Depressurizing the fuel system

[zlegrow@home.com]

Hi, I'm really new here, as in registered just 2 minutes ago. 

Being a Volkswagen fan, when I needed another vehicle I looked 
around and bought an '86 scirocco 8v for $1800 canadian 3 days 
ago. The car is in great shape other than a messy rear 
quarterpanel, and some other minor problems (Open sunroof! Open 
I say!). 

10 minutes after driving it home after picking it up, I decided to grab 
some groceries... The car wouldn't start. It turned over and over and 
over and even caught sometimes, but never ran, until I let it cool 
down a little, then it started, ran a little rough (idled at 700 rpm, but 
then smoothed out at 1000), then off we went.

I read the service manual that I had for the Jetta and Fox I had 
owned (not very good for either, all diagrams were of a 78 Rabbit 
engine, which wasn't that helpful) , and it said to replace the fuel 
filter, air cleaner, or sparkplugs.

I've replaced the air cleaner (clogged solid), and now I'm gonna do 
the fuel filter, but it says I have to depressurize the fuel system, 
and to do this, just pull the fuse for the fuel pump and start the car, 
and let it run until it stalls. Now, I pull the fuse.. the car won't start. 
Uh-oh. I put the fuse back in, the car starts on the first try.

What I'm trying to ask in an insanely long winded manner, is do I 
have to depressurize before I can change the filter? If so, is there a 
different way of doing it? 

P.S.- OUCH! FUEL FILTER $40! AIEEEEEEEE!
P.S.S.- I love the car!
Zack LeGrow

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