Changed the fuel filter on the SDI Fabia the other day (as the non-Skoda garage I got it from used didn't change it when they serviced the car prior to collection).

I've had a few diesel cars and they usually have some way of priming the fuel system after removing the filter. There doesn'y appear to be anything on the Fabia and there's nothing mentioned in the manual either.

I decided to just crank the engine until the pump filled the filter.

This damned near flattened the battery as it took ages!!!

What's the procedure for priming the fuel system after replacing the filter (or running out of fuel)?

The Way You Did It I'm Afraid It Would Have Made It Easier If You Had Filled The Fuel Filter Up With Diesel Before You Fitted It.

Changed the fuel filter on the SDI Fabia the other day (as the non-Skoda garage I got it from used didn't change it when they serviced the car prior to collection).

I've had a few diesel cars and they usually have some way of priming the fuel system after removing the filter. There doesn'y appear to be anything on the Fabia and there's nothing mentioned in the manual either.

I decided to just crank the engine until the pump filled the filter.

This damned near flattened the battery as it took ages!!!

What's the procedure for priming the fuel system after replacing the filter (or running out of fuel)?

Reminds me of my old pug 205 diesel.

It had a hand operated primer pump on top of the fuel filter, but it didnt seem to make any difference. Just had to keep on turning it over until the fuel got through!

The Way You Did It I'm Afraid It Would Have Made It Easier If You Had Filled The Fuel Filter Up With Diesel Before You Fitted It.

Thought of that only AFTER I had cranked the engine to fill the filter. As there is the large connection port for the return fuel pipe filling the filter shouldn't be hard.

Bit of a bind if you happen to run out of fuel!

Thansk for the help.

06/01/2009

2005 Fabia VRS ( ASZ engine 130bhp.)

Just received a diesel fuel filter supplied with 2 "O" rings via post. Was wondering where these rings were fitted.One ring is coloured "BLUE" and the other is "BLACK".

I first thought they may be fitted to plastic water drain thread, but that already has a rubber seal fitted to base of filter to seal-off bottom.

Open to your knowledge and thoughts where these rings may be fitted.

A friend also has said, that there is no facility for bleeding system, its a case of continual cranking till fuel gets through. I think I shall pour a small amount of fuel into filter prior to fitting ALL connections to top of filter.

Thanks in advance.

Edited 6 January, 200917 yr by giandougl
Additional information

the two 'O' rings fit on the fuel filter inlet and outlet pipes on the metal top of the filter,when the flexible pipes are removed.(when the flexible pipes are removed ,you will see one black ,and one blue 'O' ring,just replace these with the new rings). Regarding the priming ,I did not put any fuel in the filter,I just cranked the engine,for about 3 minutes until it started.

A quick thankyou again AndyPandy for info on the two "O"rings.

I did not attempt to bleed system after renewing/changing fuel filter.

But I did fill fuel filter through top of filter before fitting fuel pipes.

Turning engine over three or four times the engine started, and gently raised revs to 2000rpm then released and repeated procedure a few times. No further problem regarding bleeding arose.

I will add the fuel filter sat in a plastic sleeve in a metal enclosure, to release filter I placed a flat screwdriver under filter lip and levered downwards against outer enclosure, this released filter from two plastic locators, sat inside metal enclosure.

Placing new filter into inner plastic sleeve just needs moderate downward pressure and will hear two plastic locators click into place.

Edited 9 January, 200917 yr by giandougl
Make model of vehicle

I took the bleed hole out of mine and started shoving down on the lid until it shoved the air out. Did this a few times and it seamed to draw the fuel up past the filter. Put the bolts back in and never had a problem since.