.
    • You may need to utilise pliers to remove retaining clips from the ends of the lines.
      • Pro tip: Sentry out for squirting gasoline and grab information technology in the drain pan, if necessary.
  • Loosen the screw clamp or bolts holding the fuel filter in position, then remove the filter and identify it to i side.

Disconnect and Remove the Old Filter

Step 4

Install the New Filter

  • Put the new filter in position, so tighten or clip information technology into place.
    • Pro tip: Make sure it'southward facing the right style because fuel is only meant to menses one style through a filter. Expect for an arrow on the filter torso 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, so replace the retaining clips.

Install the New Filter

Footstep 5

Reinstall the Fuse or Relay

  • Reinstall the fuel pump fuse or relay that you lot asunder earlier.
  • Effort starting the vehicle. If it runs normally and at that place'south no fuel leaking from the new filter, the job is done.

Reinstall the Fuse or Relay