Will a clogged fuel filter prevent the truck from starting?

Please check the:
- Ignition system ( Ignition timing, spark plug cords, spark plugs gaps, vacuum advance actuator, contact breaker gap/ trigger gap).
- Fuel pump pressure (0.2 - 0.3 bar).
- Fuel system (for water contamination, carburetor clogged, element air cleaner clogged or fuel line obstructed).
- Clutch plate slippage ( for manual transmission).
- Brakes adjustment.

Your sequence for trouble shooting should be as follows
(1) No gas coming into the engine due to clogged fuel filter.
(2) Injection fuel lines clogged.
(3) Loose or Bad ignition circuitry.

Best of luck.

Fuel pickup screen clogged/fuel filter clogged/fuel pump failing/fuel line erosion clogging itself AND filter.

yes,

Fuel Filters are very simple to change. Changing the filter will probably eliminate a suspect in a rough idle, but may not fix the rough idle. The filter is under the driver's side, next to the frame rail on the inside. You will need some shop rags, a pair of pliers, an adjustable crescent wrench, or a wrench set (I can't remember the exact size) and a plan to bleed off the fuel pressure, unless of course you enjoy spraying your self with fuel.

Disconnect the battery and relieve the fuel pressure. Under the hood there is a pressure releif valve (it's a schrader valve, similar to a valve stem on a tire). You can get a kit at parts store that will capture the fluid or you can use the shop rags and hold them over the valve while you depress the pin. Honestly, I would get the kit. After my last experience changing my filter I wouldn't go any other way.

Once you have relieved the fuel pressure, crawl under the truck and change the filter by loosening the nut on the tank side and with the pliers pinching the release tabs on the the motor side of the filter and remove the filter. Have a couple of shop rags and or a small pan to catch the residual fluid that will drain out of the lines.

Install the new filter and make sure your connections are tight, then make sure all the gas is cleaned up from both under the vehicle and under the hood (if needed spray degreaser and hose off. You don't want gas puddled somewhere in the engine bay.) Make sure your pressure relief kit is removed and the cap covering the relief valve replaced. Reconnect the battery and turn on the key. Let the pump run (the whine you hear when you first turn the key) till it shuts off to build up a little bit pressure then crank the motor to start the truck. The truck will take longer to start than normal as you have emptied the gas lines and so it will take a few cranks to get the truck started. But once the truck is started, make sure there are no leaks in the fuel system. Don't stick your head under the truck in case the you accidently didn't tighten something properly and the minute you stick your head under there it decides to come apart. Just look without sticking your head under the vehicle.

There's only one fuel filter on it. It is along the inside of the driver's side frame rail, approximately under the driver's door.

whens the last time you changed the fuel filter? ther maybe to much water in the filter and the tank, on warmer days the fuel maybe trying to seprate in the filter, when you go to start it you maybe trying to run it on water more then diesel. add a cetien booster to the tank of fuel you have see if that helps

1 Inspect Throttle Position Sensor Faulty or Incorrectly Connected Throttle Position Sensor.
2 Inspect Mass Air Flow Sensor Damaged, Loose, or Faulty Mass Air Flow Sensor or Circuit.
3 Inspect Choke Thermostat Stuck or Improperly Functioning Choke Thermostat.
4 Inspect Air Cleaner Tempature Sensor Damaged or Faulty Air Cleaner Tempature Sensor.
5 Inspect Fuel Filter Clogged or Dirty Fuel Filter.
6 Inspect PCV Valve Plugged or Damaged PCV Valve.
7 Inspect Carburetor Worn, Faulty or Damaged Carburetor.
8 Inspect Fuel Injector Dirty or Worn Fuel Injectors.
9 Inspect Hose (PCV)at Clogged or Collapsed PCV Hoses.
10 Inspect Fuel Pump Faulty Fuel Pump.
11 Inspect Fuel Pump Low Fuel Pressure.

Inspect Wireset Damaged, worn, or deteriorating spark plug or coil wire(s). in this list u will find a answer to ur problem Shaun 2 Inspect Spark Plug Fouled, damaged or broken spark plug(s). 3 Inspect Fuel Filter Clogged or dirty fuel filter 4 Inspect Distributor Worn, loose or incorrectly adjusted distributor. 5 Inspect Distributor Cap Loose or cracked distributor cap 6 Inspect Distributor Cap And Rotor Kit Loose, cracked, or worn distributor cap and ignition rotor. 7 Inspect PCV Valve Plugged or damaged pcv valve. 8 Inspect Air Filter Restricted or clogged air filter. 9 Inspect Catalytic Converter Clogged, damaged, defective or faulty catalytic converter. 10 Inspect Automatic Transmission Improperly adjusted kickdown cable adjustment or internal transmission problems. 11 Inspect Fuel Pump Improperly functioning fuel pump or circuits. 12 Inspect MAP Sensor Improperly connected or faulty m.a.p. sensor. 13 Inspect Mass Air Flow Sensor Improperly connected or faulty mass air flow sensor. 14 Inspect Throttle Position Sensor Faulty throttle position sensor or throttle position sensor circuit. 15 Inspect Timing Specification Incorrectly adjusted engine timing. 16 Inspect Fuel System Pressure Incorrect fuel pressure being delivered to carburetor or fuel injection system.

If this happens every time you start your truck and it shuts off the same each time, you just might have a dirty fuel filter only allowing so much gas pass through until it clogs once again. I once had a chevy van, when I would drive it, would go a few miles and engine would shut down.   I would wait 10 or 15 minutes, it would start up and allow me to drive a few more miles then shut down again.  I changed the fuel filter, It was fine after that.