1999 Ford Escort FUEL FILTER?

Is the check engine light on?

Not hard, but tedious. You have to work from under the hood and under the car. Your fuel filter is in the engine compartment between the fuel tank and the fuel rail.

1. Relieve fuel system pressure. You will have fuel gushing onto you while you are under the car, in you don't relieve the pressure.
2. To relieve pressure, locate fuel rail. Remove the valve cap at the end of the fuel rail and attach a fuel pressure gauge. Open the manual relief valve on the pressure gauge slowly.
3. Disconnect negative battery cable.
4. Place a suitable container under the fuel filter to collect excess fuel that WILL leak from the filer and lines.
5. From under the hood, remove retaining clip from the fuel filter upper hose. Disconnect fuel hose from fuel filter and drain excess fuel into the container. Plug the hose.
6. Jack up the car.
7. From under the car, remove retaining clip from the fuel filter lower hose. Disconnect fuel hose from fuel filter and drain excess fuel into the container.
8. Lower the car.
9. From under the hood, remove retaining clamp screw and remove filter. You may have to wiggle the clamp and screw if they are corroded.