do i need a new gas filter?

yesterday i was driving down the road and suddenly everytime i would try to accelerate the car would jurk like it was running out of gas, i stopped on the side of the road and parked my car then put it back in drive and it did the same thing... i pulled over again then turned the car off and when i tried starting it back up it wouldnt completely turn on...it just kept attempting to start.

Its now been a day since its happened and my car still wont start.. i live in houston and we just had the hurricane and im wondering if bad gas is the cause or if my gas filter needs cleaning????? Please Help!!!

I would bet that the fuel pump has failed. Although the fuel filter can cause a fuel pump to fail prematurely do to it being plugged from never beeing changed, it will not likley fix your problem if replaced!

How long did it take for this to happen after you last filled up with gas?

Welcome to AF.

It would help to post what year, engine size and mileage in your post.

How old is the fuel filter?

You do not clean the fuel filter but replace it as part of preventive maintenance.

its a 02 olds alero, just under 160,000 miles, v6

I would bet that the fuel pump has failed. Although the fuel filter can cause a fuel pump to fail prematurely do to it being plugged from never beeing changed, it will not likley fix your problem if replaced!

How long did it take for this to happen after you last filled up with gas?
i filled up the tank halfway on thursday night... and yesterday when it happened it was at 1/4 of a tank..

If there was water in the fuel it would have showed up way sooner than that. If you would have made it out of the parking lot at the gas station I would have been surprised.

Start by replacing the fuel filter, especially if it has never been replaced. If that doesn't help then check fuel pressure at the rear fuel rail. On a 2002 Alero with V6 you should have nothing under 55 psi. See pic below.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lizzywiz/alerofp.jpg