Contaminants drained from fuel filter

[TDI4US]

Just purchased my first TDI and this forum is great. I have been going through and doing all the rcommended services and improvements. This forum makes it easy. Just changed the fuel filter and there was a couple tablespoons of brown liquid (I exspected water but not brown stuff). Is this normal? Took a picture but I couldn't figure out how to post it here.

Is there something else I should look at?

Car runs good and I'm getting 50 MPG.

Saw the thread on diesel purge, should I do that next?

 

[jasonTDI]

Just change the filter and diesel purge the car and you'll be fine. Someone got some bad fuel somewhere.

 

[RabbitGTI]

I don't know if TDI filters are constructed the same as earlier VW filters, but if you have a lot of water in the tank and it gets in the filter, it may destroy the filter and allow water, dirt and gummy/slimy/brown junk into the FI system. At least that is what happened on early cars when a lot of water got into the fuel system and the filter was not changed quickly.

 

[b4black]

It's dirty water. Water tends to catch and hold particulates, dirt, rust, etc.

 

[Nocky]

Is there a water separator on the new 06 Jetta’s? If so were is it located?

 

[naturist]

Is there a water separator on the new 06 Jetta’s? If so were is it located?

The water separator on most diesels is part of the fuel filter assembly, drained from a fitting on the bottom of the fuel filter housing.

It is so on the pre-PD VWs, and I believe it is the same on the latest ones, although I have never checked one.

 

[whitedog]

On the A5 there is no drain on the bottom of the filter. I Think "they" reccommend succking out anything from the bottom of the filter housing.

Either that or they figure that the small amount that may get in there can just be run through the fuel system.