40,000 mile fuel filter change with pics.

[740GLE]

I just changed min at +74K, I had +19K miles on it, looked just like I changed the last one which had 15K on it.

 

[JSW_Jim]

I changed the fuel filter on my jsw ~8K miles ago. Yesterday, my wife said she noticed a diesel smell. Today, I came home to find a lot of diesel on my driveway. I popped hood and inspected the housing saw some drips on the upper fuel filter housing. Seems it's been leaking and that fuel is finding its way down to the lower sound panel and pooling down there.
I checked the tightness of each of the 5 Torx screws on the upper housing, and they are snug (a few were far looser when I originally replaced the filter). So I decided to start the engine and review where the leak occurs. Well, it didn't take long to see fuel bubbling out between the upper and lower housings on a section between two of the screws. My local parts store and the dealership are closed so I'll be visiting one of them in the morning to see about a replacement o-ring. I could have swore that I replaced that (didn't it come with the fuel filter?) but my memory is failing me.
Anyone else see this occur?

 

[fdizz]

^They can get pinched and leak, I've heard people say they put a tiny bit of Vaseline on the ring before putting it on. I've never done this and I've never had any problems just throwing the new ring on there and torque her down. It sounds like your leak is just because you forgot to put the new ring on, and yes a new one comes with the filter.

 

[skinnyb]

^They can get pinched and leak, I've heard people say they put a tiny bit of Vaseline on the ring before putting it on.

I ususally do this when I change mine. I have had mine leak before as well. First time it happened, the dealer took care of it (under warranty), the second time, I just simply changed the filter again and took more care of the o-ring when reassembling...

 

[Danphoto]

Does the fuel flow into the filter from the hole on top (late model filters) or from the canister side in? Thanks for clearing this up!

 

[Anonymous911]

It has to be changed at 40k miles? not every 10k miles?

 

[WutGas?]

It has to be changed at 40k miles? not every 10k miles?

Fuel Filter? Every 20K.

 

[bobt2382]

.... My local parts store and the dealership are closed so I'll be visiting one of them in the morning to see about a replacement o-ring. I could have swore that I replaced that (didn't it come with the fuel filter?) but my memory is failing me.
Anyone else see this occur?

Yes, An o-ring comes with the filter. Let us know what the problem was.

 

[JSW_Jim]

Thanks for the responses. I picked up a new fuel filter at lunch, and it did indeed come with a new o-ring. I went home to verify that the filters matched, and it's the same part in the same box that I previously bought (I kept the box and old filter) but I didn't find the old o-ring. I'll change it both out tonight when I have more time and can get the VCDS out to prime the fuel system.

 

[JSW_Jim]

I pulled the fuel housings apart and found the o-ring shredded. I suctioned out some fuel then pulled out the filter. I was very pleased not to find any metal shavings in the lower housing. I replaced the o-ring after dunking it into some fuel. I added a little grease to the ring and the lower housing where it seals. I replaced the filter, re-added some fuel then reseated the upper housing. I took great care to evenly tighten the screws and the torqued them to spec. I got out the VCDS and then ran the fuel pump output tests as described in an article on a different forum. I started it up and re-checked for fuel leaks. No leaks found and problem solved. I'm thinking about taking to my local mechanic to get the engine compartment and the lower sound cover steam cleaned. Thanks again for your advice.

 

[bobt2382]

Glad to hear it was a "simple" solution. Hope you get it cleaned up.

 

[Anonymous911]

I will be doing my first fuel filter change at 40k mile, before that VW did change it for free as part of 3 years/36k miles maintenance.

I dont have VAGCOM. So I can pour Optilube XPD in the canister and put new filter in it or mix diesel fuel with XPD in the canister?

 

[turbobrick240]

Yeah, that is what I do. First, I stuff a bunch of rags around the canister to absorb any overflow. Then I fill the canister w/filter to within about a 1/2" of the top with clean fuel and a touch of lubricity additive. When the top is tightened a minimal amount overflows. Never a stumble, hiccup etc. on startup. Personally, I think this method is better than vcds priming because I can see the full canister with my own eyes.

 

[iamatt]

Never had a need to prime it. I guess if you like to geek out and have nothing better to do than play with laptops with dirty hands sitting in your car in the driveway you can do that too. I just replace and car cranks right over no problems. My duramax has a hand pump on the filter but I never used that either. Fuel filter looked just like yours. Looked brand new just wet.

 

[turbobrick240]

Kind of asking for controversy with this post, but here it goes;
Every time I have cracked the fuel canister on my '11, the fuel and filter have been pristine. Did first at 20k miles, then @ 40k intervals since. Honestly, I think 60k intervals might be even better. Every time the canister gets opened is a great opportunity for contamination to enter the fuel system. I may stick with the 40k interval though, on the off chance that I get a really horrible tank of fuel. Let the criticism begin!

 

[Henrick]

Kind of asking for controversy with this post, but here it goes;
Every time I have cracked the fuel canister on my '11, the fuel and filter have been pristine. Did first at 20k miles, then @ 40k intervals since. Honestly, I think 60k intervals might be even better. Every time the canister gets opened is a great opportunity for contamination to enter the fuel system. I may stick with the 40k interval though, on the off chance that I get a really horrible tank of fuel. Let the criticism begin!

Intervals for FF replacement in Europe is 60k miles.
I have replaced mine at 45k mile lark just to be safe. I found it "looking as new but wet". Will do it after 50k miles next time if I own the car.

 

[meerschm]

My filters after the first time seemed pretty clean,

however, if you see earlier posts, there is plenty of advice to change the fuel filter at first hint of performance issues.

I defer to the professional mechanics as to how many actual problems they have seen tied to dirty fuel filters.

but I like to follow the maintenance schedule.

 

[turbobrick240]

I am a bit of a rebel when it comes to the american maintenance schedule. I have pushed my OCI out to 12,500 miles a number of times. I think the discrepancy between the european schedule and ours has nothing to do with fuel or lubricant quality. Rather, it has to do with american cultural perceptions (or misperceptions) of what intervals are acceptable.

 

[frugality]

Never had a need to prime it. I guess if you like to geek out and have nothing better to do than play with laptops with dirty hands sitting in your car in the driveway you can do that too. I just replace and car cranks right over no problems. My duramax has a hand pump on the filter but I never used that either. Fuel filter looked just like yours. Looked brand new just wet.

As a relatively 'early adopter' of a CR TDI, I wanted to inspect for sparkly metal bits in the fuel canister. So I did my own changes at 20k intervals, used a dollar-store turkey baster to transfer all the fuel to a pickle jar, and used VCDS to prime the dry filter and housing. I saw sparkly bits at 20k and 40k, decreasing at 60k and 80k to where you pretty much had to shine a flashlight into the fuel to see sparkles. So I was satisfied that I was seeing break-in wear, not soon-to-be-catastrophic wear.

Not a bad idea to look for water, either. Someone recently posted a picture of the bottom of their fuel filter canister on a year-old car, and it had a lot of rust in the bottom of the housing. Somehow it had water in it. That is good stuff to investigate. If you just pull out a wet filter and submerge a new one and fire up the car and call it good, you would miss such things.

I guess I like to 'geek out'. But I call it 'maintenance.'

 

[scdevon]

Since the thread is active again, the filter is still doing fine at 75,100 miles which is 35,000 miles on the filter. I'm willing to do 60,000 miles on this filter as an experiment for the forum which will take me to 100,000 miles. If all looks well, I think 60k miles is going to be my new interval.

As I said before, I'm not a big fan of opening a CR fuel system needlessly and I think 20k mile intervals recommended by VW are ridiculously conservative.

 

[Anonymous911]

Ok, How can i put new diesel fuel into the fuel filter canister? I mean, put the new diesel fuel in small gas can and bring it home from the diesel station?

 

[kobrian85]

Ok, How can i put new diesel fuel into the fuel filter canister? I mean, put the new diesel fuel in small gas can and bring it home from the diesel station?

I think I saw others recommend just filling the filter housing with Power Serv or Optilube. Just pick up a bottle at your local parts store and go that route? Otherwise, your method would work as well.

 

[Anonymous911]

I think I saw others recommend just filling the filter housing with Power Serv or Optilube. Just pick up a bottle at your local parts store and go that route? Otherwise, your method would work as well.

I have a gallon of Optilube XPD, so i just fill the XPD up in the fuel canister?

 

[turbobrick240]

Why not just fill up a clean quart mason jar with diesel ?

 

[frugality]

If you have diesel lyin' around, you're good to go. But most don't, and since diesel fuel additives are primarily diesel fuel, you can pre-fill your fuel filter housing with it.

The 3rd option involves VCDS (VAG-COM, cable and software): Install the filter in your empty filter housing, close it all up, and use VCDS to force your car's tank pump and intermediate pump to fill the housing. There's a how-to on myturbodiesel.com, I believe.

 

[Anonymous911]

If you have diesel lyin' around, you're good to go. But most don't, and since diesel fuel additives are primarily diesel fuel, you can pre-fill your fuel filter housing with it.

The 3rd option involves VCDS (VAG-COM, cable and software): Install the filter in your empty filter housing, close it all up, and use VCDS to force your car's tank pump and intermediate pump to fill the housing. There's a how-to on myturbodiesel.com, I believe.

No diesel lying around. Okay I fill up with optilube xpd in the housing???

 

[turbobrick240]

You own a tdi, so you must have access to diesel fuel. Clean out and dry a spaghetti sauce jar real well, and fill er up. Can't comment on the optilube, not familiar w its composition. Also clean off the canister lid real well before cracking it open.

 

[azthegame]

I think it's crazy to advocate a double or triple interval for FF changes when HPFP failures are such a concern, especially when it comes to warranty repairs.. I would think the last thing you want is for VW to discover (somehow someway) you neglected your FF for 60k miles and just hand them reasons to deny warranty work. Once we start seeing VW no longer giving freebies to out of warranty drivers, I would gladly advocate the longer intervals! Lol

 

[turbobrick240]

If there were any warranty issues, vwoa would have absolutely no idea how many miles are on the filter. And no way to prove anything. I think being overzealous with fuel filter intervals has negative consequences. Similar to how overzealous oil change intervals have negative consequences. I'm sure the germans get a good laugh out of us changing fuel filters every 20k miles. But, but, the book says.... When i see any evidence of anything other than clean fuel in my canister, then i may consider going down to a 30k mile interval.

 

[frugality]

I think it's crazy to advocate a double or triple interval for FF changes when HPFP failures are such a concern,....

So running a filter longer reduces filtering how? How does a clogged filter introduce increased particles to the HPFP?

If anything, running a filter long would lead to clogging. But I'm not sure how that would affect the HPFP.