We independently change the fuel filter on the Volkswagen Passat B3

For the owner of a Volkswagen Passat B3, a clogged fuel filter can be a real headache, since German cars have always been very demanding on fuel quality. The situation is aggravated by the fact that our gasoline is significantly inferior in quality to European gasoline, and this difference primarily affects the operation of fuel filters. Is it possible to replace the fuel filter on a Volkswagen Passat B3 on my own? Of course. Let's figure out how to do it.

The purpose of the fuel filter on the Volkswagen Passat B3

The purpose of the fuel filter is easy to guess from its name. This device is designed to trap water, non-metallic inclusions, rust and other impurities, whose presence adversely affects the operation of internal combustion engines.

Fuel filter housings on the Volkswagen Passat B3 are made only of carbon steel

Location of the fuel filter

The fuel filter on the Volkswagen Passat B3 is located under the bottom of the car, near the right rear wheel. To protect against mechanical damage, this device is closed with a strong steel cover. Similarly, the filters are located on other cars in the Passat line, such as the B6 and B5. In order to replace the fuel filter, the car will have to be put on a viewing hole or on a flyover. Without this, access to the device will fail.

You can see the Volkswagen Passat B3 fuel filter only after removing the protective cover

Fuel filter device

On the vast majority of passenger cars, there are two gasoline purification devices: a coarse filter and a fine filter. The first filter is installed at the outlet of the gas tank and retains coarse impurities, the second one is located next to the combustion chambers and performs the final purification of gasoline before it is fed into the fuel rail. In the case of the Volkswagen Passat B3, German engineers decided to deviate from this principle and implemented the scheme differently: they built the first filter for primary fuel purification into the fuel intake on the submersible fuel pump, thus combining two devices in one. And the fine filter device, the replacement of which will be discussed below, remained unchanged.

The Volkswagen Passat B3 filter works simply: gasoline comes to the inlet fitting, is filtered and goes to the outlet fitting

It is a steel cylindrical body with two fittings. The housing contains a filter element, which is a multilayer filter paper folded like an accordion and impregnated with a special chemical composition that improves the absorption of harmful impurities. Paper folds like an accordion for a reason: this technical solution allows increasing the area of ​​the filtering surface by 25 times. The choice of material for the filter housing is not accidental either: fuel is fed into the housing under enormous pressure, so carbon steel is best suited for the housing.

Filter resource for Volkswagen Passat B3

The Volkswagen Passat B3 manufacturer recommends changing the fuel filter every 60 thousand kilometers. This figure is written in the operating instructions for the machine. But taking into account the low quality of domestic gasoline, experts in service centers strongly recommend changing filters more often - every 30 thousand kilometers. This simple measure will avoid many troubles and save the car owner not only money, but also nerves.

Causes of fuel filter failures

Consider a few typical reasons why the fuel filter on the Volkswagen Passat B3 fails:

• resinous deposits arising from the use of low-quality fuel. They clog both the filter housing and the filter element itself;
  

  Due to resinous deposits, the patency of the Volkswagen Passat B3 fuel filter is seriously impaired.
• fuel filter corrosion. It usually strikes the inside of a steel case. Occurs due to excess moisture in the gasoline used;
  

  Sometimes rust corrodes not only the inner, but also the outer part of the fuel filter housing.
• ice in fuel fittings. This problem is especially relevant for the northern regions of our country. The moisture contained in gasoline freezes and forms ice plugs, partially or completely blocking the fuel supply to the fuel rail of the car;
• complete deterioration of the filter. If for some reason the car owner does not change the fuel filter in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, then the device completely exhausts its resource and becomes clogged, becoming impassable.
  

  The filter element in this filter is completely clogged and has become impassable

Consequences of a broken fuel filter

If the fuel filter on the Volkswagen Passat B3 is partially or completely clogged with impurities, this can lead to engine problems. We list the most common:

• the car starts to consume more gasoline. In particularly severe cases, fuel consumption can increase by one and a half times;
• the engine becomes unstable. For no apparent reason, interruptions and jerks occur in the operation of the motor, which are especially noticeable during long climbs;
• the reaction of the car to pressing the gas pedal becomes worse. The machine reacts to pressing the pedal with a delay of a couple of seconds. At first, this is observed only at high engine speeds. As the filter clogs further, the situation gets worse in lower gears. If the car owner does not do anything after that, the car will begin to “slow down” even at idle, after which there can be no talk of any comfortable driving;
• the motor begins to noticeably “trouble”. This phenomenon is especially noticeable when the car is just picking up speed (here it should be noted that the “triple” of the engine appears not only due to problems with the fuel filter. The engine can “triple” for other reasons not related to the fuel system).

About the repair of fuel filters

The fuel filter for the Volkswagen Passat B3 is a disposable item and cannot be repaired. Because there is no way to completely clean a clogged filter element from dirt. In addition, the fuel filter housings on the Volkswagen Passat B3, B5 and B6 are non-separable, and they will have to be broken to remove the filter element. All this makes the repair of the fuel filter absolutely impractical, and the only reasonable option is to replace this device.

Replacing the fuel filter on a Volkswagen Passat B3

Before changing the fuel filter for a Volkswagen Passat B3, you should decide on the tools and consumables. Here's what we need to work:

• socket head 10 and a knob;
• pliers;
• flat screwdriver;
• new original fuel filter manufactured by Volkswagen.

Sequence of work

As mentioned above, before starting work, the Volkswagen Passat B3 should be driven either onto a flyover or into a viewing hole.

1. The interior of the car opens. The fuse box is located under the steering column. The plastic cover is removed from it. Now you should find the fuse responsible for the operation of the fuel pump in the Volkswagen Passat B3. This is fuse number 28, its location in the block is shown in the figure below.
   

   It is necessary to remove the fuse at number 3 from the Volkswagen Passat B28 fuse box
2. Now the car starts and idles until it stalls. This must be done in order to minimize the pressure of gasoline in the fuel line.
3. The socket head unscrews the bolts holding the protective cover of the fuel filter (these bolts are 8).
   

   To unscrew the 8 bolts on the protective cover of the Volkswagen Passat B3 filter, it is convenient to use a ratchet socket
4. The unscrewed cover is carefully removed.
   

   When removing the Volkswagen Passat B3 filter cover, you need to make sure that the dirt that has accumulated behind the cover does not get into your eyes.
5. Access to the filter mount is provided. It is held on by a large steel clamp, which is unscrewed using a 8mm socket.
   

   The main clamp of the Volkswagen Passat B3 filter must be unscrewed before removing the clamps from the fuel fittings
6. After that, the clamps on the inlet and outlet fittings of the filter are loosened with a screwdriver. After loosening the fuel line tubes are removed from the filter by hand.
7. The fuel filter, freed from fasteners, is carefully removed from its niche (and it should be removed in a horizontal position, since it contains fuel. When the filter is turned over, it can spill onto the floor or get into the eyes of the car owner).
   

   Remove the Volkswagen Passat B3 filter only in a horizontal position
8. The removed filter is replaced with a new one, then the previously disassembled vehicle components are reassembled. An important point: when installing a new filter, pay attention to the arrow indicating the direction of fuel movement. The arrow is located on the filter housing. After installation, it should be directed from the gas tank to the fuel rail, and not vice versa.
   

   When installing the filter, remember the direction of fuel flow: from the tank to the engine

Video: change the fuel filter on the Volkswagen Passat B3

how to replace the fuel filter

About replacing filters on Volkswagen Passat B5 and B6

Fuel filters on Volkswagen Passat B6 and B5 cars are also located under the bottom of the car behind a protective cover. Their mounting has not undergone any fundamental changes: it is still the same wide mounting clamp holding the filter housing and two smaller clamps connected to the fuel fittings. Accordingly, the sequence for replacing filters on a Volkswagen Passat B5 and B6 is no different from the sequence for replacing a filter on a Volkswagen Passat B3 presented above.

Safe Operation

It should be remembered: any manipulations with the fuel system of the car are associated with an increased risk of fire. Therefore, when starting work, you should take elementary precautions:

• filter replacement work should be carried out either outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, away from sources of open fire;
• it is strictly forbidden to smoke during work;
• before starting work, put on personal protective equipment: gloves and goggles that will protect your eyes from fuel if it accidentally spills from the filter being removed;
• And of course, always have a fire extinguisher handy.

Here is a case from life, told to me by one auto mechanic. A person has been repairing cars for 8 years, and during this time an unimaginable number of various cars have passed through his hands. And after one memorable incident, he hates changing fuel filters. It all started as usual: they brought in a brand new Passat, asked to replace the filter. It seemed like a simple operation. Well, what could go wrong here? The mechanic removed the protection, removed the clamps from the fittings, then slowly began to unscrew the mounting bracket. At some point, the key came off the nut and scratched lightly on the steel bottom of the car. A spark appeared, from which the filter instantly flared up (because, as we remember, it is half filled with gasoline). The mechanic tried to put out the flames with his gloved hand. As a result, the glove also caught fire, because by that time it was already soaked in gasoline. The unlucky mechanic jumps out of the pit for a fire extinguisher. Upon his return, he sees with horror that the fuel pipes are already on fire. In general, only a miracle managed to avoid the explosion. The conclusion is simple: follow the rules of fire safety. Because even the simplest operation with the fuel system of a car can go completely wrong as planned. And the results of this operation can be very deplorable.

So, even a novice car enthusiast can handle replacing the fuel filter with a Volkswagen Passat B3. All that is needed for this is to strictly follow the recommendations outlined above and do not forget about safety precautions. By changing the filter with your own hands, the car owner will be able to save about 800 rubles. This is how much it costs to replace the fuel filter in a car service.