So I changed my fuel filters this afternoon. It went something like this: changed the prefilter, unscrewed the main filter, emtied it into a gas can, put new filter on, took new filter off cause I forgot to fill it w ATF, put new filter w ATF on, primed the system, and started the car. She fired right up.

Shut the engine off, and looked for leaks. Found one from the big hex bolt. tightened. restarted. still leaking. I repeated that a couple of times.

The car wouldn't start after the second "leak check". Still won't. So, what'd I do wrong?

It was my first time changing a fuel filter that wasn't attached to a lawn mower.

There's a chance that I had the wrong main filter. It was a made in spain Bosch. The filter that came off the car was a Hengst made in germany. The seals on the filter looked a little different, but generally similar.

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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)