How Long to Wait for Fuel Filter

kapps

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 23, 2013
Location
Orlando
TDI
2014 Golf 6MT
Long story short, I'm approaching 30k since my last fuel filter change. I'll be putting at least another 10-15k on my TDI before I'm able to take the buyback. I do not have a VCDS and am wary of just brimming the filter canister and hoping for the best during restart. I also don't want to pay a VW dealer to do it who will likely not use VCDS either.

Has anybody run these filters over 2x their recommended change interval?
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
If you have the new filter, change it out. You don't need vcds to fill the canister.
 

Trade Wind

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Feb 16, 2016
Location
Minnesota
TDI
RIP 2012 Passat SE 6 spd MT
Yup. Digging through all the posts on this subject a while back, I did not find anyone who filled the canister and then had trouble starting the car. There is some debate on whether you need a supply of fuel or can just cycle the key to fill the canister, that may depend on model and year. So next fill up, just fill a small container with diesel (or buy some PowerServe) and you'll be all set.
 

meerschm

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Location
Fairfax county VA
TDI
2009 Jetta wagon DSG 08/08 205k buyback 1/8/18; replaced with 2017 Golf Wagon 4mo 1.8l CXBB
probably not the best idea to do the first DIY on a car at this stage.

I think you would be fine to ignore the filter.

I have not seen anyone here who has seen issues from a clogged filter, or from waiting too long (on a common rail car which is driven and not stored).

on the other hand, more than a few with stripped screws and leaky intermediate fuel pumps (which could be triggered by moving hoses around)


(but don't tell anyone I said that...)
 

Rico567

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Location
Central IL
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
The filter in our Passat was changed at 20K by the dealer, as part of the included maintenance. I got the old one back, but apart from being a bit gray, looked fine. I did the 40K service myself, and the filter looked the same as the first one, and there was nothing but clear fuel in the filter housing. Going to be doing the 60K here in a few weeks, and don't expect anything different. I've got VCDS and used it to run the pump when I changed the filter, but I've seen plenty of posts by people who just swap out the filter cartridge, top up the canister with Power Service or fuel, and have no trouble.
 

edge130

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Location
northern NJ
TDI
Wife's 2009 Jetta TDI sedan (2009 - 2017)
I think it's a stretch to expect 40k -45k trouble free miles on the fuel filter.
For the $25 or so cost of the filter, why not change it?

I can add I have changed the fuel filter and topped off the canister with diesel before putting the top back on. The engine started up immediately, no issues. Since then I did start using the vcds

There are good diy's on how to change it.

Mine used the "wide mouth" style filter, they sometimes can be stubborn to remove because the seals work well.
 
Last edited:

hughesjasonk

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Location
New York
TDI
2002 Jetta MK4;
If you're doing the buy back anyway I would just swap the fuel in the canister so you can get the water out and ride it until you do the buyback

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
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2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
If you're doing the buy back anyway I would just swap the fuel in the canister so you can get the water out and ride it until you do the buyback

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Yes, water is what I'd be concerned about too. My filters and canister have always been clean at 20k, but others may get fuel of lower quality. I believe the interval is close to 40k miles in Europe. Presumably because they get better quality fuel.
 

meerschm

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Location
Fairfax county VA
TDI
2009 Jetta wagon DSG 08/08 205k buyback 1/8/18; replaced with 2017 Golf Wagon 4mo 1.8l CXBB
I have never seen any water in my fuel filter.

200,000 miles...
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
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Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I haven't found any water in my golf canister either. But I have seen/drained water from many diesel fuel filters. I wouldn't assume everybody is getting the same quality fuel that I am. Super easy job. Easier than an oil change.
 

DanB36

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
Savannah, GA
TDI
2014 Q5 Prestige TDI, Monsoon Gray
The fuel filter on Dieselgatemobiles is not designed to act as a water separator, the way that the ALH fuel filter is. It might yet collect water in the bottom, but it isn't designed to do so.
 

kapps

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 23, 2013
Location
Orlando
TDI
2014 Golf 6MT
Thanks everyone. I changed the filter at 40k miles myself with a friends VCDS but he had since misplaced it. Well out of the blue, he texts me today and says he found it so I no longer have a problem. I'll be able to do it the right way.

BTW, I'm sure the dealer didn't check for water when they changed it at 20k, I didn't check when I changed it at 40k, and I'm not worried about it at 70k. I drive 110 miles a day to and from work so I go through a tank a week.

So for the next guy who's trying to stretch out his fuel filter changes, if you're stopping at decent stations that have throughput on their holding tanks, I wouldn't be concerned about taking the fuel filter out to 30k. I'll post again if the filter looks excessively dirty but I suspect it'll look fine.
 

111R

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Joined
Feb 3, 2011
Location
Out There
TDI
2010 Golf - Bought Back by VW
I had my fuel filter changed as part of the factory included maintenance, but blew off changing it and the transmission service after Dieselgate began. Car had 62,000 miles at buyback.
 

edge130

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Location
northern NJ
TDI
Wife's 2009 Jetta TDI sedan (2009 - 2017)
My fuel filter canister lid has the "drain screw" on the top.
You connect a MityVac and suction out what's on the bottom of the canister.
I have never seen any water come out in my experience
 

VWjimmy

Active member
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Apr 11, 2014
Location
Oregon
TDI
01 Beetle
What about the reverse problem? In the last few months, I had a fuel supply issue--jerky and prone to die at low RPMs, strong once you push on the pedal but throws black smoke. I swapped the fuel filter, filled the new filter up with diesel, and that resolved the problem for about 6 weeks, around ~1,200 miles. Then problem reoccurs. Can a filter clog in 1,200 miles short of some larger system error? Is there something nasty in my tank?
 

Trade Wind

Veteran Member
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Feb 16, 2016
Location
Minnesota
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RIP 2012 Passat SE 6 spd MT
Filters are cheap, I'd try that one more time. If it clears the problem again, that would strongly suggest contaminated fuel. Just my two cents, no first hand experience with your problem.
 

flargabarg

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
TDI
2011 Touareg Lux TDI
You might want to start a thread somewhere where you can get visibility. An ALH question buried in a Dieselgate thread won't get many viewers.

My suspicion? An air leak. Lots of black smoke usually means plenty of fuel.
 

ecupip

Well-known member
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Jun 27, 2016
Location
Somewhere
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2012 TDI
Should be fine. When I picked up my 2012 Jetta they hadn't changed the fuel filter in over 40,000 miles. Ran just fine, but it took about a 5MPG hit in economy.
 

Rico567

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Location
Central IL
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2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
Should be fine. When I picked up my 2012 Jetta they hadn't changed the fuel filter in over 40,000 miles. Ran just fine, but it took about a 5MPG hit in economy.
And you think that the lack of a fuel filter change in 40K had something to do with a reduction in fuel efficiency? Why?
 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
If you have the new filter, change it out. You don't need vcds to fill the canister.
The only reason you use VCDS for changing the fuel filter is to purge the system of any air bubbles. Not sure if you can do the same trick as the Mk4 TDIs - basically, you turn the key to ACC (but don't actually crank the car), and then back off. Doing that turns on the fuel pump for a second or so to circulate the fuel. I do that about 30-35 times when changing the fuel filter on the Golf/Jetta; when I replaced the rubber fuel lines, I did it about 60 times to be safe. Car started right up without any problems (since we don't have a fuel pump VCDS option on the Mk4).
 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
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2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
The fuel filter on Dieselgatemobiles is not designed to act as a water separator, the way that the ALH fuel filter is.
I think you meant Mk4 - BEW and ALH engines both use the same fuel filter. In fact, all filters in the Mk4 are common between the two powertrains.
 

turbobrick240

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Location
maine
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2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
The only reason you use VCDS for changing the fuel filter is to purge the system of any air bubbles. Not sure if you can do the same trick as the Mk4 TDIs - basically, you turn the key to ACC (but don't actually crank the car), and then back off. Doing that turns on the fuel pump for a second or so to circulate the fuel. I do that about 30-35 times when changing the fuel filter on the Golf/Jetta; when I replaced the rubber fuel lines, I did it about 60 times to be safe. Car started right up without any problems (since we don't have a fuel pump VCDS option on the Mk4).
Yes, that's the idea. In reality, if the canister is full or nearly full, the system will self purge while running. If you were to watch techs at the dealerships doing fuel filters, I'd wager that 95%+ don't use any special priming. I don't believe the Bentley manual says anything about vcds priming in its fuel filter change procedure. In any case, I'm glad to have ditched my cp4 for the far superior cp3 pump.
 

meerschm

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Location
Fairfax county VA
TDI
2009 Jetta wagon DSG 08/08 205k buyback 1/8/18; replaced with 2017 Golf Wagon 4mo 1.8l CXBB
This has kind of been beat to death before,

but the 2009 and later do not operate the fuel pump (either in-tank, or intermediate electric pumps) when the start switch (not really an ignition switch) is placed in "on", and before starting.

the maintenance manual does not refer to the purge in the filter change procedure, but there is a very clear caution (to avoid vehicle damage) that says you should purge the air any time the system is opened between the tank and injector.

last time I looked, the fuel filter can would qualify.

the system does have some capacity to purge air during operation, but with the focus on HPFP, seems silly not to run the pumps if you have a VCDS.

no disrespect to folks who choose to fill and go, but this is my impression.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I remember folks insisting years ago that running the car empty of fuel would either immediately or very shortly thereafter destroy the hpfp. And that it would not be possible to restart without vcds priming. Well, a friend of mine has run her '10 jsw empty three times- and has racked up over 200k miles on the original hpfp. Each time she was able to restart by filling the canister and extensive cranking (Not enough to drain the battery). She hasn't run it empty in the last 100k- lessons learned. Not suggesting anyone do the same, but people can get carried away . Of course, this is coming from a guy who rarely uses a torque wrench (and never strips fasteners or has them come loose). :eek:
 

GoThingNC

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 28, 2010
Location
Raleigh NC
TDI
2011 JSW-Toffee Brown
I went about 45,000 miles without changing the fuel filter before the buyback.

Zero issues.
 

Rico567

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Location
Central IL
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
I went about 45,000 miles without changing the fuel filter before the buyback.

Zero issues.
I'm glad for you— but what happened to one person says nothing about what might happen to someone else who lets the filter go that long. I go to good station, get good fuel, and my car might go on the OEM filter until the wheels fall off. However, from reading this forum, it wouldn't take too much really bad fuel, or some water building up enough to be aspirated through the HPFP....then it would be lights out, a really expensive repair. I'll stick with changing my fuel filter every 20K (which is coming up before the end of the month, in fact) until we turn it in for the buyback.
 

Keith63

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2014
Location
Kentucky
TDI
2012 Jetta TDI Premium; 1974 Karmin Ghia; 1973 Super Beetle
I change mine every 10k, even though not required until 20k. I prime the pumps using VCDS.
 

kapps

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 23, 2013
Location
Orlando
TDI
2014 Golf 6MT
Just wanted to bring this thread to closure in case someone else finds it in the future. I ended up changing the filter at 72k miles, 32k miles since I changed it last. I used the VCDS to prime the pumps. Visually, the filter looked OK. I probably would have been fine to go quite a bit further on the filter. There were some dirt particles sitting in the bottom of the canister and no water was present.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
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2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Just wanted to bring this thread to closure in case someone else finds it in the future. I ended up changing the filter at 72k miles, 32k miles since I changed it last. I used the VCDS to prime the pumps. Visually, the filter looked OK. I probably would have been fine to go quite a bit further on the filter. There were some dirt particles sitting in the bottom of the canister and no water was present.
I hope you thanked our articulate president for coining that phrase! :D
 
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