[censored]
I replaced my fuel filter with a fram unit, connections are fine, flow is proper, started the car and it was fine for a few minutes till it started sputtering and then stalled out
it won't start again anymore.
WTF IS WRONG !???
GODDAMNIT.
i think you probably installed it backwards. i believe they only flow one direction.
Did you reinstall the fuses (if pulled)?
Yeah, fuses are back in, and the flow is correct (circular area facing tank, flat area facing engine).
large arrows saying 'IN' facing towards the rear of the car (line coming from the fuel tank).
damnit.
Originally posted by ODC:
Yeah, fuses are back in, and the flow is correct (circular area facing tank, flat area facing engine).
large arrows saying 'IN' facing towards the rear of the car (line coming from the fuel tank).
damnit.
Looked my fuel filter seems right the part that says IN is facing my right rear tire if I was in the driver seat of the car. Also check the hoses if you have one lose it could be pulling in air or something. Good Luck
I put the old filter back on.
Still no dice,
checked the hoses and everything, it's all kosher.
goddamnit.
I dont' get it. The car started fine with the new filter, then just died. I even pulled out the TH fix to see if that was it.
I'm going to play dumb and call Ford tommorow and get them to deal with it.
Now my car isn't working, I don't know what I [censored] up, I've got gasoline all over my arm, and my garage smells like a gas station.
[censored] hell, I should just paid Ford 60 bucks, this isn't worth it.
Did you prime the fuel filter after installing it ? turning the key to the "on" position not the run then turn it back off. do this 6-10 times and it just might start.
Yep, I believe you're the first one to have this problem. I've helped many a person out with this one, and never heard of this. Is it cranking, but just not turning over? If so, it sounds like you definitely have something in your lines, bad connections(air), wrong facing filter, or your fuse is shot. Try replacing the fuse, and make SURE it's in the right spot. Take a look at the underdash fuses also, just in case. Good luck. Since you didn't really break into anything serious in the car, you really shouldn't have a serious problem on your hands. Chances are it's something simple that is just being overlooked.
What about the fuel cutoff switch underneath the dash on the driver's side?
Steve
'prime the filter' ? wha, why don't they put this stuff in the manuals. thanks, I'll go try that.
sometimes it turns over (i think) sometimes it doesn't.
most of the time its just cranking.
what pisses me off is that the [censored] car STARTED properly for a couple minutes when I put the new one in, then it STALLED AND DIED and wouldn't come back.
I had depressurized the fuel lines prior to changing, so there had to be fuel come in.
How would I check the lines to be sure !?
I used a different spare fuse, that wasn't it, I know for a fact its flowing properly.
what fuel cutoff switch !?
On my mystique I have a fuel cutoff switch... supposed to be for if you get into an accident I think cuts off all fuel... By your brake foot along the side by the door underneath the dash...
I don't know if its a flip switch or what but I do know that
there is a type of switch down there... and its a fuel pump switch.
STeve
Originally posted by ODC:
'prime the filter' ? wha, why don't they put this stuff in the manuals. thanks, I'll go try that.
uh, it's in my haynes manual...you know how you had to unplug the fuse, and let all the fuel that was in the lines run through before you changed the filter? well, you gotta fill the lines back up afterwards. you have to turn the key into the "on" position (don't try to turn it over, just so the door chimes and such come on) 6-10 times as stated before. as for the fuel cutoff switch...every car (that I know of) has one, I just don't know where ours is. never needed to use it. it does just that, cuts the fuel off.
Originally posted by ODC:
.
sometimes it turns over (i think) sometimes it doesn't.
most of the time its just cranking.
Am i missing something here???? 
THanks,
I tried priming the car, turning the key till allthe lights came on but not start, did this a couple times and tried to start, no dice.
DJ Capp, calrification, it only started once after the filter was changed, then when I put the old filter back on, barely started (probably from the fuel left in the old filter) but never fully got up and running.
The car is dead right now, I'm just going to bring it to Ford. I'd keep [censored] around with it, but I've got fuel all over my arm once and I'm not very comfortable dealing with fuel stuff. Changing the oil is one thing, but I'm not going to [censored] with this any more before I really mess up my poor car.
I just [censored] suck dealing with car mech.
How much gas did you have in the tank prior to changing the filter?
Originally posted by ODC:
Yeah, fuses are back in, and the flow is correct (circular area facing tank, flat area facing engine).
large arrows saying 'IN' facing towards the rear of the car (line coming from the fuel tank).
damnit.
Shoudln't the arrow point towards the front of the car? I've done mine 2 or 3 times and helped a frined do his S80, no problems.
Also, FWIW, I never pull the fuse. The fuel only spills for a second. Wear eye protections and no smoking and you should be fine. I know I am opening a can of worms for this, I think we have had this argument many a time before. 
No, he has it right. Circular side in back, flat in front is correct.
Originally posted by Eric L:
Originally posted by ODC:
Yeah, fuses are back in, and the flow is correct (circular area facing tank, flat area facing engine).
large arrows saying 'IN' facing towards the rear of the car (line coming from the fuel tank).
damnit.
Shoudln't the arrow point towards the front of the car? I've done mine 2 or 3 times and helped a frined do his S80, no problems.
Also, FWIW, I never pull the fuse. The fuel only spills for a second. Wear eye protections and no smoking and you should be fine. I know I am opening a can of worms for this, I think we have had this argument many a time before.
there's two arrows, one on the side which points to the front, two on the rounded top where the fuel tank line runs to.
there's about a quarter and a half left in the tank.
Have a digital camera or someone with one just go take a picture then we can be sure of this matter of it its on the right way.
I think I bought the WIX filter, here is a pic of it installed:
Its kind of hard to get under the car to get the pic. Hopefully this will help some?
Pop your fuel line loose at the engine and make sure it is pumping the fule to the engine, maybe there is just air trapped in the system.
Originally posted by Booger:
Pop your fuel line loose at the engine and make sure it is pumping the fule to the engine, maybe there is just air trapped in the system.
How would I go around doing this ?
Find where the fuel line enters the engine compartment and first plugs to the fuel rail. You can either aim it down somehow or put it into a bottle of some sort, then trun the ignition to on, but not start it. Turn it on and off a couple times then check to see if anything spilled into the bottle, or have someone help you by turning the car on and off while you watch the hose.
Originally posted by Booger:
Find where the fuel line enters the engine compartment and first plugs to the fuel rail. You can either aim it down somehow or put it into a bottle of some sort, then trun the ignition to on, but not start it. Turn it on and off a couple times then check to see if anything spilled into the bottle, or have someone help you by turning the car on and off while you watch the hose.
When we pulled out the new filter to put back the old one, there was hardly any fuel coming out of the line that ran to the engine, but there was fuel coming out both sides in the fuel filter.
On my old corsica, there was a little tab you could depress that flushed the fuel line automatically (squirted fuel in the air), is there anything similar on the contour ?
I don't feel comfortable pulling out wires and [censored] when I have to be in the office at 9 tommorow. I'm already going to call in a half day cause I have to deal with this [censored] and bringing it to the dealership.
I knew this wasn't a good idea, and beyond my capabilities.
It should just be a hose clamped to a fitting taht you are looking for on the engine. No harder than anything you have already done. I don't know of a bleeder valve or anything for the fuel system, I'm pretty sure there isn't.
Originally posted by ODC:
I knew this wasn't a good idea, and beyond my capabilities.
This isn't beyond your capabilities. Something bizarre and simple is just being overlooked, or a previous problem is now coming up. This is just as simple as changing your oil, if not simpler, I just can't figure out what happened here.
The idea mentioned before is a good one. That method would check to be sure that your fuel rail is being fed with fuel, and if not, you know that your problem is fuel filter---> pump/tank, not engine <---- Fuel filter.
Good luck figuring it out either way, let us know how it goes.
OH YEAH!! When you turn the car to ON, you should hear a buzzing/whiring sound coming from the backseat, thats your pump priming the system for start up, if you aren't hearing that check a fuse, then the connections to the pump. To check the pump, lift on the front of the rear seat, push down on the back and pull foward (or somthing like that) and then there should be a round black piece of rubber in the center where the seat was, the pump and tank are under that big plug.
Originally posted by Booger:
OH YEAH!! When you turn the car to ON, you should hear a buzzing/whiring sound coming from the backseat, thats your pump priming the system for start up, if you aren't hearing that check a fuse, then the connections to the pump. To check the pump, lift on the front of the rear seat, push down on the back and pull foward (or somthing like that) and then there should be a round black piece of rubber in the center where the seat was, the pump and tank are under that big plug.
I don't know if I'm going to go that far.
I'll see if I can find the fuel line and put it in a bottle and start the car, otherwise I'll just call Furd.
edit:
Okay, now that you mention it, when I turn the ignition to on (not start), i do hear a whirr and then stops after a second or two, i thought it was the cd radio but I remember its off.
So the fuel pump works right ?
You can buy a fuel pressure gauge for about $30 (autozone and the like), or might round up someone near you who has one.
With that, you can check the pressure in the engine bay.
Remove the backseat lower cushion (pretty easy) and you should hear the pump working under the rubber seal without taking apart anything.
If you are a more adventurous type, you can remove the fuel pump side hose from the filter and blip the key ON for just a moment and get someone observe how far the fuel sprays from the hose. If your pump is OK, at 30 PSI it should be spectacular.
Be very careful through if you go this way.
T.
There is a valve on the fuel rail, like what's on your wheels. It's just as the fuel rail enters the underside of the UIM. You can depress the middle of it and see if fuel squirt outs (watch your eyes!).
When I replaced my filter, I did exaclty what stazi did. Cept, I basterdized an old aircompressor hose with a tire valve end, stuck it right on there, and the gas shoots out the hose into a bucket.
One question though. Did you relieve pressure in the tank by unscrewing the gas cap? If you did, did you tighten it back down after words? If not, the tank (since it was under no pressure when you changed the filter, will not pressure back up if thae cap is loose. Check that. That sounds like your problem there.
that will also make the CEL come on...
Originally posted by LilRedRocket:
One question though. Did you relieve pressure in the tank by unscrewing the gas cap? If you did, did you tighten it back down after words? If not, the tank (since it was under no pressure when you changed the filter, will not pressure back up if thae cap is loose. Check that. That sounds like your problem there.
Right.. but sometimes not immediatly. And besides, he won't know if the car won't stay running. CEL stays lit when the key is turned to accesories, and thats as far as he can get. It wouldn't have thrown a CEL immediatly when it was running for the 2 minutes. In my mind, it all makes sense and is a very big possibility. Forgeting to tighten down the cap would lead to all of this.
I drove for a half a tank without the gas cap on before the cel showed up on mine ...
Alright my best advice to is your hands off of your and any car for that matter. If you cant change a fuel filter without creating a problem like this then your just arent meant for cars.
I have changed hundreds of fuel filters and never had any problem, easy take off put new one on type of thing.
Go get the flu ( not the shot, the cold ) Get all medicated and have a few hours less sleep. Wait until dark and then go tackle the problem. You'll have a totally different perspective on things. Its the only way I solved my clutch cable problems on my VW
I have to agree with the kid...
Originally posted by HITMANinMI:
Alright my best advice to is your hands off of your and any car for that matter. If you cant change a fuel filter without creating a problem like this then your just arent meant for cars.
Originally posted by ODC:
THanks,
DJ Capp, calrification, it only started once after the filter was changed, then when I put the old filter back on, barely started (probably from the fuel left in the old filter) but never fully got up and running.
My point was that where I'm from "cranking" and "turns over" mean the same thing. You said in your original posts that sometimes it cranks sometimes it turns over
So did you get it fixed??
BTW hitman, if your only 16 i doubt you've changed "hundreds" of fuel filters. I'm 26 and I've changed a grand total of 1 in my life!!!
Originally posted by DJ Capp 911:
Originally posted by ODC:
THanks,
DJ Capp, calrification, it only started once after the filter was changed, then when I put the old filter back on, barely started (probably from the fuel left in the old filter) but never fully got up and running.
My point was that where I'm from "cranking" and "turns over" mean the same thing. You said in your original posts that sometimes it cranks sometimes it turns over
So did you get it fixed??
BTW hitman, if your only 16 i doubt you've changed "hundreds" of fuel filters. I'm 26 and I've changed a grand total of 1 in my life!!!
Yeah... I was gonna say that too. 
Hundreds of fuel filters my arse. Our Pontiac Buick GMC Truck dealership service department won't even change that many in 2 years. Our fuel filter tally count over the last 2 as of today is like 103.
Originally posted by HITMANinMI:
Alright my best advice to is your hands off of your and any car for that matter. If you cant change a fuel filter without creating a problem like this then your just arent meant for cars.
I have changed hundreds of fuel filters and never had any problem, easy take off put new one on type of thing.
Thats harsh man. Practice makes perfect. I think he did everything right, its just a fluke thing.
maybe the line is pinched somewhere? make sure there are no kinks in the line. also, I'd check the line ends for anything that's clogging them... who knows, maybe there was a piece of debris inside the new filter which got sucked into the line and now you have a partial block.
I couldnt' find the valve for the fuel, checked a Haynes manual and couldn't find it either.
I didn't open the gas tank to depressurize, it never mentinoed that anywhere on the site or in the book. I just pulled the fuse and let the car die (took 5 minutes).
My dealership just called, its a seized fuel pump. It's covered under the warranty so I just have a #50 deductible, they'll change the fuel filter while they're at it
Are the fuel pump's on these cars THAT fragile ?
I'm not going to touch anythign fuel related on that car again !
edit: changed filter to pump (whoops)!
the pressure valve is right under the TB with a valve stem cp (looks like one) on top of it....
Fuel filters are not that fragile, looks like you just had a freak fuel pump failure, unless it was showing signs of it earlier. Glad things worked out for you.
Originally posted by ODC:
I couldnt' find the valve for the fuel, checked a Haynes manual and couldn't find it either.
I didn't open the gas tank to depressurize, it never mentinoed that anywhere on the site or in the book. I just pulled the fuse and let the car die (took 5 minutes).
My dealership just called, its a seized fuel pump. It's covered under the warranty so I just have a 50 deductible, they'll change the fuel filter while they're at it.
Are the fuel filter's on these cars THAT fragile ?
I'm not going to touch anythign fuel related on that car again !
Hmmm... sounds like our guesses were correct, and not that you are a horrible mechanic. Interesting... now keep working on your car, and keep learning! BTW, ask your stealership what could have caused a siezed fuel pump. Just curious. ~ Chris
Sand in the fuel tank?
PS how on earth could you miss the fuel rail purge valve?
If the fuel filter is left on there for a long time, then the pump adapts to how much pressure is in the lines. After a long time the filter gets clogged and such, and the pump had to work harder. When you finally change it out it is to late and the pump is to weak, that new filter is what did it in.
Originally posted by Stazi:
Sand in the fuel tank?
PS how on earth could you miss the fuel rail purge valve?
Word. Looks like a crazy coincidence that it went when you changed the filter. Sounds like it was on it's last leg and it was taxed when you repressurized the system. Sounds like things worked out for the best. Yes the returnless FP's seem to go rather easily.
Originally posted by HITMANinMI:
If the fuel filter is left on there for a long time, then the pump adapts to how much pressure is in the lines. After a long time the filter gets clogged and such, and the pump had to work harder. When you finally change it out it is to late and the pump is to weak, that new filter is what did it in.
by your theory, it seems that a new filter would fix the conditions and cause even a "weak" pump to be able to work better. Where are you getting your info?
Originally posted by HITMANinMI:
If the fuel filter is left on there for a long time, then the pump adapts to how much pressure is in the lines. After a long time the filter gets clogged and such, and the pump had to work harder. When you finally change it out it is to late and the pump is to weak, that new filter is what did it in.
Complete BS!
Originally posted by Stazi:
Sand in the fuel tank?
PS how on earth could you miss the fuel rail purge valve?
pics would help 
You're a lost cause. We told you where the damn thing is, and what it looks like.
Originally posted by Stazi:
Sand in the fuel tank?
PS how on earth could you miss the fuel rail purge valve?
I don't know?
The schrader valve, aka tire valve, on the fuel rail is covered by a black cap. The fule line should be rather shinny and the valve and cap point up.
-Aureo
Originally posted by Stazi:
You're a lost cause. We told you where the damn thing is, and what it looks like.
That's its a valve somewhere underneath the upper intake manifold ? That's helpful 
, I dont' even know which side of the manifold, what wire/line/tubing is the fuel run out of the hundreds there.
Throttle body is not the intake manifold. The Throttle body is where the big butterfly valve is that moderates air flow. The fuel pressure release valve is below is under a black cap on a shinny silver tube that goes right int he center of the engine below the intake manifold.
Read!
-Andy
Originally posted by Andy W.:
Throttle body is not the intake manifold. The Throttle body is where the big butterfly valve is that moderates air flow. The fuel pressure release valve is below is under a black cap on a shinny silver tube that goes right int he center of the engine below the intake manifold.
Read!
-Andy
centre of the engine below the intake manifold ?
I know what the intake manifold is, its beneath the valve cover.
Are you saying I had to unscrew the valve cover and get directly *underneath* the intake manifold and depress a valve in the centre ?
Take off the flex hose that runs from you TB to the air filter. Look just under the throttle body, you should see it there. The fuel rail goes up under the intake manifold the valve is just outside. It might have a black cap on it that looks like a big tire valve stem cap.
-Andy
You obviously DON'T know what the hell the intake manifold is! Cheese-us-rice!
It's the big damn nest of black snakes on the top of the damn engine. Attached to that is a silver throttle body, under that is the fuel rail tha goes under the UIM, and on that fuel rail is the valve, yes, just like on you wheels.
Crap, my girlfriend could find it if I told her, and she knows very little about cars!
Originally posted by Andy W.:
Take off the flex hose that runs from you TB to the air filter. Look just under the throttle body, you should see it there. The fuel rail goes up under the intake manifold the valve is just outside. It might have a black cap on it that looks like a big tire valve stem cap.
-Andy
Hm, k that makes it a bit clearer.
I think I'll have to clean my TB too, so I'm going to have to take it off (prepare for more posts from me lol).
I'll take a look when its off and see if I can see it. On my previous car, it was actually a small valve directly showing a couple inches from the dipstick. I thoguht it was as easy as that.
Thanks.
Originally posted by Stazi:
You obviously DON'T know what the hell the intake manifold is! Cheese-us-rice!
It's the big damn nest of black snakes on the top of the damn engine. Attached to that is a silver throttle body, under that is the fuel rail tha goes under the UIM, and on that fuel rail is the valve, yes, just like on you wheels.
Crap, my girlfriend could find it if I told her, and she knows very little about cars!
Chill the [censored] out.
I can't ask questions anymore ? WTF.
It's great you've got oodles of time to figure this [censored] out, I don't.
If you don't want to answer, then just stop reading the [censored] thread.
That schrader valve is for you AC systems, don't push that. Unless you want to be blinded by a constantly pressurized freon filled hose. Below and infront of are two different things.
Get a Ford repair manual or leave it to the pros. You quite obviously have no idea what you are doing to think the fuel rail runs across the front of the engine bay in the heart of a crumple zone.
-Andy
What ?
Now I'm confused.
The shiny gold pipe, in the left of the engine bay, that's the fuel line right ?
Yeah take you car to a dealer. You are completely lost. My first detailed instructions still stand. The gold line is a power steering line. The valve near the oil dip stick is an AC valve.
Wow ingnorance is abound today. Sorry Stazi, I tried.
-Andy