1z tdi won't start after fuel filter change

I've just changed the fuel filter on my vento tdi
It ran fine before, but was due a service, so changed the fuel filter

It now won't start. It will crank, then fire, but dies very quickly. When it does run it's very juddery for the few seconds before it dies

Any ideas? It was spot on before.

I haven't used a genuine filter, but neither was the filter on there before genuine

 

You need to fill up the fuel filter for it to run properly, so that'll take a lot of cranking, and it might start and die a few times during that. You might be able to fill the filter up a bit if your battery is low, but it'll be a messy and smelly job. Just crank it till it fills up, but give the starter a rest every 20 seconds or so, so you don't overheat it.

I'm using a MANN filter from GSF on mine (same engine in an Audi 80), and that's absolutely fine.

 

Second that, the pump is just trying to pull all the air through. It will sort itself out eventualy.

 

Check the condition of the rubber fuel lines to and from the filter. Also check the rubber sealing rings on the plastic t-piece into the filter. These are a known problem area.

Here's some fun I had previously:

 

Ok, bitof an update

I filled the filter up with fuel, and it started after a few attempts and ran fine

I've just been to start it after quite some time, and it took a few times of cranking before it would start, but then ran fine. It always started on the button before! Glow plug light went out quickly like usual too

 

I wouldn't worry too much for another couple of starts...after then I'd be worried

 

It will be air in the system.

I was totally dejected to find a simple job like a fuel filter wrecked the starting of my car, but in time I worked through the possibilties and found the culprit. Don't look anywhere but the pipes, the T-piece and all associated seals.

 

I will see what its like in the morning. It has just driven faultlessly, then re-started straight away when I tried

If there is still air in the system (quite a bit as it was cranking for some time before I read this and filled the filter with fuel) can it be bled through, or is it automatically bled?

 

My experience is the system needs to maintain a 'head' of diesel, else it drains back to the tank.

Any air getting in will do this.

 

So have a knackered it by cranking it without fuel in the filter?


I cant find anyway to bleed it out, and when running, there are only a few air bubbles in the clear hose, but they are getting fewer

 

Any air bubbles are bad. Needs to be zero, because the head of diesel will drop if there's a leak.

Keep looking for the source, jiggle fittings and pipes with th engine running.

 

You wont do any damage aslong as thr pump is getting some derv through, even if its not enough to build up pressure. Its a common problem with all negetive draw pumps. The rotor in the pump is only designed to draw fluid not air, hense the poor starting. As chris said, everything up stream from the hard lines needs to be methodicly checked. If the return T valve on the fuel filter is at fault, most on here choose to ditch this and the filter in favour of a straight return feed and a different type of fuel filter.

 

I'll get checking tomorrow, see if I can find any kind of air leak

What is the 'T' piece that goes into the top of the filter called? May get a new one from the stealers if it needs it

 

I would recommend changing to a pre 87 golf diesel filter and joining the return lines together (with a joiner and two small jubilee clips) to get rid of the troublesome return valve (the plastic part that the smallest fuel hoses go to, closest the the wing)...this valve has been known to allow air ingress and removing it on my 1z means no air at all is visible through the clear fuel feed pipe

 

It warms up the incoming fuel faster. But to be honest its not nessesary in this country as the derv quality is very good and temps dont drop bellow -10 that often so as said its not needed.