How To Change Your 94-04 Mustang Fuel Filter
Changing the fuel filter on your vehicle is very important but often overlooked. A bad fuel filter can cause a number of problems from poor idling to the car not starting at all. And on 94-04 Mustangs, a fuel filter change is actually a very simple job.
What You'll Need
- New fuel filter
- Jack
- Jack stands
- Flat-head screwdriver
- Safety glasses
- Fuel line quick disconnect kit (I recommend the plastic on shown to the right, the metal ones are much harder to use)
Get To Work
- Remove the carpet panel on the driver side of the trunk.
- You'll find a red button (called the inertia switch). Press it. It will shut off the fuel pump.
- Turn the car on and let it run until it dies. Try to start it once or twice to be sure most of the fuel in the fuel lines has been used up (this way less will pour out on you).
- Chock the front tires and jack up the rear (use your jack stands, a car on a jack is not safe)
- Behind the gas tank (between the tank and the differential housing) you will see the current fuel filter.
- Remove the 2 safety clips from either end of the filter.
- Unscrew the hose clamp that holds the filter in place.
- Put your safety glasses on (if you absolutely refuse to do so, get ready to ninja roll).
- Using a fuel line disconnect tool that fits snugly over the thin ends of the filter, push the prongs of the tool into the connectors attached to the fuel filter. You may hear a click when the connectors release, but it doesn't happen every time.
- With the tool still in the connector, pull the connector away from the fuel filter and get out of the way quickly (fuel will come raining down). There are 2 connectors and the filter will still have fuel in it.
- Note the direction of the arrow on the fuel filter before you pull it out of the hose clamp. The new filter will have an arrow as well and it needs to point in the same direction.
- Pull the fuel filter out of the hose clamp
- Put the new fuel filter into the hose clamp.
- Push the connectors on to both ends of the new fuel filter. You may hear a click when they lock.
- Tighten down the hose clamp.
- Reattach the safety clips over the fuel line connectors.
- Remove the jack stands and put the rear wheels back on the ground. Also remove the wheel chocks.
- Prime the fuel pump a few times by turning the key to "On" not "Start." This will refill the fuel lines with fuel, allowing the car to start more easily when you finally turn the car on.
- Once you turn the car on, do a quick check under the rear to ensure that no fuel is leaking.