Where Is The Fuel Filter On A 2001 Satuen

One of the worst problems that tin can happen to your Saturn SL is a bad fuel filter. When the filter goes bad, it can limit the amount of fuel that enters the engine. Without fuel, the vehicle will not run at all. With that in listen, nearly of the symptoms of a bad fuel filter circumduct around the vehicle stalling out.

Bad Fuel Filter Diagnosis Saturn SL

Fuel filters have been making a rearward progression for the last l years, literally. For a long time, you'd find information technology under the hood. Information technology looked like a little pill, and it would exist quick and like shooting fish in a barrel to supplant. This was in the era of carbureted vehicles.

Things began to modify in the 80'south. Fuel injection requires college fuel pressure. Higher fuel pressure meant that a more robust fuel filter would be required. This meant the fuel filter was no longer left under the hood. Information technology was put in the steel fuel line, between the gas tank and engine bay.

These fuel filters were more reliable, merely they as well were tougher to change. Repairing them means getting nether the vehicle and disconnecting steel fittings. Information technology really still isn't that difficult to deal with, as long every bit you give the vehicle a few minutes for the fuel pressure to go downwardly.

The skilful news is, no matter how old your SL is, the symptoms of a bad fuel filter are universal. Information technology doesn't matter if information technology's in-tank or in-line. And, fuel filters are cheap.

Signs of a Bad Fuel Filter: Saturn SL

Saturn SL Bad Fuel Filter Diagnosis — Typical Fuel Filter

There are physical signs that yous tin can feel when your SL's fuel filter is clogging. Before taking anything autonomously, check to run across if your engines computer has any trouble codes saved in it.

The engine may throw a P0087 problem code. This trouble code detects that the fuel rail/system force per unit area is too depression. Whatsoever problem codes that exist could be a clue. Sometimes when there is low fuel pressure level, you may likewise go an oxygen sensor related trouble lawmaking also. The real issue with diagnosing a bad fuel filter is that it resembles many other vehicular issues in terms of symptoms.

Here are the near common symptoms of a bad fuel filter in your Saturn SL:

Sputtering Nether Load

The only manner that yous are going to know that your SL'due south fuel filter may be going out is that it is no longer letting enough fuel through to go along the engine running under a heavy load, or at high-speed. Typically, if y'all are heading up a colina (or accelerating) the engine may start to feel like it is just running out of steam. That's what it feels like with a bad fuel filter.

Now, a bad fuel filter can also feel a heck of a lot like a bad catalytic converter. Both conditions volition brand the motor feel like it is running out of air current when you striking the gas. A bad catalytic converter volition not feel equally jarring. It's a smooth lack of ability. If you are unsure, check out this article on troubleshooting catalytic converters. If you go P0420 or P0430 trouble codes with a scanner, it very well may be the catalytic converter causing these symptoms.

Hard to Start Engine

One of the best indicators of a clogged fuel filter is going to be that the your SL is difficult to start. This because there'southward not enough fuel pressure to properly atomize the fuel as it enters the combustion chamber.

If your car is difficult to start, a clogged fuel filter would probably not be the place to start looking, especially if yous are getting no trouble code for fuel pressure or the oxygen sensors.

Instead, nosotros'd recommend taking a look at the ignition arrangement commencement. Ofttimes it'll be bad spark plugs, or a bad coil pack.

Engine Non Starting

If the fuel filter has become and then contaminated that the minimum corporeality of fuel has not been let through it, the engine won't outset at all.

At the nigh basic of levels your Saturn SL needs three things to get-go: Air, fuel, and spark. If any of these things aren't present, the engine won't turn over at all. If at that place'southward been nothing warning that the fuel filter could be going bad (hesitation, difficulty starting, etc) than a chock-full fuel filter might not exist the place to starting time. It could certainly cause the problem though.

Hither'south a great video on using your eyes to diagnose the fuel filter:

It Could Also be Your SL'southward Fuel Pump

A fuel pump that is going out is going to experience the aforementioned every bit a bad fuel filter. This makes telling if you accept a bad fuel pump vs bad fuel filter very challenging.

How do you tell them apart? A chock-full fuel filter volition have high pressure on its input side and depression force per unit area on its output side. They are both going to crusade the aforementioned hesitation at loftier speed and difficulty starting. The only way to truly tell is to place a fuel force per unit area approximate on both sides of the line and get a reading from both.

If your car isn't starting at all, and you hear the fuel pump prime number that is normally a practiced indication that the pump is working to some capacity. Testing your SL'south fuel pressure on each side of the pump would be the best mode to diagnose this problem.

A priming fuel pump sounds like a loftier-pitched whine for a few seconds and can be heard with a precipitous engine correct later the ignition key is turned, but before the starter is engaged.

Decision: Saturn SL Bad Fuel Pump

The symptoms of a bad fuel pump friction match a lot of other mutual problems that can occur in the Saturn SL. Testing the filter and pressure on each side of it are going to be the quickest means to rule information technology out. If there is anything you would like to add, please exit a comment beneath. Skilful luck!