Changed fuel filter, car ran but now doesn't start

I changed the fuel filter but reused the recirculation valve. I had to crank the engine more than normal but it started and ran OK. Next morning I started the car normally and drove to work, about 25 miles, interstate driving. Ran fine except that I thought I smelled diesel. I parked it and noticed something dripping onto the ground in front of the right front wheel, smelled it, and sure enough it was diesel. It had been leaking at the recirc valve. When I came back to the car at the end of the day it would not start. Cranked and cranked, no start. Had it towed home. Changed the recirc valve, still won't start. Any ideas?

All the diesel leaked back to the tank, except of course the stuff that leaked on the ground.

Charge the battery back up, fill the fuel filter with diesel and try again. What year and how may miles? Without your profile completed we have no idea what engine you have.

2002 Jetta, 210 K miles.
Fuel filter appeared to have plenty of fuel in it when I changed the recirc valve.

You probably have air in the system. You could bleed it out at the injectors or just crank enough (don't overheat the starter) and it should bleed itself eventually.

When I had my 2002 Jetta I did not change the fuel filter myself because of some of the horror stories I had read.


Now fast forward, a year ago I changed the fuel filter on the 2015 Passat following detailed instructions in a Youtube video and had absolutely no problems.



Maybe certain VW models are easier to do than others?


Having said that, on my 2 cylinder Volvo in my sailboat it was a pig to start after changing the fuel filter.

Maybe your battery had enough juice to pull fuel to the filter but not quite enough to get it the rest of the way.

When you run the pump dry you'll likely need to bleed one or more injector pipes.

Oh, you changed the valve but what about the seals? I assume so.

Jetta Pilot, you have a pump in the tank, ALH's don't.

Thank you all for the advice. It turned out the injector was dry. I attached a hand pump to the fuel return hose and pulled the fuel from the filter through the injector and then back to the tank. It took a while but I finally got all the air out. Put everything back together, cranked it, and after about 5 turns it started. Ran it for about 30 minutes and everything seems fine, no leaks. Did not need to bleed the individual injector lines.

KLXD said:

Jetta Pilot, you have a pump in the tank, ALH's don't.

Click to expand...

Maybe that's why I never attempted it in my 2002 Jetta.


When I replaced the filter I filled the housing to overflowing with PowerService to eliminate any air or at least minimize air. Had no Diesel handy.