How do I remove the fuel filter for 2006 Jetta?

[galrol]

I am trying to remove the fuel filter from the housing and tried to turn it a quarter turn but it still does not come out. It has a center piece which does not turn. This center piece looks like it is part of the canister. Anyone know how to get this filter out?

 

[SootHappens]

If it's like mine was, (build date 04/06):

The center "IS" part of the canister..

In my first attempts, I tried pushing down and turning, trying to "unlock" the filter,, didn't work... It just needed to come "UP"...

Grab the filter, Rotate any direction and pull out at the same time. It has a very tight "O" ring that rides on the center shaft . You could even go so far as to use two flat screwdrivers on opposing sides to pry the filter upwards.

Also, if you plan on cleaning the canister you might want to remove it via the 2 10mm bolts and 1 nut, THEN removing the filter..> That way you don't get (as much) diesel all over the car.

Hope this helps!

 

[DrewD]

I had trouble with mine using my hands and struggling with it for almost 20 minutes. I gave up and used a screwdriver to pop it out.

 

[CADtechTDi]

Take a baster or large syringe and suck some of the diesel from the canister; then either remove the entire canister from the car (there should be two tabs on the back of the cannister housing that will release it), or grab the filter with a clean shop rag. The rag will keep the fuel from flying all over when the filter does release.

 

[docvb]

Just did mine today. Pry up on both sides with screwdrivers: the center part with the 5-hole gasket is fixed and stays in the chamber. The filter will pop up over the center post.

Don't forget to extract the bottom 1" out with a topsider, baster or syringe. If there's water, it'll be on the bottom of the lighter D2.

No water in mine (30K miles) but I did vacuum up several particles of crud and ended up emptying it completely with my docksider extractor (same unit as I extract oil with during oil change and filter/cooler change).

I was surprised--the fuel was clear with a faint bluegreen tint. I thought the stuff would be black/opaque. The filter, however, was quite blackened.

When replacing cover to filter, the filter is spring-loaded and will compress with the cap during tightening of the screws.

Vehicle started right up, no need to bleed the air out.

I'm surprised that the specs say to change filter every 20K miles. That's a huge filter to swap after only ~500 gallons fuel is run through there. But it was blackened....

DocVB 2006 Jetta TDI w/ DSG

 

[mjwhoopie]

I change my fuel filter with every oil change. Filters are cheap enough.

Never know how clean the fuel we are buying is. All it takes is a one source of contamination along the supply route, and now it's your rusty dusty on the side of the road, with fuel problems, trying to find a tow truck in the middle of BFE!

 

[40X40]

I change my fuel filter with every oil change. Filters are cheap enough.

Never know how clean the fuel we are buying is. All it takes is a one source of contamination along the supply route, and now it's your rusty dusty on the side of the road, with fuel problems, trying to find a tow truck in the middle of BFE!

Just look in your trunk and find the spare filter and tools you put in there.... You did put them in there, right?

Bill

 

[DieselDavid]

If it's like mine was, (build date 04/06):

The center "IS" part of the canister..

In my first attempts, I tried pushing down and turning, trying to "unlock" the filter,, didn't work... It just needed to come "UP"...

Grab the filter, Rotate any direction and pull out at the same time. It has a very tight "O" ring that rides on the center shaft . You could even go so far as to use two flat screwdrivers on opposing sides to pry the filter upwards.

I wish I had known this the first time I changed my fuel filter at 20,000 miles. In another thread it told us to push and turn the old fuel filter to get it to release. Mine wouldn't push down and it simply turned round and round in circles. Finally I gave up and used a screwdriver to pry it up a little bit at the edge, then I twisted back and forth and pulled with my fingers to get it to come out. Now we know it is simply a snug fit and slowly tugging will get it to come out.

The other thing that made me panic was seeing the center part of the fuel filter inside the canister. I wrongly guessed that the center thing was part of the old fuel filter and since my new fuel filter was hollow inside I worried that I had the wrong new fuel filter. Thank goodness I didn't try to pry up that center thing which is part of the fuel filter canister! Once I got the old fuel filter out I saw my new fuel filter matched. All was good.

At 40,000 miles changing the fuel filter will take much less time than it did at 20,000 miles. That's for sure!!!

 

[stumblinhorse]

Once the new filter is in the canister you do not need to refill the canister with D2? Do you just bump the starter to have the canister fill or some other procedure like that? That is the procedure for a Cummins, bump the starter without letting the engine start about 3 times and it is full.

I am coming up on 20k...

 

[Lightflyer1]

Just turn the key on 2 or 3 times for a few seconds. Then start. No bumping the starter required.

 

[ErikR]

First time I changed my fuel filter I did not refill my canister as it was mostly full and and the filter was very clean. Next time I change it I was thinking about draining the canister and filling it with just diesel purge (red stuff) for some nozzle cleaning? Not the same diesel purge procedeure as posted here, but would it work or just get too diluted to clean?

 

[Lightflyer1]

When you changed the filter you didn't dump the contents of the housing? It should be empty when you put it back together with a new filter.

 

[rpm]

I just did my 20K service, and I too found that the "push down and twist to unlock" method that LargeMarge posted a while back didn't do anything but allow the filter to rotate. I ended up just unclipping the housing, dumping the fuel in a clean can, and then pulling up on the filter. Yes, it takes some force, but it's a lot easier to do outside the engine compartment with an empty canister.

I just dumped the old fuel (no water was apparent) into my home heating oil tank. I primed the canister following LargeMarge's instructions (I have a middle bleed screw on my fuel filter canister cap). It took about 10 cycles of on-off to fill the canister. The car started right up.

 

[nicknack2]

Two types of filters for the 06 Jetta TDI!!!

hey guys dont forget that there are two types of f/filters for the '06 jettas, the only way to know which one you need is by way of your VIN #, have to have that when ordering or buying new f/filter, one type of filter has one end closed and one open, the other type is open on both ends of the filter, also there two housing for the filters, one w/ a bleeder screw and one w/out. I hope this helps!!! my jetta has the double open end and to replece it you just pull up on it and it will slip right up(some force required).

 

[ErikR]

When you changed the filter you didn't dump the contents of the housing? It should be empty when you put it back together with a new filter.

I neglected to drain it at 20K, but I just did the 30K oil change and I also changed the fuel filter for kicks. Glad I did since there were particles at the bottom of the housing that I sucked up with the Pela and the filter was extremely dirty. At 20K the filter was clean but in this 20K - 30K interval over the winter it was bad. I've gotten my fuel from the same high volume Sunoco station the whole time (unlabeled pumps of LSD).

 

[shaark92]

Help!!!!

OK ... a self-described ne-er do well here!

Attacking the 20K servicing ... read-up on this thread about the fuel filter. Seemed to go OK (I wouldn't say it's easier to change this one than my Super Duty ... NOR my John Deere! as someone suggested earlier)

Serviced the oil ... pan plug installed ... oil filter installed.

Cranked ... ran for a few seconds & quit ... actually, about the time I had the climatronic code for the oil pressure readout. Then the MFD displayed the oil can!

I'd put 5 short quarts in it (didn't wait for the dripping) ... so I thought maybe it needed to pressurize the journals/et al & wasn't patient enough (Last two times I've changed the oil, I only put 4.5 to start ... then finished w/ the other 1/2 ... so I figured I'd just put the "full" 5 to begin with)

I checked the fuel filter cannister ... it's full.

I drained about 1/2 a quart of oil w/o making a huge mess --- believe it or not! Still won't start.

I put VAG-COM on it ... no inexplicable codes (digital radio, but I know about that)

How do I reset this thing w/o pulling the battery post???

Thanks!

Al

 

[shaark92]

hello self-bleed!

Problem was air in the fuel system ... even though fuel was pumpin out the line at the injector pump!

Had to remove the filter ... prime the cannister to ~1/2 capacity & reinstall. Was concerned about damaging the filter during the R/R ... since I virtually destroyed the old one.

Glad this only happens every 20K miles!

On the other hand ... currency in this task will present it's own challenge ... (sleepin on it so long ... I'll probably get to RELEARN this one)

(The mechanic I saw, when queried, said he's seen no evidence of PD failures w/ BioD ... VW claiming no sulfur in the BioD is causing problems ... but ULSD is almost as void of Su ... )

Al

 

[40X40]

Pry the old filter straight up with two flat screwdrivers.
Put new filter into canister. Put lid on with new 0-rings per service manual.
Turn key to run position for 30 seconds.
Turn key off, then back to run position for 30 seconds. This lets the in-tank fuel pump prime the filter and fuel lines.
Start engine normally, let idle for 1 or 2 minutes while watching for oil leaks and any idiot lights on dash.
If the engine will not start right away, you will get an oil light on the dash.
Before starting, check the oil level in the engine... Especially if you have 'help' during the oil/fuel filter change.......


Bill

 

[shaark92]

$83 lesson

Thanks Bill,

I guess Bentley has updated their service manual ... mine wouldn't open & the .exe file is >12mb ... a bit large for my Dial-UP ISP.

So ... I attacked this fuel filter diddy deaf, dumb AND blind (posts here notwithstanding ... but a picture is worth a thou, right)

Anyhow ... I did replace the o-rings ... filter seated properly ... cap reinstalled snugly.

Honestly, I don't remember if I delayed 30 seconds before cranking or not. That may have been my big mistake. Not wanting to burn-up the starter, I ended up winching the thing onto a trailer & taking it to Tim's German Auto in Ft. Worth (1+30 away). Tim had offered some gratis counsel over the phone ... cautioning about the limited duty cycle.

I didn't really want to attempt removal of my new (only) filter to prime the cannister per his other suggestion ... so I pulled the hose at the injector pump ... lotta fuel! But apparently there must have been air in the line which compressed & restricted the fuel's feeding into the IP ... no startee.

1 hr of labor from a pro ... plus Caesar's cut ... $83.

I've paid for the hit ... literally ... but the removal of that filter isn't the easiest thing to do. My Super Duty was MANY times easier to remove/replace. Ditto for the tractor.

Livin & learnin!

Al

 

[nicknack2]

Ip???

It was my understanding that 06 tdi did not have a IP is PD so the mechanic might be confused and I dont think the system needs to be purged just open the switch and the pump should fill the canister

 

[shaark92]

IP = Injector Pump

That may not be the VW nomenclature ... but that's what it is. Just a different path to the injectors, right? vv. the "common-rail"

Like I told Bill, I thought I'd given enough time for the electric pump to purge/prime/bleed ... but evidently not.

Incredible that the little engine would violently shake the car while turning-over (& not starting) ... yet almost requires an instrument cross check to verify operation when it's running! LOL!

Al

 

[whitedog]

Shaark, you did not pull the hose off of the injection pump. You may have pulled the hose off os the low pressure transfer pump on the back, but that that is not in injection pump. All it does is feed the high pressure injection pumps under the valve cover.

 

[shaark92]

Fair nuff ...

The "hootus" wasn't on the back, btw ... it was on the engine's L Hand side ... on the block (head?) just inboard of the intake tube. One of the 2 lines attached to the fuel filter cover going to the engine.

It was pumpin fuel like a geiser ... I thought that meant the filter/cannister was primed. Guess I was wrong.

If I could get my Bentley manual to open on my PC ... I might have a better idea of what I'm talking about :^{