Does anyone have a DIY on a fuel filter replacement for a 98 a4 quattro with the 1.8. It seems tricky. Also, let me ask if these symptoms seem like it could be the issue. Lack of power, car studders at start sometimes, weak acceleration(sometimes when accelerating the rpms drop then go up about a total of 1,000 rpm span). I'm going to replace the air filter, plugs, and fuel filter at one time. Should I try anything else too? Thanks for the help. I haven't done the fuel filter since I've owned the car for about 2 years. It has 113,000 miles on it. Thanks for the help!!!

 

It is highly unlikely the fuel filter needs replacing at this point; unless you live in an excessively dusty area fuel filters these days last an easy quarter of a million miles.

 

Tell that to my OEM filter that was so shitted up at 168k that it killed my fuel pump. Do the fuel filter - better to spend $18 now than $200 later.

 

I would say yours was very much the exception and not the rule.

 

I've heard of more than a few pumps dying and far more people reporting horrendously filthy crap coming out of their filters. Modern filters are very good but a lot of these cars have never had the filters done, whether due to negligence or lack of knowledge on the original owners' parts, or due to it being a pain in the ***. That'd mean they would be running on a filter made with 11-16 year old technology. I stand by it - it's an annoying job and filthy, but it's worth doing.