Fuel filter change

[Jay]

Nooby post from novice diy mechanic.

Tomorrow I'm going to change the fuel filter on my Golf2 GTD.
I've bought a genuine spec (MANN) filter for the job.

After some reading on the interwebs I'm not sure if I need to do this with the GTD, but just wanted to check if I actually have to bleed the fuel lines.

Is it a case of just removing fuel lines one by one and blocking them off as I go along (with electrical tape and a bolt), mounting fuel filter, filling fuel filter up with diesel (I've no ATF and use Redex diesel additive already), one by one reconnecting the fuel lines and cranking her over?

I come from a Golf MK2 Carb and a 2.0L 4x4 gasser background so forgive my noobity.

[bajacalal]

I've had no trouble with air in mine, even when I replaced the fuel filter, all the rubber fuel lines and a metal fuel injection line at the same time. It started right up after a few seconds cranking but ran rough for 10 minutes of course. Maybe I just got lucky but I was amazed at how I had no trouble getting the air out. I thought I would have to loosen the injector lines and crank the engine forever but it really took nothing special at all. I did not even push the accelerator to increase fuel delivery.

What I did do, was to fill the fuel filter with a funnel and a long piece of fuel hose (as long as you are tall). I used gravity to force diesel into the fuel filter until all the air is expelled from the fuel filter and you see diesel coming from the outlet side of the filter with no air bubbles.

Just remember to keep everything really clean, especially the hoses that come after the fuel filter, you don't want any kind of debris in your injector pump.

[clbanman]

I did what you did with the exception of blocking off the hoses.  I just pull them up and jam them against something to keep them from falling down.   First time I used a vaccum pump to pull fuel through and get rid of all the air, second time I just reconnected and cranked.   Took only about 15 seconds longer for it to fire the second time.  FWIW, I know 2 times doesn't make me an expert.

[Rabbit on Roids]

before you spin the new filter on, just make sure its full of diesel, or some sort of combustible oil a diesel will run on. ive NEVER had a problem with air in the lines from a filter change. if you change your filter alot like i do, then you might consider adding a small lift pump. i just used a cheap electric fuel pump, the kind that go tic tic tic.

[Jay]

I'm changing it because I get air in the lines when at idle (maybe a bubble every few seconds) and under throttle at least a bubble every second, the fuel lines seem OK. So next step is to replace the filter.