Hi , i have a 2011 1.6tdi cabriolet just purchased only last week..It came with a full service history with a conformation from Audi up untill last January then it went indy,now the dealer sold it me with a sevice stamp at 75000 and it had 76500 when i first drove it and as i always like to know how to service my own cars i decided to change the oil just for piece of mind etc,anyway i got the car jacked up on stands and went under only to find a steel undertray that was not the correct one as it was a mixture of bolts and torx bolts ,it also had a welded bar across the chassis in order to fit the back end of it ...so it looks like someone as added this at some point,all i can think of they went over a lot of speed bumps...I also had to grind one of the bolts off and to me that tray had not been off the car for a while because it as to come off completely in order to get to the sump..So to get to my question i have decided to do a complete service and would like to know if the fuel filter change is as straight forward as it looks and if it is self priming ,sorry about the long post with a simple question but i thought a bit of history would help,i will also get the part number of the steel undertray and see if i can match with the correct car as i am going to put a plastic one back on ...Thanks
Fuel filter change (self prime )
- Thread starter den911
- Start date
Does this car have the fuel filter on the right side of the engine bay with the metal filter canister lid held on little torx screws?
I haven't been under a cabriolet and so I don't know if there is extra strengthening underneath for the cabriolet. All the protective under trays I've seen have been plastic.
I haven't been under a cabriolet and so I don't know if there is extra strengthening underneath for the cabriolet. All the protective under trays I've seen have been plastic.
No the fuel system is not self priming, needs to be purged with vcds or similar.
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Hi, definetly a steel undertray got me as well as i have never had a steel under tray ,may be a steel sump protecter ,as said i am going to try and source via part number
My cabriolet has a steel under tray ... there is also additional under body strengthening - welded cross beams.
I appreciate and accept that the "official line" is that the system is not self priming but it actually is. I don't actually know a garage that gets out a laptop when changing a diesel fuel filter. The system will expel air in the system regardless of whether VCDS or the ignition key is used. There are unsubstantiated horror stories online about the self-lubricating injectors/HPFP being damaged by not using VCDS but there is always residual fuel downstream in the pipework and HPFP. Personally, I just submerged the new filter in clean diesel fuel - as you will observe with the old one when you remove the lid and my car started with the first flick of the key. I know some who don't even bother to do that and just let the car turn over a couple of times before starting. I suspect the VCDS instruction has come about as a safeguard to avoid people pouring old contaminated fuel into the filter canister.
I recommend squeezing something waterproof between the engine and cannister with something like an old towel squeezed around the canister, on top - as you want to avoid any slimy diesel spillage onto the auxiliary and drive belts. The torx scews do not make the seal. The seal is made by an o-ring around the canister lid. This o-ring is very tight and I had to lubricate it with petroleum jelly and ensure that it is pushed back nice and squarely - you can feel if it slides back on nicely. The screws are just lightly tightened to stop the top being pushed off by pressure in the cannister.
I recommend squeezing something waterproof between the engine and cannister with something like an old towel squeezed around the canister, on top - as you want to avoid any slimy diesel spillage onto the auxiliary and drive belts. The torx scews do not make the seal. The seal is made by an o-ring around the canister lid. This o-ring is very tight and I had to lubricate it with petroleum jelly and ensure that it is pushed back nice and squarely - you can feel if it slides back on nicely. The screws are just lightly tightened to stop the top being pushed off by pressure in the cannister.
My A3 is just about due it's yearly service, I tend to do an oil & filter one year & all filters plus oil every other.
Last time, I did bottle it & changed oil, pollen, air myself but actually paid a garage just to swap the fuel filter as I was concerned about the Priming of the filter housing. (annoying as my b6 a4 just needs the key turned on & off a few times.. although it still takes a while to start which does worry me every time!)
But after reading the above should I be brave & attempt it?..
I do have a Ancel VD700 code reader that claims to have the option to prime the filter.
Is it worth trying that function before changing the filter? I take it, priming the filter housing when it doesn't need it won't harm anything? it'll just not be able to prime as the pressure is already there?
Last time, I did bottle it & changed oil, pollen, air myself but actually paid a garage just to swap the fuel filter as I was concerned about the Priming of the filter housing. (annoying as my b6 a4 just needs the key turned on & off a few times.. although it still takes a while to start which does worry me every time!)
But after reading the above should I be brave & attempt it?..
I do have a Ancel VD700 code reader that claims to have the option to prime the filter.
Is it worth trying that function before changing the filter? I take it, priming the filter housing when it doesn't need it won't harm anything? it'll just not be able to prime as the pressure is already there?
