40,000 mile fuel filter change with pics.

[scdevon]

I just changed the fuel filter a week ago for the second time on my Golf. Almost 41k miles on the odometer when it was changed. The canister was really clean with just pure green-ish D2. No metal anywhere. No rust. The car has had either OptiLube XPD or PS White or Grey Bottle since it left the dealer's lot two years ago.


This is a "one hole" filter canister and not an "Olympic" canister.

No metal. No rust. What looks like specs on the filter are actually reflections and small air bubbles floating on top of the fuel. The slight rusty stain on the canister lip doesn't matter. That part of the canister is exposed to the elements and it's way above the O-Ring sealing area and has no effect on the fuel system at all.

I sucked the few ounces of old fuel out of the canister and put it in my Tiki Torches for this summer.

Fit the new O-Ring carefully.

The new filter in place. Original VW (Mann) of course. Bolt the cover down carefully and evenly and don't over tighten the screws. A quick VCDS prime and it was back in service.

I honestly think 20k change intervals are overkill for this application, but genuine VW fuel filters are cheap enough and it's cheap insurance. I changed this filter in around 10 minutes being extremely clean and following factory procedures. It's ridiculously easy to change.

 

[Roshermoore]

Resize Pictures Please

Message Title!

 

[epc]

You don't suck out the fuel in the canister completely before putting down the new filter?

 

[scdevon]

You don't suck out the fuel in the canister completely before putting down the new filter?

Yes. I sucked the fuel out with a glass turkey baster. The small amount of fuel on the new filter is where I lubed the green seal with fuel on the new filter before assembling it. I wiped the canister out with lint free towels. It was squeaky clean.

 

[STRANGETDI]

Subscribed. Thanks.

 

[Henrick]

There should also be a picture of the old/dirty fuel filter element just to satisfy one's interest of 'how it looks after 20k miles'.

 

[nikhsub1]

I have a growing theory based on what my VW tech told me who has performed 16 HPFP replacements... every single one he said the fuel was foamy - they other common thread is that fuel was mostly bought at discount fuel stations, Arco, Valero Etc. It's the foam that has piqued my interest, now this could be a case of the chicken and the egg - did the failed HPFP cause the foam or did the foam cause the HPFP to fail? Could the additive keep the fuel more stable and less apt to foam? FYI my 20k filter change looked just like yours, pristine - the tech was impressed and the filter looked virtually unused. I also have used Opti-Lube every single fuel up.

 

[engineered2win]

I just did my 40k mile service yesterday. I didn't really look at the filter too much, but there were some tiny metal specs on the walls of the filter housing that I cleaned off. The priming via VCDS seems asinine. If the filter housing has been completely full, some diesel would have splashed out when I farted around prying the cover off. I was going to jump the fuel pumps, but once I got the filter out and cleaned out the housing with zero spillage, I said f it and put in the new filter and filled it with diesel kleen. It fired up as usual almost instantly. When I worked at _ummins we were using the same CP4.1 and CP4.2 pumps and we would just crank em til they fired up when we had to prime the system. Never had a problem with the terrible horrible awful HPFP destruction through thousands of hours of sheer abuse. I slept like a baby last night; if my HPFP ever does fail it's not because I didn't prime the system after changing the filter...

 

[nikhsub1]

Yeah I really don't understand the priming via VCDS IF you refill the filter housing with diesel fuel or an additive... it's not like you evacuated all the fuel in the whole system which would then require a good priming.

 

[wackypete]

I'm about to try and replace the filter on my car for the first time. Thanks for the pictures. Just a quick question: If you use VCDS to prime the system is it unnecessary to prefill the canister with fuel?

 

[scdevon]

I'm about to try and replace the filter on my car for the first time. Thanks for the pictures. Just a quick question: If you use VCDS to prime the system is it unnecessary to prefill the canister with fuel?

If you do a VCDS prime, run the feed pumps for around 2 minutes and that should be fine. No filling of the canister would be necessary. The feed pumps move massive volumes of fuel in a really short amount of time. Any voids in the fuel system would be filled very quickly.

If you're just going to fill the canister, I would suggest Diesel Kleen. You'd need about 12 ounces or so. Leave room at the top to allow for the plastic manifold on the lid which enters the canister by an inch or so.

 

[whiplash willy]

When putting the new filter in, are you supposed to put the filter in the housing first, then set the lid down on it, or attach the filter to the lid, then slide the lid+filter in the housing together, or does it matter?

 

[hotpocketdeath]

When putting the new filter in, are you supposed to put the filter in the housing first, then set the lid down on it, or attach the filter to the lid, then slide the lid+filter in the housing together, or does it matter?

Technically it doesn't matter, but personally, I would think it would be more of a pain to insert the top lid into the filter before putting the filter into the housing.

I just drop the filter into the housing and then put the lid on.

 

[scdevon]

There should also be a picture of the old/dirty fuel filter element just to satisfy one's interest of 'how it looks after 20k miles'.

Here you are. I saved the filter. The filter media is just fuel soaked. No visible dirt or metal inside or outside. This filter's capacity is huge for a 2.0 liter engine. It could go many times the 20k mile change interval in my opinion.
Of course, one load of "bad fuel" could change all of that.

I might cut the filter open to have a look in the pleats.

 

[Henrick]

Great pics, scdevon. Thanks.
FYI fuel filter change interval in Europe (same CR engines) is 60k miles. Yeah, sixty thousand miles. I don't see a reason why you guys there in N.A. couldn't go that long. I still strongly believe that less intervention into fuel system (talking about CR engines) decreases chances of a HPFP failure.

 

[hotpocketdeath]

FYI fuel filter change interval in Europe (same CR engines) is 60k miles. Yeah, sixty thousand miles. I don't see a reason why you guys there in N.A. couldn't go that long.

Europe is also known to have better diesel fuel quality than the US.

 

[scdevon]

FYI fuel filter change interval in Europe (same CR engines) is 60k miles. Yeah, sixty thousand miles. I don't see a reason why you guys there in N.A. couldn't go that long. I still strongly believe that less intervention into fuel system (talking about CR engines) decreases chances of a HPFP failure.

I agree strongly with this.
Even if you're careful about dirt and air getting into the fuel system, I'm a believer in opening these CR fuel systems as little as possible. I'm going to try longer filter change intervals this time. Maybe 30k or 40k at least. Obviously, I'm buying good quality fuel from my usual 3 filling locations here in the Rockies. This is a dry, high desert climate with little if any water concerns.
I'm using Diesel Kleen with every tank. Sometimes I use DFS if we're expecting sub zero temps.

 

[Henrick]

As for fuel quality, I remember reading Drivbiwire's post where he actually said that diesel in NA is one of the top qualities in the world... Not sure, never been to NA, never had/driven a car there.

scdevon, and others, I just think that intervals are shorter in NA market not because of some technological issues but due to the phychological factor: many people out there are still stong believers in 3k/3month OCI. Jumping straightly to say 20k mile or so OCI (which is normal in Europe) would make crowds not to trust auto manufacturer and still fall back to the classical 3k/3months OCI just because they couldn't determine a 'reasonable' OCI in case they wouldn't tryst the '20k OCI longLife schedule'.

I think we have a real example with Air Filter replacement intervals. Please correct me if I am wrong, but as far as I understand there was 20k mile engine air filter replacement interval for 2004-2006 TDI-PDs. Now with CRs you have 40k miles, right? But look, nothing has changed: the air filter box and plumbing are in fact the same they used to be in TDI-PD, even the air filter element is the same! Oh, and the cars return about the same fuel economy so we can draw a short conclusion that both engines breathe about the same air volume over time.

Same scenario might apply for the fuel filter, I believe. Maybe as soon as in 2014 you'll see 30k or 40k fuel filter change interval for technically the same fuel system.

Once again, thanks for the pics of old fuel filter element. I'll assume the Euro spec diesel is similar to US and change my fuel filter no earlier than at 40k miles.

 

[bobt2382]

Just did my second fuel filter change today @ 44262 miles. Absolutely clean. I've been using B2-B5 biodiesel and 2-4 oz of Optilube XPD as a HPFP preventative measure. I did siphon out the canister and wiped it dry. Primed the system as I added 2Micron auxilliary return filter after changing the OEM fuel filter. Hope the 2micron filter never has to replaced for a HPFP replacemnet! Link to prime the fuel system system http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a5/2009-2010-VW-TDI-fuel-filter.htm Link to 2micron setup http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=371988

scdevon, nice pics! Hope more people tackle the fuel filter replacement. It's easy and gives OCD people like me some piece of mind that the change is done correctly and you also get an idea of the state of the system whether its clean or has some debris.

 

[scdevon]

. It's easy and gives OCD people like me some piece of mind that the change is done correctly

It's not OCD to take measures to keep your car out of the hands of dealer hacks.

In the time it takes to pour a cup of coffee in a dealer service department waiting room, you could have the filter changed PROPERLY in your own driveway and never leave your house.

 

[bobt2382]

I generally concur...but would like to see the dealerships improve their mechanics attention-to-detail and pride in their workmanship for those folks that don't want to do their own wrenching or can't.

If this occured I'm sure that their sales would also improve which would be good for all of us.

Thanks agin for your pics. If I had to take pictures for a living I would be starving, lol.

 

[TDI Hoo]

Here is my DIY from another site. Hopefully, it simplifies the filter change. This is not hard at all.

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/forum/f19/diy-fuel-filter-change-2010-golf-tdi-20916/

 

[wackypete]

TDI Hoo --> that is a great write up! Thanks!

 

[wackypete]

Well I changed my fuel filter this weekend and what did I find? Thousands of flakes of aluminum sitting in the canister. I was heart broken

 

[schultp]

Well I changed my fuel filter this weekend and what did I find? Thousands of flakes of aluminum sitting in the canister. I was heart broken

How many miles on the vehicle? Is this your first filter change. There have been some members that have reported aluminum flakes on the first filter change, then hardly any on the 2nd change, then none there after. It is almost as if it was a breaking in period.

Of course, others find these flakes when a complete failure has occurred. If you are on warranty you may want to run this my your dealer and see what they have to say.

 

[canux]

Even if you're careful about dirt and air getting into the fuel system, I'm a believer in opening these CR fuel systems as little as possible. I'm going to try longer filter change intervals this time. Maybe 30k or 40k at least. Obviously, I'm buying good quality fuel from my usual 3 filling locations here in the Rockies. This is a dry, high desert climate with little if any water concerns.
I'm using Diesel Kleen with every tank. Sometimes I use DFS if we're expecting sub zero temps.

Anecdotal I know, but thought you might find this amusing. I realized this past summer while changing the FF on my CR that I had never changed the one in my wife's 2005 Passat TDI. Eight years old, 220,000 kms, original filter. I promptly did so. Frankly the car has always run well, and there was no perceptible difference after I did it. I felt better though.

 

[scdevon]

Anecdotal I know, but thought you might find this amusing. I realized this past summer while changing the FF on my CR that I had never changed the one in my wife's 2005 Passat TDI. Eight years old, 220,000 kms, original filter. I promptly did so. Frankly the car has always run well, and there was no perceptible difference after I did it. I felt better though.

The fuel filter on my 1989 Corolla was never changed. (apples and oranges comparison).My nephew is driving it now with 260,000+ miles. That Toyota fuel filter is huge. It can be considered a "lifetime" filter.

Anyway, I'm done changing the fuel filter on my Golf for the forseeable future. I felt that it was a total waste of time and money at the 20k mile interval. Probably 60k to 80k is more realistic. (Yes, I know what the owner's manual says to do).

 

[steve05ram360]

I find it interesting that the filter looks as good as it does after 20k miles. My rams filter is nearly 100% black after 10k, every filter change... (215k on it)

 

[Henrick]

Your Ram probably doesn't run as lean as VW's CRs and uses much more fuel. That results in more volume of liquid circulating through the filter element.

 

[scdevon]

I find it interesting that the filter looks as good as it does after 20k miles. My rams filter is nearly 100% black after 10k, every filter change... (215k on it)

The inside (dirty side) looked just as clean as the outside. I know that small micron particles are invisible to the naked eye, but 20k mile intervals are riduculous for this filter. As state above, the European interval is 60k. (same engine, same filter).
60k miles seems more reasonable to me. 20k is overkill. A sloppy dealer tech with a high tolerance for dirt and air pockets could do morre harm than good with 20k filter changes. I took the time to completely clean the filter canister lid with a moist towel and compressed air before I removed it.

Anal-retentive, by the book maintenance makes sense with timing belts
and such, but the maintenance schedule is way too conservative with this 20k filter interval IMO.