[shorod]

Sounds like he probably installed the filter and cleaned the battery cables to make a happy customer that keeps coming back. It just so happens that happy customers are more profitable than customers that get billed heavily for every little thing and leave frustrated....

If the problem happens again in the morning, maybe the problem is a weak battery with a cold engine. The starter draws more current spinning a cold engine with cold oil than one that's been sitting in a nice warm shop. You could also try cycling the key a few times (turn to Run, keep there for 3 seconds, turn OFF, keep in OFF for 3 seconds, repeat 3 times) then try to start the car. If it starts easily this way the problem is likely low fuel pressure. It takes more fuel to prime the fuel system than it takes to keep the car running (note how long your engine ran with the fuel pump turned off). A weak fuel pump may struggle to prime the system.

-Rod