I've just had my 2008 Skoda Octavia vRs Diesel serviced by a professional mechanic and it's now leaking diesel from fuel filter housing. The mechanic has tried a new seal which hasn't worked and now says I need a new housing. How can a housing fail? Any ideas anyone.

 

Many thanks

Has the mechanic damaged/bent the lid during the service?

Getting the seal in without knicking it can be tricky and take a few attempts with a new seal each time. Once it has been damaged it is kaput.

Did he explain why a new housing is required?

Btw - perhaps the mechanic has over tightened the screws and stripped the threads on the housing used to keep the lid tight. If he has done that then tell him to buy a new one.

Did the 'annual' service on mine today and it was the first time (out of 4 services) that I had a leak after refitting the housing lid. Luckily undoing it and trying again sorted it. Advice is to try and prevent warping of the lid on removal and then when refitting I try and keep the lid as level as possible by doing the screws up in a triangular pattern (makes sense when you look at it) and just a half turn at a time on each one. The biggest PITA I find each service is why they make it relatively awkward to get the oil housing cap off on the PD VRS housing.

A common mistake on the fuel filter housing is using a screwdriver to prise the lid off.

 

If you try too hard (if the lid is slightly stuck) it is possible to bend the lip of the lid.

Enquired about how much a new filter housing was for my vrs, because I thought it was leaking...

Was told around the 180 mark..

Not cheap !

Mine was just a slight seepage down the side as I was checking it after I'd changed it and started up so knew it hadn't sprayed everywhere. I always have a good wad of rags around the filter housing as well when changing the filter to stop spills getting on the Aux Belt.