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There’s air in my fuel line and the car won’t start. Help!
I tried changing my fuel filter, and the car wouldn’t start. I took it to a mechanic, and he says it’s not a problem with the filter, but air in the fuel lines that need to be bled. Is that what you’re supposed to do if there’s air in your fuel line and the car won’t start?
Matt Terzi · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
We’re sorry to hear you’re going through this ordeal! And yes, if there’s air in your fuel lines, the lines need to have that air bled out. Smaller amounts of air will cause all sorts of performance issues, while too much air in your fuel lines will prevent the engine from even starting.
Bleeding the fuel lines isn’t especially difficult if you’re familiar with DIY car repairs, but it’s usually best left in the hands of an experienced mechanic. There’s a risk of gasoline spraying out during the process, and we don’t need to explain how or why that’s dangerous.
Here are the steps you’d generally follow:
- Turn the car on and let it sit idle for about five minutes. This will allow the gas to heat up and expand, making it a lot easier to bleed the fuel system
- Locate the fuel line’s Schraeder valve. It’s usually on the engine’s fuel rail
- Wearing nitrile gloves and using a heavy rag to cover the valve, release the valve. This might require the use of a screwdriver, to press down into the valve, or loosening a bolt with a wrench. Either way, make sure the valve is covered. Fuel pressure, and usually some fuel along with it, is going to spray out
- After the pressure fully exits the line, turn the ignition on, but don’t start the car. Give the fuel pump a few moments to repressurize the system (you can usually hear it working). Once it’s off, turn the ignition back off, wait a few seconds, and repeat this step a few more times
- After pressurizing the fuel lines, repeat these steps once or twice to bleed the valve and repressurize the fuel system
With all of this done, take the car out for a road test. Performance issues should hopefully be remedied now. If they’re not, you may have another issue to contend with, and hiring a mechanic might be unavoidable.
We hope this helps you sort out what to do when air is in your fuel lines and your car won’t start.
But before you go, check out
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