Inline fuel filter saves the day, and £££'s!

[tinn25]

Hi, My T25 has a 1.9 1y diesel engine and the exhaust was throwing out strong smelling white smoke, losing power and misfiring. I've read a few horror stories about what could be causing this so started to have that sinking feeling. It was getting really bad so I stuttered along to a garage I'd heard about and showed the owner what was going on. After a few minutes he decided it was probably the fuel injectors causing the problems and said they all (4) needed replacing, costing about £400 plus parts then the labor on top. He suggested I try and get them myself off eBay to save a bit.

I'm more or less a novice but had a vague feeling that there could be a cheaper fix. I looked at what I later discovered was the 'inline fuel filter' (just the one) a few times and thinking.. what if that was all it needed? After hours of research I ordered a couple off eBay and hoped for a minor miracle.

So I went out in the freezing cold today and fitted the filter, after a few seconds of running there was clear diesel passing through it and No Smoke or Misfiring, took it on the road and runs better than ever! I think I was lucky and its not a fix for everyone but maybe worth a try before anything else.

Thanks to everyone who has shared their stories and fixes about this subject, I would never have got to the bottom of it without reading your posts.

http://www.leehedges.com/t34/puret34/st ... ilters.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-X-LARGE-UNI ... OU:GB:3160" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Oldiebut goodie]

Did you drain the water from the bottom of the original fuel filter? Could well have been the original problem. You shouldn't need additional filters as this would mean that the standard one is faulty.

[tinn25]

Hi, I just took out the old inline fuel filter and replaced it with a £2.50 one off eBay.

[Oldiebut goodie]

There shouldn't be one, it isn't needed - so you haven't touched the one thoughtfully provided by Mr. VW then?

[tinn25]

The previous owner must have fitted it. This photo shows the old one, all I did was change it but it made a massive difference and fixed the problem.

[Oldiebut goodie]

So the standard one has been bypassed totally, what a weird bodge.

[tinn25]

I suspect there's a few odd things going on in there!

[kit]

The battery looks to be in sideways and you would be better off reconnecting the original filter as I am not sure that those inline ones filter out water? And you ought to change the dipstick or you will need to take off the engine cover just to check the oil.

[kit]

And no dalek cap on the header tank either.

[Oldiebut goodie]

There are two batteries there!

[kit]

Well spotted. I wonder why?

[Oldiebut goodie]

One is a leisure maybe?