tandem pump gasket

colezy9 · August 19th, 2009, 10:21

Has anyone had experience with changing the tandem pump gasket? Is there any guide on this? The part number is: 038145215 and TDIParts.com has the part - http://tdiparts.com/catalog/product_...oducts_id=1316.
I have not noticed any oil leaks, but I had my car in to the stealership for the Glowplug recall and they noticed this. They would fix it, but I'm not so sure it's necessary and I don't trust them to do the work.
I drive an '05 Mkiv Jetta GLS TDI 1.9L BEW, auto/tiptronic with 78k miles.

aNUT · August 19th, 2009, 10:37

Tandem pump gasket is easy to replace. Simply remove the tandem pump and install with a new gasket. Typical symptoms are seeping fuel. Very common.

colezy9 · August 19th, 2009, 10:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by aNUT

Tandem pump gasket is easy to replace. Simply remove the tandem pump and install with a new gasket. Typical symptoms are seeping fuel. Very common.

Are there any special tools required to do this?

oilhammer · August 19th, 2009, 10:41

You may want a ball-ended Allen socket. Also, be certain to get the area squeaky clean before install, and CAREFULLY check the coolant hose that runs under the pump. Because if it has been seeping, chances are very high that hose is swollen and needs to be replaced.

PDJetta · August 19th, 2009, 13:02

The Bentley procedure to R & R the pump states that the fuel has to be suctioned out of the tandem pump (by removing the fuel lines to it and applying a vacuum to the return line, I believe) before the pump is removed. I don't know if this just applies to just replacing the gasket (and leaving the fuel lines connected to the pump), though. The pump is connected to the fuel galery bored into the head, so some fuel may leak out if the pump is not drained before it is removed from the head to replace the gasket. I would drain the fuel loop to be safe.

--Nate

oilhammer · August 19th, 2009, 15:02

Some fuel will dribble out I think no matter what you do. That gasket seals the pump against the head, which has a passage to feed the PD's injectors. It is sort of like a feed rail, just cast into the head. The tandem pump runs the predelivery fuel pressure up to minimum 7.5 bar at 4000 RPM. That's a little over 110 PSI, so they no doubt wanted to eliminate any pressures that high from being in any hoses anywhere. So the tandem pump bolted directly to the head eliminates that and makes for a simple design.

That is probably also why they use that flat steel gasket. However, the couple gaskets I have replaced resulted in needing a new pump anyways, as the leak was the pump halves not the gasket ot the head. But it is virtually impossible to see with everything assembled. There were many early PDs recalled for leaky tandem pumps. But even some that were not under recall have had leaks. I would hardly call it epidemic, but something that should be checked at every service.

PDJetta · August 20th, 2009, 06:04

I check mine every time I open the hood. At 102,000 miles on the original tandem pump, no leaks. I have an early '04 (Oct. '03 build date) and it has the Luk pump. My car did not qualify for the pump replacement, the car was BELOW the VIN range. I wasted a few hours at the dealer after they told me to bring it in for a replacement, looked up the VIN after I got there, and then sent me home

. Evidently, the recall was for mid 2004 MY to mid- or late-year 2005s.

Now, the lift pump was a different story, it bit the dust sudenly at 46,000 miles, killing the engine while I was driving at about 50 MPH. Towed to VW and fixed under warranty.

--Nate

zanzabar · August 20th, 2009, 12:03

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=244046

Fuel can leak from the block to pump gasket and also from the pump cover.