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Whenever we stray far from the barn we stow a small tool kit for the trip along with some basic repair items such as fuses, electrical and duct tape, and a spare fuel filter. Even if you change your fuel filter at the suggested maintenance intervals, one contamintated fillup can shut you down. A dirty fuel filter is fairly easy to diagnose from the driver's seat on today's fuel injected cars. You first will find yourself pressing the acceletator farther than normal, then losing power. The engine will probably stagger and miss. Then you will be sitting on the side of the road with a dead engine. Wait a minute or two before trying to start. Our cars today have a fuel pump in the fuel tank, and the fuel system is pressured up from behind the fuel filter. Turn the key on and off a few times to push a little fuel through the filter. The engine will probably start, run a few seconds, and die again. Wait a few minutes and repeat this test. Do not crank an excessive amount or you may burn up your starter or run down the battery. If the engine starts and dies, you should change your fuel filter before you call for a tow truck.

Jack up the car on the fuel filter side and set a jack stand under it for safety. Carefully loosen the forward connection on the filter and let the pressure bleed off while you stay back from the drips. Loosen the rear connection, then remove the filter while holding it level. After you have it out from under the car, pour the remaining fuel out of the rear end into a glass container. You will probably see cloudy fuel, possibly fine dirt, maybe water in the container. Put a hose over the fuel line and into the jar, and have an assistant turn the key on momentarily to purge dirty fuel from the line. Do not do this without the hose or you will spray fuel under your hot car! This could be disastrous! Think about safety at every step when you are working with fuel.

Hook up the fittings on the fuel line to your new filter, and tighten the back end. Leave the front connection slightly loose. Have your assistant momentarily turn the key on to purge air from the filter. Tighten the fittings. Start your engine and check for leaks. Take out the jack stand, let the car down, and you are ready to clean your hands and continue your journey. You did put hand cleaner and towels in your kit, didn't you?

One of the important steps I did not mention is coasting into a safe location to perform this surgery. Don't do this on the side of a busy road. Safety first.

If there was water in the filter, pick up another filter ASAP and put some alcohol in your tank.

UPDATE

A better, safer way to relieve the fuel pressure in the system is to pull the fuse for the fuel pump and crank the engine for a few seconds. The pressure will bleed off through the fuel injectors. This may save you from having fuel sprayed in your face.

You can prepare in advance by installing a shutoff switch in the fuel pump circuit. Place the switch in a hidden location that only you and your family know, and you have made your vehicle very difficult to steal.