Change Your Fuel Filter

Want to change your Fuel Filter by yourself, but you have no idea how to do it? No worries, aren’t you glad I’m here? What would you do with that Fuel Filter if you didn’t have me to write these articles?

Tools That You Need To Change Your Filter
When you change your filter, you usually need the simple stuff like the wrenches, sockets, the screwdrivers and the pliers. The more specific tools depend on the type of Fuel Filter that you have.

Depending on the car that you have, you might also have to have a few special tools that are made specifically to take the filter off. After getting together all of your tools, you should gather some cleaning supplies to clean your hands and the area that you replaced the filter in. PLEASE don’t forget to buy a new filter when you take out the old one - trust me, this has happened before and it’s a situation that not all that easy to get out of.

Preparing Your Car For A Fuel Filter Change
Even if the job is super easy to do because you’ve done it a million times, make sure that your safety is always covered. When you change it, there’s going to be flammable fumes and some small amounts of fuel that are released - this is the main reason why you have to be careful. Because of this, make sure that you’re working in a well-ventilated area and clean up any fuel spills as quickly as possible.

Another good idea would be to wear safety goggles & gloves - you don’t want any of these things to get into your eyes or sink into your skin, right? Depending on where your Fuel Filter is located on your car, you might even have to put your car on jack stands before you can have complete access the filter.

Taking Out Your Old Fuel Filter
Once you’ve found the filter, the first thing that you need to do is relieve the pressure in the fuel line. The next thing that you do is disconnect the negative terminal of your car's battery to minimize the chance of a spark igniting gas fumes. Trust me, you do not want this to happen. After this, check the filter to see how the fuel line is attached. Before you disconnect the fuel lines, wrap the filter in a towel to catch any fuel that spills out of the lines and filter. After it’s completely disconnected, detach the filter from the mounting bracket and get rid of it.

Putting On Your New Filter
After all this, now you’re ready to put on your new Fuel Filter ! Most of the filters will have an arrow to indicate the direction fuel should flow through them - this means that you have no excuse for installing it backwards! In some different cases, the filter is only going to attach to the fuel lines in a certain direction .. so you won’t be able to put it in the wrong way.

After you secured the filter to the mounting bracket, reattach the fuel lines using any new hardware included with the filter. Once the new filter is in its proper place, replace the fuel pump fuse, reattach the negative battery terminal and start the engine. It’s completely normal if your car doesn’t start up right after you do this; since the pressure that was in the fuel lines was released during the installation, you’re going to have to try and start your car a few times.

All done?