240 estate fuel filter location

My Dad's car cuts out when driving. We changed the ignition coil and it worked for 100 miles before the problem came back again. We changed the thermostat aswell.
It has been suggested we replace or clean the fuel filter as it might be clogged but we do not know where it is. Haynes manual is pretty useless.
Can some please show me a picture of description of where we can find the filter please? This problem is driving us nuts. excuse the pun.
Its a 1992 (K reg) 240 estate.
I have found a picture of what we are looking for, just cannot see it anywhere.
EDIT - Also how easy is it to clean?
Many thanks in advance.

[Clifford Pope]

It's the cylinder about 5" by 3" under the car, underneath the rear left-hand passenger seat, hidden by a flexibly-mounted metal plate. It bolts on next to the main fuel pump.
If removing, three warnings:
1) release the fuel pressure first or you will get petrol sprayed everywhere
2) use NEW copper washers or the joints will leak
3) grip the bolts and filter hexagons very securely with good proper-sized spanners. The bolts are very tight and very easily rounded.

It can't be cleaned, but Halfords replacement is quite cheap. I treated my car to a new one after 300,000 miles. It didn't make the slightest difference - I even wonder whether this "choking up" advice might not be a myth.

The most common cause of the symptons you describe is dirty fuel pump fuse contacts, followed closely by corroded fuel pump relay connections. There have been threads on how to resolder corroded connections, but relays are not expensive just to replace. Haynes describes how to do a temporary by-pass of the relay just to diagnose a possible fault (jumping fuses 4 and 6, from memory).

There are other common and fixable electrical faults, well documented here, but try the fuses and relay first.

Hi Clifford, thanks for the reply.

Do you have the Haynes manual to hand? Just wondering what page it is on about jumping the fuses 4 and 6 because I have been through that book and cannot see for looking too hard.
Soldering should not be a problem providing we know which part we need to solder.

[Clifford Pope]

I've re-checked (in the red Haynes, not green, I don't think) - it is 4 and 6. You will find that if you simply connect a wire between the two (eg a short length with crocodile clips at each end) both fuel pumps will buzz into life, even without the ignition on. (For that reason it is not a very safe permanent fix!)
It's useful if you suspect that the relay may be faulty, and especially useful if the car won't start, or cuts out. Then if you jump the fuses, leave the wire connected, and try starting, and all is well, then you have pinpointed the fault. If it makes no difference, well, at least that is one thing eliminated.

But firstly the fuses all need removing in turn, and fuses and the copper holders need very careful emerying, then re-fitting and twiddling in their holders to get a really good connection. (Special protective electrical spray is then a good thing)

The fuel pump relay is located somewhere under the carpet in the passengers footwell, or up under the dashboard behind the glove box, clipped to a metal rail, I think. It is a rectangular box about 1 1/2 " by 1", and may be either white or green, depending on model. Replacement colour is important, because the wiring to the terminals is different.
If you prise off the back you can see a circuit board, and it is quite easy just to melt and re-solder all the connections. What I did after establishing that was the fault was to re-solder, and then get a new one anyway. It is well worthwhile always carrying a spare because they are famously liable to repeat faults.
I hope that helps. There are so many things that can go wrong, but it is worth doing the easy ones first. It could still be the filter as you first suggested, I'm just recounting my experiences.

Good luck,
Cliff

Thanks for your help. Shall ty and locate the fuel filter at the weekend and then take it froom there :-)

[migrator]

I hope that this is not going to muddy the waters as my knowledge of these is from older cars.

As far as I am aware, the double unit attached to the underneath of the car on the near side is the main fuel pump and an accumulator tank to ensure that there will be a constant pressure in the system.

The fuel filter is a cannister shape attached to the bulkhead (in the engine bay) and it varies from side to side depending on car model. This contains a renewable (throw away) filter. Care required when opening this up because of the fragility of the pipe unions. Two good fitting spanners are required.

This also assumes that you have a fuel injection model and not a carb. model.

Mine's an '87 estate and has the fuel filter on the bulkhead, offside. There is still a filter and secondary unit near the tank underneath, fun to get to!

According to the Haynes manual we have, the earlier models had the fuel filter in the front under the bonnet and the later models have it under the left rear seat.
Ours was made around 1992 so it would have been a later model. We have checked under the bonnet and cannot see it anywhere so at the moment we are assuming it is at the back somewhere.
Its a shame these Haynes books cover different models as it makes it very confusing to look up problems.

[Mike_Brace]

As far as I'm aware the earlier K jetronic cars had filter in engine bay on bulkhead the later Motronic (cat cars) have filter underneath at rear.

Mike