Today my SD acted like it was running out of fuel; hardly got home. It has plenty so I assume it is a clogged fuel filter. Called Pep Boys and they only had the secondary. Just picked it up and I am surprised - it is a screw on metal filter - thought the secondary was the three inch long paper cylinder.

So is this the right fuel filter? (See picture) I have never seen this one in the thirty years I have owned the car. Next question - where is it located under the hood? I checked a little and have not found it yet. Where does it go?

Also do I need to fill it up with diesel before spinning it on?

Major question - if you take a look at the picture of the clear filter (which I assume is the primary filter), it is half full and I see grains of dark sand on the interior screen. I always remember this thing as being full and pretty clear. Think I should get Pep Boys to order one and install it too? What are the chances of both filters going kablooey at the same time?

Thanks for your help. Pictures below (I hope).

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Yes, that's the secondary filter you bought. If your secondary is 30 yrs old, it's probably time to change it It's right above and to the front of the IP. Loosen the bolt on top, remove the old one, fill the new one with a burnable liquid such as diesel, or purge, or AT fluid, and bolt the new one up.
The primary filter will always have some air in it.

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WK713. It is the right spin on filter for your car. It is right next to/behind the power steering pump. It is better to fill it with diesel first but you can also hand pump it with the pump next to the IP.

The primary filter ( clear one ) is normally 3/4 full. There is an air bubble inside and it is normal. If it is dirty then it need to be changed. If Pepboy do not have it in stock then you can make do with squirting some brake cleaning fluid inside and give it a good shake. Pour all the crap out. Do it couple of times and it should be OK for a while.

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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

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Yep, I found it. I was looking up under the engine. Much easier. Just got back from Baker Auto Parts. The clear in-line filter was $2.88. That's a deal.

I have some ATF but it's tranny sealer - used a bunch of it over the last ten years instead of replacing the seals in the tranny (now I have a new used tranny) - so I am a little scared to use it. Anything else I can use?

I never use anything but the hand pump. Crack open the secondary filter discharge line to bleed air.

That said, my hand pump works. Many don't.

Ask questions first, go to store second.

Tango - sounds good; mine works.

Thx

Yes, ATF will work.

Inspect the fuel bolt that holds that secondary filter on. You can tell what kind of washers you need by the part number on the filter head. What are the seventh and eight digits? If it's an "01", you'll need a single rubber "O" ring and a crush washer. If it's an "02" you'll need two different sized rubber "O" rings.

I picked up an assortment of those rubber "O" rings from the local AutoZoo.

If you need a crush washer, this may be a bit more difficult to locate. It's a 19mm (not 18mm) or 3/4 inch ID affair. I have used a #30 cap thread gasket.

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Great Info. too many benz I never knew that I will have to check my # on my F.F. head to see what mine takes but 1st on the list got to get my A.C. working

The "how" of changing the fuel filters should be self-evident, by disassembling them from the car, and replacing them with suitable new filters.

What you need to do is either use the hand pump in-line to refill the fuel filters and fuel line, by cracking the outflow bolt downline from the secondary filter, until fresh fuel spurts out before closing, or, back filling the secondary fuel filter, then flooring the foot feed when cranking.

I prefer the in-line fuel hand pump to the floorboarding method.

Also, change when the engine has been running already, to ensure a quick start up.

Personally, I backfill the secondary fuel filter with Powerservice, when I have it on hand, over either ATF or diesel fuel.

Powerservice???

Could someone please point out the discharge line, the one I need to crack to pump out the air? See pic.

Thx.

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You don't need to crack any lines to get out the air. Just pump the primer pump handle until you hear a squeak noise from the injection pump....thats the internal fuel relief valve letting fuel through. It will probably take at least 1.5-2 minutes of brisk pumping to get it good and primed.

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Yes, Powerservice. It is a diesel fuel additive/conditioner available @ Walmarts at popular prices.

Don't know how to do the pointing deal on the pic you provided. I'm sure another diesel gearhead will have the capability to note which bolt head on the pic controls the fuel flow downline to the engine.

Note the arrows on the filter adapter. Choose the one pointing away from the filter.

The FSM has a different view. Generally speaking, air is best bled from a high point in a system. Attempting to bleed elsewhere are typically problematic. (Ask anyone who installed their brake calipers upside down.)

That is precisely why so many people have trouble getting their engine to start after a filter change. They pump air into the IP and the hard lines.

The filter depicted above is a Mann filter, reboxed by Purolator.

Purolator filters, in my opinion, are nowhere near the bottom of the heap.