MKV Fuel Filter Replacement Procedure

MWCAdmiral

New member
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Sep 23, 2007
Location
VA
TDI
Jetta '06
nutdriver said:
I have not encountered this problem on the PD engine but suspect that you have air that has entered your fuel injector system. I think the final solution will be bleeding the system. You might try a boolean search using key words such as:
  • bleeding AND fuel AND system AND PD
Hopefully one of the experts will help with more details specific to this engine.
I came to the same conclusion - air in the system. I was finally able to tackle this problem today and, after much reading on these forums and lots of reading in Bentley's manual, I was able to get it working. It was so nice to hear the purr of that engine running again after I managed to cause it problems by doing what I thought would be easy maintenance. When it's time to do it again, I don't know if I'll try it again.
 

ZIG TDI

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Charlotte, NC
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2006 Jetta TDI... 145k (replaced bad cam, and DMF at 64k)
Admiral........ what did you do to correct the problem of it not starting?
 

nutdriver

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Wichita Area KS
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Jetta 2006 (Previously NB 2000)
Admiral part 2 - As you reflect on your filter change do you have any better sense of what you did that might have resulted in the air getting into your system?
 

no-blue-screen

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Maryland
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What I did was tighten the bolts in a star pattern by turning each bolt 4 turns before movingto the next bolt....I did this until they were all snug, then I gave them about an extra 1/8 turn to make sure they were tight.
 

damnyankee

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Sep 10, 2007
Location
Houston, TX.
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Because my 06.5 Jetta sat at the dealership for sometime, I changed the oil/filter and fuel filter. The fuel filter is the later type. The coloration of the filter looked the same as in post #8. My Jetta has 3500 miles on it. Is that normal?
 

MWCAdmiral

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Jetta '06
ZIG TDI said:
Admiral........ what did you do to correct the problem of it not starting?
I did the same thing Florida Blue did mentioned here (post #3): http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=174260&highlight=air+fuel+lines
Hardest part was figuring out how to remove the hoses without making a mess. Luckily, it wasn't as messy as I feared.

nutdriver said:
Admiral part 2 - As you reflect on your filter change do you have any better sense of what you did that might have resulted in the air getting into your system?
Not a clue what I did that caused the air to get in the system. I made sure to turn the key to start to prime the system - I did it probably half a dozen times to be on the safe side, but it still happened. Its the reason I hesitate to do it again. Thanks for your help nutdriver.
 

Soul777Toast

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May 6, 2006
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Lebanon, NH
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2010 Jetta Sportwagen TDI
Thanks All!

Hey guys, just completed my first fuel filter change on my 06! Totally easy, thanks to all the great advice in this thread. Man, what a difference a new fuel and air filter can make! I had forgotten how much fun this car was to drive, I guess I was really due for it. Anyway, thanks for all the help!
 

chas083

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Sep 19, 2005
TDI
2006 VW Jetta TDI gray
First change

I'm ready to do my first do it yourself fuel filter change. My 2006 has the bleeder screw. Do I need to do anything different or require a different filter?
 

10then34

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Feb 15, 2007
Location
North Dakota
TDI
'06 Jetta
Changed it today at 44k miles. I am pretty convinced that those torx have never been touched by a torx-nut before (bought the car at 24k, dealer serviced...). Filter looked pretty gross, but came out without a hitch. I re-filled the space around the filter with fresh diesel, reduces the dead-space.

Thanks for the tips.
 

Lightflyer1

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Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
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2015 Beetle tdi dsg
chas083 said:
I'm ready to do my first do it yourself fuel filter change. My 2006 has the bleeder screw. Do I need to do anything different or require a different filter?
Just leave the bleeder screw alone and change the filter. Dump or pump the canister dry to get rid of anything else in there.
 

GRdiesel

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Mar 14, 2006
Location
Fort Lee NJ
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06 Jetta
I finally found some time to read this entire post.

Unless I missed something… or am I doing it wrong by removing the entire canister?

1) Remove the two 10mm screws holding in the canister.

2) Slide back the clamps onto the hoses, slide back the hoses, there is minimal fuel seepage on the rag.

3) I take the entire assembly to the bench, drain the fuel then remove the lid. Clean it out thoroughly with air, replace element, all o-rings and re-install lid. Re-install canister, hoses and clamps.

I cycle the key 3 to 4 times, there are no noises to indicate the pump is priming.:confused: Then it instantly fires and runs for a few minutes then dies. Then, after a few tries of cranking it fires up. Obviously I am not refilling the canister and causing an air pocket in the fuel line.

I find it much easier and never spilled any fuel in the engine area.
 

Lightflyer1

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2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Mine doesn't have the screws. Just slides up and out. I remove the lid after loosening the mount and then just remove the canister itself.
 

Da~da~da

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GRdiesel said:
Unless I missed something… or am I doing it wrong by removing the entire canister?
I find it much easier and never spilled any fuel in the engine area.
I think that perhaps it is personal preference, as in I prefer not to be removing hoses etc, and am perfectly happy with just placing rags around it just in case some fuel splashes. By not removing hoses and the canister, I believe it is much faster, less messy and perhaps you remove the potential for air in the lines by not removing them from the lid? Again, this is my personal preference and opinion only. I do not think that you are doing anything wrong with how you are performing it.
 

nutdriver

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Feb 4, 2002
Location
Wichita Area KS
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Jetta 2006 (Previously NB 2000)
GRdiesel said:
I finally found some time to read this entire post.

Unless I missed something… or am I doing it wrong by removing the entire canister?

1) Remove the two 10mm screws holding in the canister.

2) Slide back the clamps onto the hoses, slide back the hoses, there is minimal fuel seepage on the rag.

3) I take the entire assembly to the bench, drain the fuel then remove the lid. Clean it out thoroughly with air, replace element, all o-rings and re-install lid. Re-install canister, hoses and clamps.

I cycle the key 3 to 4 times, there are no noises to indicate the pump is priming.:confused: Then it instantly fires and runs for a few minutes then dies. Then, after a few tries of cranking it fires up. Obviously I am not refilling the canister and causing an air pocket in the fuel line.

I find it much easier and never spilled any fuel in the engine area.
Is there any final conclusions as to whether the key cycling really does activate the fuel pump or perhaps this varies with the car version we are driving??
 

no-blue-screen

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TDI
nutdriver said:
Is there any final conclusions as to whether the key cycling really does activate the fuel pump or perhaps this varies with the car version we are driving??
With mine, the filter was installed in a completely dry canister. So on vehicles with the newer style top, yes it does. As soon as I turned the key I could hear the fuel filling in and it started right up with no studders or stalls. On the 05.5 or early 06 models I am not sure...I didn't have my early 06 long enough to change the filter on it.
 

Lightflyer1

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Round Rock, Texas
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2015 Beetle tdi dsg
The early models are the same except for one little bleed screw on the canister top. You don't even need to mess with the screw. Just treat it as if it were one of the later models without the screw. I have an early 06 and filled mine from a dry status as well. I had the same results as you did (nbs). Mine has no screws holding the canister in. It just slides down into some slots that hold it in.
 

GregoryB

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Aug 28, 2005
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Canton, Ohio
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Jetta, 2006, Platinum Grey, Package2, DSG, VAG-COM
I sucked my canister dry with my Pela. I noticed small granular, possibly dirt or some such contaminate at the bottom. I installed a new filter and primed the canister with Power Service. I cannot believe the boost in performance and fuel economy since the change. It does make me wonder if the dealerships suck the crap out of the canister or simply pop in a new filter and leave it to once again suck up the old and dirty fuel. And the fuel that was in the canister was dirty as was the canister much like the photos at the top.
 
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Howell

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Sep 9, 2007
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Frederick, MD
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'06 Jetta TDI
Hey just wanted to thank everybody for the info in this thread and others. Purchased a low mile early '06 in sept and right before 15k I started noticing the stuttering in 5th when trying to accelerate. A couple quick searches on here pinpointed my problem. I asked last time I was getting an oil change how much the dealer wanted and they said 106, I told them I would give them 50 since it was cold and I didn't have a garage. I guess they don't bargin very often :)

I had the filter for a couple of weeks but hadn't taken the time to throw it in. Then yesterday it got to the point that I was stuttering in all gears except 1st and I really couldn't push it over 80mph or 3k rpms. Following the advice here the swap went really smooth(minus dropping a bolt down onto the plastic underskirt and not having a magnet handy). Filter was FILTHY. I had all my power back this morning and was loving my ride to work.

It seems like there is a lot of back and forth on some of the differences in setups but for the record mine did not have the center bleeder screw and it required unbolting to remove the canister. And a suggestion about removing the filter, just stick your hand down there and pull and twist, don't baby it.
 

10then34

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Feb 15, 2007
Location
North Dakota
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'06 Jetta
Howell said:
And a suggestion about removing the filter, just stick your hand down there and pull and twist, don't baby it.
Easy there !

Someone on this board was recently looking for a source for a used filter cannister. He had yanked the center collumn out of his....
 

Howell

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Location
Frederick, MD
TDI
'06 Jetta TDI
10then34 said:
Easy there !

Someone on this board was recently looking for a source for a used filter cannister. He had yanked the center collumn out of his....
Of course I mean with in reason. But I can see if you are afraid to get your fingers dirty it would be hard to remove just trying to grab the very top.
 

TDI06GUY

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May 27, 2007
Location
Alabama
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2013 TDI Passat
Fuel Filter Service

Hello all: Just did mt 20K service yesterday and with the help of this board and thread everything went smoothly with my fuel filter replacement. I have an '06.5 Jetta with the 434B filter (green gasket in the filter). I followed everything to the letter and was glad I had plenty of towels around the area due to my sloppyness. Did the oil and filter and rotated the tires as well.

I did notice the loud noise when priming the fuel system. I did this 3 times although I think it filled the container on the first try.

Here's a question for you all: How much would a dealer charge to do the 3 thing I did yesterday? I'm all about keeping up with how much money I can save by doing stuff like this. Now if I can just get up the nerve to do the DSG service in 20K:eek:. Thanks again.
 

nutdriver

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Feb 4, 2002
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Wichita Area KS
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Jetta 2006 (Previously NB 2000)
I also had a chance to try out this filter replacement. I have the "B" version filter. It all went smoothly but managed to spill some fuel. I made the mistake of partially prefilling the canister which then overflowed when I put the new filter in that was already secured to the upper housing assembly. Next time I will prefill to a much lower level. I cycled the key switch 3 times and could definitely hear the pump come on each time. It started with no stumbles.
 

nutdriver

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Jetta 2006 (Previously NB 2000)
Lightflyer1 said:
There is no need to prefill at all. That is what cycling the key does anyway.
Will the air that is in the filter housing be pushed back into the tank on the return line? I had considered doing the filter change without the prefil but felt like I wanted to be more safe than sorry.
 

Lightflyer1

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Round Rock, Texas
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2015 Beetle tdi dsg
I have never prefilled mine. Just dump it out and clean the empty canister and replace the filter and reinstall. Turn the key a few times and check for leaks. No problems whatsoever.
 

oneperfectrun

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Dec 23, 2006
Location
Fulton, MS
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI 5 Speed
40X40 said:
Hennapanda,

The system is self priming on your 06. Turn the key to RUN (not start!) for several seconds and the pump in the fuel tank will refill the filter canister with fuel. I don't know how long this will take..... So I suggest leaving the key on 'run' for 30 seconds then turn it off and back on for 30 seconds..
do this 3 times or so..

All this after installing a new filter of course...

HTH

Bill
I just changed the fuel filter on my 06 this afternoon. The fuel pump on my car will only squirt fuel in for a second or two each time you turn the key to the on position. It will not run steady for 30 seconds as described. I removed the cover after I left the key on for 30 seconds about 5 times to make sure the canister and filter were both full and no air before cranking. You could tell some fuel had been pumped in but nowhere near close to being full. I also left the key on for about 5 mins. to see if it would fill up and nothing. Only the initial squirt as the key is turned on. I eventually got a helper and had them keep turning the key off and on until the canister was full. I did this with the cover lifted and I watched as it kept squirting fuel until full. My car uses the later "B" filter type. Hopefully this will keep someone from starting there car up only to get air into the lines. Alot easier to open the cover back up and make sure it has fuel than to try and get air from the lines! When first starting the filter change get an idea of the fuel level with the filter still in the canister and refill to this line before starting making sure the inside of the filter is full also. Probably different with the other, filter "A", but its what works for the filter with opening in only one end! Hope someone finds this usefull.
 

oneperfectrun

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Dec 23, 2006
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Fulton, MS
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2006 Jetta TDI 5 Speed
I could never hear the pump run at all when the key was turned to the on position. From reading thru the posts in this thread I understand that other cars may be different but this is what worked on mine. As stated my jetta has the "B" version filter.
 

Lightflyer1

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2015 Beetle tdi dsg
He described leaving the key on for 30 seconds each time, not that it would pump for the full 30 seconds the key was left on. I would follow 40X40's instructions and if it didn't start right away I would repeat the key sequences again until it does. Mine started fine after 3. Others have reported taking longer.
 

oneperfectrun

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Fulton, MS
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2006 Jetta TDI 5 Speed
Lightflyer1 said:
He described leaving the key on for 30 seconds each time, not that it would pump for the full 30 seconds the key was left on. I would follow 40X40's instructions and if it didn't start right away I would repeat the key sequences again until it does. Mine started fine after 3. Others have reported taking longer.
I removed all fuel from the canister just to make sure there wasn't any trash in the bottom and no water. After replacing the filter and installing the top cover, from what I had read in this thread, I was under the impression that if I turned the key on for 30 seconds or so a few times the pump would refill the canister. On my Jetta, 3 times is not anywhere near enough to refill if completely dry. As I stated, I only got a small squirt of fuel each time the key was turned to the on position. Completely dry, it would probably take at least 10 to 15 times to fill, mabey more. Another post here says he could hear fuel filling the canister. Not so with mine. Thats the reason I removed the cover and found only a small amount of fuel. As I stated, its easier to remove the cover and look to be sure than to try and remove air from injector lines or pump if not. Not trying to be a "know it all" or even argue with anyone. This is what I have learned from my experience with my particular Jetta. Just trying to let other first timers know about my first experience with a fuel filter change.
 
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