Changing the fuel filter on a Volkswagen Golf

The fuel filter on the Volkswagen Golf at first glance may seem like an insignificant detail. But first impressions are deceiving. Even small malfunctions in the operation of this device entail a lot of problems with the engine. In particularly severe cases, everything can end in an expensive overhaul. German cars have always been incredibly demanding on the quality of fuel, so if the gasoline entering the engine is not properly cleaned for some reason, then this engine does not have long to work. Fortunately, you can change the fuel filter on your own. Let's figure out how best to do it.

The device and location of the fuel filter on the Volkswagen Golf

The purpose of the fuel filter is easy to guess from its name. The main task of this device is to retain rust, moisture and dirt coming from the gas tank along with gasoline.

The Volkswagen concern makes filters for their cars only from carbon steel

Without thorough fuel filtration, you can forget about normal engine operation. Water and harmful impurities, getting into the combustion chambers of the engine, change the ignition temperature of gasoline (and in especially severe cases, when there is a lot of moisture in the gasoline, it does not ignite at all, and the car simply does not start).

The fuel filter on the Volkswagen Golf is located at the right rear wheel

The fuel filter is located under the underbody of the car at the right rear wheel. In order to see this device and replace it, the car owner will have to put the car on an overpass or inspection pit. Without this preparatory operation, the fuel filter cannot be reached.

How the filter works

The fuel filter of a Volkswagen Golf is a paper filter element placed in a steel cylindrical body, on which there are two fittings: an inlet and an outlet. The pipes of the fuel lines are connected to them with the help of two clamps. Through one of these pipes, fuel comes from the gas tank, and through the second, after cleaning, it is supplied to the fuel rail for subsequent atomization in the combustion chambers.

The Volkswagen Golf fuel filter is able to effectively trap dirt particles up to 0,1 mm in size.

The filter element is multilayer paper impregnated with a special chemical composition that enhances its absorbent properties. Layers of paper are folded in an "accordion" shape to save space and increase the filtering surface area of ​​the element.

The fuel filter housings on Volkswagen Golfs are made only of steel, since these devices have to work under conditions of increased pressure. The principle of the filter is extremely simple:

1. Fuel from the gas tank, passing through a small coarse pre-filter built into the submersible fuel pump, enters the main filter housing through the inlet fitting.
2. There, the fuel passes through a paper filter element, in which impurities up to 0,1 mm in size remain, and, after being cleaned, goes through the outlet fitting into the fuel rail.

Resource of Volkswagen Golf fuel filters

If you look into the instruction manual for a Volkswagen Golf, it states that fuel filters should be changed every 50 thousand kilometers. The problem is that domestic gasoline is much inferior to European in terms of quality. This means that during the operation of the Volkswagen Golf in our country, its fuel filters will become unusable much faster. It is for this reason that the specialists of our service centers strongly recommend changing the fuel filters on the Volkswagen Golf every 30 thousand kilometers.

Why do fuel filters fail?

Typically, the main reason for premature fuel filter failure is the use of low-quality fuel. Here's where it goes:

• the filter element and the filter housing are covered with a thick layer of resinous deposits that impede or completely block the supply of fuel to the rail;
  

  Black tar deposits can completely block the passage of gasoline through the filter.
• the filter housing is rusting from the inside. In especially severe cases, corrosion corrodes the body and the outside. As a result, the tightness of the filter is broken, which leads to gasoline leaks and engine malfunctions;
  

  Due to excess moisture in gasoline, the housing and filter element rust over time.
• the fittings are blocked with ice. This situation is typical for countries with cold climates and low-quality gasoline. If there is too much moisture in the fuel, then in the cold it begins to freeze and forms ice plugs that clog the fuel fittings on the filter. As a result, the fuel completely ceases to flow into the rail;
• filter wear. It can simply become clogged with dirt and become impassable, especially if the owner of the car, for some reason, has not changed it for a long time.
  

  When the filter resource is completely exhausted, it stops passing gasoline into the fuel rail

What does blockage of the filter element lead to?

If the filter stops passing fuel normally, then this entails a lot of problems. Here are the most typical ones:

• fuel consumption is doubled. This is the least painful problem, since it does not affect the stability of the engine in any way, but only hits the car owner's wallet;
• during long climbs, the motor starts to work jerkily. There is little gasoline entering the rail, so the nozzles simply cannot spray enough fuel into the combustion chambers;
• the car does not respond well to pressing the gas pedal. There are so-called power dips, during which the car reacts to pressing the pedal with a delay of two to three seconds. If the filter is not heavily clogged, then power dips are observed only at high engine speeds. As clogging continues, dips begin to appear even when the engine is idling;
• the motor periodically "troit". In most cases, this is due to poor performance of one of the cylinders. But sometimes “triple” can also occur due to problems with the fuel filter (which is why, when this malfunction occurs, experienced motorists are in no hurry to disassemble half the car, but first check the condition of the filters).

Video: why you need to change the fuel filter

Why you need to change the fuel fine filter and why you need it

About the possibility of repairing the fuel filter

In short, the Volkswagen Golf fuel filter cannot be repaired as it is a disposable part. To date, there is no way to completely clean the paper filter element installed in the fuel filter housing. In addition, the filter housing itself is non-separable. And in order to remove the paper element, the case will have to be broken. Restoring its integrity after that will be very problematic. So the most rational option is not to repair, but to replace the worn filter with a new one.

Since the fuel filter is made of steel, it can be disassembled only by violating the integrity of the housing

However, not all motorists like to regularly buy expensive new filters. One craftsman showed me a reusable filter of his own invention. He carefully sawed off the cover from the old Volkswagen filter, welded a steel ring with an external thread inside, which protruded about 5 mm above the edge of the housing. He also cut an internal thread in a sawn off cover, so that this cover could be screwed onto a protruding ring. The result was a completely sealed design, and the craftsman only had to periodically open it and change the paper filter elements (which, by the way, he ordered cheaply from the Chinese on Aliexpress and received by mail.).

Replacing the fuel filter on a Volkswagen Golf

Before starting work, you should stock up on everything you need. Here are the tools and consumables we need:

• flat screwdriver;
• new original fuel filter from Volkswagen;
• set of socket heads and knobs;
• pliers;
• tweezers.

Sequence of operations

Before starting work, the car should be installed on the overpass and securely fastened to it, substituting wheel chocks under the wheels.

1. In the passenger compartment, to the right of the steering column, there is a fuse box. It is closed with a plastic lid. The cover must be opened and carefully removed the blue fuse at number 15, which is responsible for turning on the fuel pump. It should be noted that the fuses in the Volkswagen Golf unit are installed very close to each other, so it will not be possible to pull them out with your fingers. For this purpose, it is better to use tweezers.
   

   The Volkswagen Golf fuel pump fuse is most conveniently removed with small tweezers
2. After removing the fuse, the car must be started and allowed to idle until it stalls on its own (this usually takes 10-15 minutes). This is a very important measure to reduce the pressure in the fuel rail of the machine as much as possible.
3. The fuel filter is attached to the bottom of the machine with a narrow steel clamp, which can be loosened with a socket head by 10.
   

   It is most convenient to loosen the clamp on the Volkswagen Golf filter with a socket head for 10 with a ratchet
4. On the filter fittings there are two more clamps on internal latches with buttons. To loosen their fastening, it is enough to press on the buttons with a flat screwdriver.
   

   To loosen the clamps, press the buttons with a flat screwdriver
5. After loosening the clamps, the fuel pipes are removed from the fittings manually. If for some reason this fails, you can use pliers (but you should be careful when using this tool: if you squeeze the fuel pipe too hard, it may crack).
   

   After removing the fuel pipes, a container should be placed under the filter for the flowing gasoline
6. With both fuel pipes removed, carefully remove the filter from the loosened retaining clip. In this case, the filter must be kept horizontally so that the remaining fuel in it does not spill out into the eyes of the car owner.
7. Replace the worn out filter with a new one, then reassemble the fuel system. Each fuel filter has an arrow that shows the movement of the fuel. The new filter should be installed so that the arrow on its housing points from the gas tank to the engine, and not vice versa.
   

   On the housing of the new fuel filter, a red arrow is clearly visible, showing the direction of movement of gasoline

Video: replacing the fuel filter on a Volkswagen Golf

How to change the fuel filter Volkswagen Golf

Safety Precautions

When working with the Volkswagen Golf fuel system, the car owner must pay increased attention to safety measures, since there is a high probability of fire. Here's what to do:

• before starting work, make sure that the fire extinguisher is at hand;
• work should be done in a well-ventilated area, and even better - in the open air, away from sources of fire;
• refrain from smoking when replacing the fuel filter;
• when working, it is imperative to use personal protective equipment - gloves and glasses;
• if gasoline from the filter still gets into your eyes, then they should be urgently rinsed with cold water, after which you should seek medical help.

So, replacing a fuel filter on a Volkswagen Golf cannot be called a difficult technical task. Even a novice motorist can handle this work, having at least once held a socket wrench and a screwdriver in his hands. The main thing is not to forget about the arrow on the case and install the filter so that the gasoline goes in the right direction.