how to drain water from fuel filter?

[Toby_B]

how are you supposed to drain the water from the fuel filter? if i open the drain all it does is suck air, there has to be a way.

 

[Toby_B]

nobody has ever drained their fuel filter?

 

[DPM]

If it's sucking back to the tank, pulling one of the hoses on top should let it drain.

 

[tditom]

you remove the thermostat T at the top of the filter before opening up the drain.

 

[Jon Linn]

How much do you drain out?

 

[RuneTDI]

if there is any water, it will drain out first. when you see diesel coming out, close it. you're done. water is heavier, so it will stay on the bottom. that's why the drain is on the bottom. i have to do that myself. btw, this is an old post. notice the dates?

 

[roach35]

is this true for the A4 engine? How do you get to the bottom of the filter? thanks, roach

 

[ssullivan]

Might help to pull the windshield fluid bottle. Might be easiest to loosen the mounting bolt and slide the filter up in its holder.

I'm answering this old thread because it was the first search result.

 

[Abacus]

That might work for an A4 but this is the A3/B4 section and the windshield fluid bottle is on the opposite side of the engine from the fuel filter.

 

[ToddA1]

I do think the tip about loosening the clamp screw would help. I don’t think I’ve ever opened that drain on any of my diesels and saw water. I stopped checking.

-Todd

 

[garciapiano]

I believe 4-8 oz or so should be sufficient.

 

[DonL]

I quit draining the filter years ago. In Arizona it is not much of a concern. I found it best to loosen the screw and lift the filter a little.

 

[Steve Addy]

The last time I drained water from any diesel was in 2000 when drained the unit underneath on my 86 Golf diesel...and there was NO water in it then. If there wasn't anything in that catchall then I honestly don't think I'll be finding anything in the filter.

We haven't had any local contamination issues in ages...nothing in the last decade that I recall.

Steve