DIY: Volkswagen MKIV TDI Fuel Filter Replacement & Priming With Seafoam
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• Seafoam fuel treatment
• rubber gloves
• phillips screwdriver
• interlocking pliers
• replacement o-rings
• small standard (flat) screwdriver
• penetrating oil
• start by removing the two clamps on the rubber hoses using the interlocking pliers
• the clamp must be slide back off the connection
• sometimes the rubber hoses become stuck from sitting and can be twisted using the interlocking pliers to break them free, then pull them off the connections
• next remove the spring snap clip holding on the "T" fitting
• now pull the "T" fitting straight out of the fuel filter
• loosen the screw using a phillips screw driver on the filter clamp
• these can stick or seize up over time so they may need to be rattle loose or have some penetrating oil applied
• replace the two o-rings which should come with the new filter
• to remove the oil o-rings, use a small standard screwdriver to pop them out of their location, but be careful not to damage the plastic fitting
• ensure the grooves are clean for the o-rings, then install the new ones
• blue o-ring towards the top of the fitting and the black o-ring towards the bottom of the fitting
• dispose of the old filter correctly, there will be filter remaining inside the filter
• install the new filter into the clamp, then tighten down the clamp
• dump the bottle of Seafoam fuel treatment into the hole where the "T" gets installed
• snap the "T" fitting back into place and reinstall the metal snap clip
• reinstall the other two rubber hoses and clamps
• start the engine, allow it to run for under a minute and then shut it off
• allow the Seafoam fuel treatment to soak into the combustion chamber for about 15 minutes
• after the 15 minute period has ended, start the engine and allow it to run for about 15-20 minutes
Difficulty Level
Tools/Supplies Needed:
• new filter• Seafoam fuel treatment
• rubber gloves
• phillips screwdriver
• interlocking pliers
• replacement o-rings
• small standard (flat) screwdriver
• penetrating oil
Procedure:
• first start the engine and allow the vehicle to warm up reaching operating temperature• start by removing the two clamps on the rubber hoses using the interlocking pliers
• the clamp must be slide back off the connection
• sometimes the rubber hoses become stuck from sitting and can be twisted using the interlocking pliers to break them free, then pull them off the connections
• next remove the spring snap clip holding on the "T" fitting
• now pull the "T" fitting straight out of the fuel filter
• loosen the screw using a phillips screw driver on the filter clamp
• these can stick or seize up over time so they may need to be rattle loose or have some penetrating oil applied
• replace the two o-rings which should come with the new filter
• to remove the oil o-rings, use a small standard screwdriver to pop them out of their location, but be careful not to damage the plastic fitting
• ensure the grooves are clean for the o-rings, then install the new ones
• blue o-ring towards the top of the fitting and the black o-ring towards the bottom of the fitting
• dispose of the old filter correctly, there will be filter remaining inside the filter
• install the new filter into the clamp, then tighten down the clamp
• dump the bottle of Seafoam fuel treatment into the hole where the "T" gets installed
• snap the "T" fitting back into place and reinstall the metal snap clip
• reinstall the other two rubber hoses and clamps
• start the engine, allow it to run for under a minute and then shut it off
• allow the Seafoam fuel treatment to soak into the combustion chamber for about 15 minutes
• after the 15 minute period has ended, start the engine and allow it to run for about 15-20 minutes
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Is it really required that I need to prime the fuel system?
I would recommend it as it reduces the amount of time you need to crank over your engine.Video tutorial on how to replace the fuel filter of your Volkswagen MK4 Golf TDI PD BEW diesel engine and prime the filter with Seafoam fuel treatment. This procedure can also be done on other Volkswagen diesel models such as the Beetle, Bora, and Jetta. It is a good idea to wear rubber gloves so the smell of diesel fuel doesn't soak into your skin. This particular tutorial was done on a 2004 Volkswagen Golf TDI.