Dirty Fuel

Carwayboi

New member
Joined
Nov 23, 2019
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta Sportwagen
Thanks to everyone for helping a newbie change his fuel and air filter today. I don’t have the VCDS tool, so I decided to go the fuel in canister route. I bought a bit of fuel from my local Sunoco using a 32oz clear plastic bottle. There were bits of particle suspended in the fuel, but it quickly settled. I was astonished that so much dirt was in so little fuel. Is that normal? Where do all that crap go once pumped in our tanks. I took pictures, but couldn’t figure out how to post pictures.
 

TLH_TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2003
Location
Florida
TDI
2002 Jetta Wagon
I’ve never seen that much dirt before, you may want to notify them and purchase your fuel somewhere else.


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Carwayboi

New member
Joined
Nov 23, 2019
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta Sportwagen
I plan on doing a random test of about 6 different stations using my clear bottle test. I will post the results here. Maybe I’m just paranoid, but will find out after my tests. Stay tuned.
 

johnsTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
May 25, 2019
Location
Canada,ont North America were Neighbours to usa
TDI
2012 Highline
Thanks to everyone for helping a newbie change his fuel and air filter today. I don’t have the VCDS tool, so I decided to go the fuel in canister route. I bought a bit of fuel from my local Sunoco using a 32oz clear plastic bottle. There were bits of particle suspended in the fuel, but it quickly settled. I was astonished that so much dirt was in so little fuel. Is that normal? Where do all that crap go once pumped in our tanks. I took pictures, but couldn’t figure out how to post pictures.
so what vehicle is this again? & how well did it start?... start right away or did it take a few cranks?
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
200k miles of diesel fuel use, with sporadic clear bottle of fuel needed for FF changes.

NEVER saw visible contamination, occasional cloudiness. I would take the sample back and show it to them, although you'll get a blank stare from the clerk. If time permits, I'd contact the owner of the station.

I predict your 6 samples will be perfectly clear, and that your dirty sample was the exception. (although I'd not buy fuel from THAT station!)
 

Carwayboi

New member
Joined
Nov 23, 2019
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta Sportwagen
so what vehicle is this again? & how well did it start?... start right away or did it take a few cranks?
2013 Jetta Sportwagen TDI. It started right away, no issues. Not sure If\when the fuel filter was ever changed. I bought it VW certified with 38K miles. The only thing I had done was 2 oil changes, and it now has 66K miles. My fuel consumption was getting worse and I started to get the intermittent glow plugs flashing especially when I was low on fuel. If I restart the car, the flashing plugs would go away, but eventually return. The filter was quite dirty. The flashing glow plugs hasn’t return, but it is still a bit early to declare victory. Fuel and air filters took less than 15 minutes to replace.
 

A3Dave

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2019
Location
California
TDI
Audi A3
You don't need to fill the canister by the way, cycle the key 2-3 times prior to startup and it will fire right up.
 

A3Dave

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2019
Location
California
TDI
Audi A3
Some things you should know is whatever dirt is in the canister does necessarily matter if it's larger particles like you've shown.

The fuel intake is from the center of the filter, up and out. So everything in the canister is filtered prior to going into the engine.

Regarding the pictures that's pretty bad, I'd def file some complaint.
 
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