Change Felicia Diesel Fuel Filter

[Uncorruptable]

Hi all,

Been a while since i was on, looking for guidance on changing fuel filter on diesel felicia, 1998 - 1.9.

Any pictures i would be greatful.

[robk1]

Was also contemplating the Fun, so additional advice?

[Red Studio]

Got oil, air and fuel filters to do this weekend. Done the first two many times but never the fuel filter so was watching this thread to pick up some handy hints. Hopefully the lack of horror stories being posted means it'll be a walk in the park. (And hopefully not because the car won't start.)

[robk1]

^ Agreed & that's why I also asked as have heard the main problem is accessibility!?

[Red Studio]

^ Agreed & that's why I also asked as have heard the main problem is accessibility!?

I can't see any problem there. I've done the drain before and didn't have too much trouble. The hoses are all connected on top. The only problem could be getting the allen key to the bolt holding it in perhaps, I've not looked properly yet, but I don't think so. In fact I think I loosened it when I drained it for water before - just so I could raise it to get better access to the drain tap.

My approach would be to try that bolt first as there's no point disturbing the hoses if you can't get the filter out. Haynes recommend being prepared for spills and re-filling the filter with diesel before starting the engine so that it's pre-primed.

One thing though, Haynes say to replace the O ring under the control valve and I don't think the filter I bought comes with that. There's just the ring for the drain tap and the drain tap itself in the pack. I may put the job off until I get a spare O ring.

[haribo(felicia)]

when i change my filter on my diesel its a bugger to start but now ive got it mastered what i do is clamp the pipes both sides of the filer(not the pipes on the control valve)then fill the filter with diesel let it soak in the filter abit then top up again until totaly full connect the pipes release the clamps and start the car i found hat by not clamping the pipes i introduced air in the system and the battery went flat trying to purge it and had to bleed the injectors hth

[Red Studio]

Sound advice. I thought of plugging the ends with something, I've used the stub end of a pencil before now when nothing else to hand. I don't have any clamps, would they be the same as those they sell for brake lines?

OK to prime the new filter with the diesel from the old one?

[haribo(felicia)]

yes brake clamps are fine if you havnt got any use molegrips with a bit of card in the jaws filling with diesel from old filter should be ok.

[Uncorruptable]

yes brake clamps are fine if you havnt got any use molegrips with a bit of card in the jaws filling with diesel from old filter should be ok.

Coincidence, i had actually thought of clamping the hoses as close to the filter as possible on both sides before removing from the filter, i did think however that there would be inevitably a small amount of air on reconnection in the line, would this just pass through the injector pump on start up with a bit of a splutter?

Edited 20 May, 2013 by Uncorruptable

[haribo(felicia)]

yes if clamp the small amount of air will purge just give it abit of a rev on start up then let it tick over wot i found without clamping was for some reason when you dissconected the fuel lines from filter the fuel drained back to the tank causing to much air to purge with battery never had a problem since clamping cheers nigel

[Uncorruptable]

yes if clamp the small amount of air will purge just give it abit of a rev on start up then let it tick over wot i found without clamping was for some reason when you dissconected the fuel lines from filter the fuel drained back to the tank causing to much air to purge with battery never had a problem since clamping cheers nigel

Cheers, i will endeavour to change the filter this weekend, just in case i run into an issue, dont want to be out in garden for hours trying to get the car going again for work in the morning.

[djaychela]

I wouldn't fill the new filter with fuel from the old.... it'll have some water in it, unless you've recently drained it.

Other than that, as said above is about right. Try to stop the fuel from running back to the tank by clamping the hoses, and definitely pre-fill the filter. If you can prime the entire system on any diesel it'll make starting easier (or indeed possible). Mk 2 Focus TDCIs are supposed to be an "absolute ******" to start, did mine without missing a beat by pre-filling the filter and bleeding properly with a pump before trying to start the car. Started on the button, didn't have a problem at any point. The Felicia is dead easy to do, and dead easy to bleed, just take it one step at a time and it'll be fine.

[Uncorruptable]

The Felicia is dead easy to do, and dead easy to bleed, just take it one step at a time and it'll be fine.

Can you outline the steps needed to bleed please, any pictures would be a benefit, thanks.

[djaychela]

It was a while ago (2 years) that I did my mum's, and I don't have the car any more... so no pics!

There's a bleed nipple on the diesel pump - IIRC it's actually in the fuel pipe itself. Once you've done the above (change filter, with it pre-filled to save effort and time), you can attach the suction pump to this nipple, loosen it off a bit and then pump to suck the air out and diesel through to the pump. Once it's there, do the nipple up and it'll start OK. I -think- you need to have the ignition on for this to work as the immobiliser cuts the fuel off, but I'm not 100% on this (as mine was disabled). You'll soon know as nothing will come through.

[haribo(felicia)]

i didnt have a primer bulb to suck my fuel through the pump so what i did was get someone to turn the car over in sort bursts while i opened the bleed nipple on the pump (8mm spanner)until no bubbles came then tighten it up and try to start the car if it doesnt fire up then you will have to bleed the injectors to do this i cracked the injector unions off (17mm spanner)one at a time again with someone turning the car over in small bursts until there were no bubbles but to be honest if you follow the steps above filling filter ect you shouldnt have a problem.

[djaychela]

If you prime the pump before turning the car over, you generally won't have to bleed the injectors as no air will get in there, but it's useful to put that there in case anyone needs it. As you say, it's easy enough to do, the kind of job you're worried about before you do one for the first time and afterwards you wonder what you were worried about!

[Uncorruptable]

If you prime the pump before turning the car over, you generally won't have to bleed the injectors as no air will get in there, but it's useful to put that there in case anyone needs it. As you say, it's easy enough to do, the kind of job you're worried about before you do one for the first time and afterwards you wonder what you were worried about!

How do you prime the pump? and where is the bleed nipple likley to be?

[djaychela]

In my previous post... ;-)

[Zimo]

Hi all, find this old tread to get back to life.

I have a skoda felicia pickup 1.9D . I have tried to bleed the water from the fuel filter just a bit with the engine off. But now it wont fire up anymore. Before was ok but now i think i have mess up something. Any advice? Do i have to perform an air bleeding from the pump? If so any help would be a lot

Thanks in advance