Fuel filter removal

[slipd]

Guys,



What approach do you take on these? Worst part of a service for me now, I just find the removal part so hard! The pinch clips just don't seem to ever want to shift on the old filter. I get there eventually but it's never easy...

Thoughts?

[LC5F]

My last 2 VW's both had stuck filter pipes, I found on the MK5:

Brake cleaner and then flat blade screwdriver to work the spring clip till it depresses enough to come off.

The head of the screw holding the filter in place was rusted so bad there was nothing for cross head to grip to -I had to drill the head off - got the rest of the screw out with vice grips.

If you cant get the hose of and need to replace a hose, get some stout cord to rope together the old tank end and new to feed around the tank - it looks like there is a lot of room but its tight.

[JoshB]

I’ve just bought a new fuel filter, not even looked at the job yet really, but do you have to drain the tank?

[OEM+ DUB]

No need to drain the tank.  Any fuel in the filter/lines is residual as the fuel is lifted up and out by the in-tank fuel pump (the one that primes when you open the drivers door) so whilst you will lose some, it won’t affect the tank.  My advice is to do the job after letting the car sit overnight and before opening the drivers door to avoid pressure in the system when you undo the lines.

[brian_badonde]

Whatever you do, double and triple check that the hose clips are properly engaged when you put everything back together. If they're a bit hard to come off they may be sticky going back on again too. I'd checked mine but one hadn't seated properly and leaked overnight. Turns out petrol melts tarmac pretty efficiently, not a fun cleanup job nor my proudest moment.

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[slipd]

Whatever you do, double and triple check that the hose clips are properly engaged when you put everything back together. If they're a bit hard to come off they may be sticky going back on again too. I'd checked mine but one hadn't seated properly and leaked overnight. Turns out petrol melts tarmac pretty efficiently, not a fun cleanup job nor my proudest moment.

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Yes. I had this a couple of changes back... One of the pipes must have popped off just after I got to work! 8 hours later, I reckon I must have lost about £20's worth 

Definitely feel for the "click." I'm just struggling to get the bloody things off in the first place!

[slipd]

No need to drain the tank.  Any fuel in the filter/lines is residual as the fuel is lifted up and out by the in-tank fuel pump (the one that primes when you open the drivers door) so whilst you will lose some, it won’t affect the tank.  My advice is to do the job after letting the car sit overnight and before opening the drivers door to avoid pressure in the system when you undo the lines.

Noted. I was also told by a mechanic friend to open the fuel cap, to relieve any unnecessary pressure on the lines.

[brian_badonde]

Whatever you do, double and triple check that the hose clips are properly engaged when you put everything back together. If they're a bit hard to come off they may be sticky going back on again too. I'd checked mine but one hadn't seated properly and leaked overnight. Turns out petrol melts tarmac pretty efficiently, not a fun cleanup job nor my proudest moment.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Yes. I had this a couple of changes back... One of the pipes must have popped off just after I got to work! 8 hours later, I reckon I must have lost about £20's worth 

Definitely feel for the "click." I'm just struggling to get the bloody things off in the first place!

Thanks for sharing, it makes me feel better knowing I'm not the only one haha

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[mjmallia]

Done my GTI  a couple of times now and can recommend:

- Let car stand without starting for a couple of hours to allow fuel pressure to decrease naturally
- unlock and lower the windows with the remote without opening the drivers door.......as that will prime the system again

[ljc19630]

Done my GTI  a couple of times now and can recommend:

- Let car stand without starting for a couple of hours to allow fuel pressure to decrease naturally
- unlock and lower the windows with the remote without opening the drivers door.......as that will prime the system again

Exactly what i did. It is a bit of a pig to do, but fortunately i have a pal that owns Surrey Tuning, hence he did it with it in the air on his ramp!!!!!

[pudding]

I don't get the struggles? I can swap out a filter in 15 minutes, including the time to jack it up and remove the Jubliee clamp 

As with the electrical connectors in the engine bay that have the rubber weather seals, they exert a force on the connector that needs to be unloaded before attempting to disconnect them, which is just a simple case of pushing the plug hard up against whatever it's connected to, and then pushing the tab in with your finger, and off it comes.  The amount of times I see destroyed plugs from people levering them off with screwdrivers 

Same applies to the fuel filter.  It's not residual fuel pressure preventing them from coming off, just push the bundy fitting hard towards the filter to unload the O ring tension, then press in the tab and off it comes.  I've done it several times with just my finger nail, screwdrivers not required 

Removing the petrol cap doesn't do anything as the in-tank pump has a non-return valve to maintain pressure for hot starting.

[LC5F]

Seems like a lot of faf to depressurise the system.
If you don't, its less than a cup of go-juice lost, a lot less than in the filter itself. Only thing to watch is fuel spraying in your eyes.

Don't know if its the environment in the north, but the last 3 VW's have had sprung clips that like to jam in their installed position and not allow removal off the filter. one of the 3 the clips eventually started to move as they should, the other 2 needed replacement pipes - both were the feed form the tank.

If there is no complications - jammed connector / rusted out retaining screw -  this is a 10 to 15 minute task to replace the filter

[chimp400]

If it’s been on there since new you may struggle to release the clips as I did and have to replace the pipe to tank.
Not a difficult job really, I tried everything to release the clip including the correct tool but it wouldn’t budge.

[LC5F]

the correct tool

is there a special tool for this?

[chimp400]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fuel+pipe+clip+release+tool&client=safari&hl=en-gb&sxsrf=ALeKk037N3Vt49JLjLxkEZ9Yq0_VeM6GFQ:1627186843411&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=U4weNCM8FHB79M%252CXsmYGRM-Fk7CoM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kRxFqy7ykwp9RcLY3ZxyjtsvijpQA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjmkKOur_3xAhVkR0EAHVbTAUYQ9QF6BAg1EAE#imgrc=U4weNCM8FHB79M