Fuel filter and oil filter question..and a few others..

[london96td]

Hi everyone, So i've decided to replace the fuel filter myself and am unsure of which brand people use most. The ones available to me from auto parts online Canada are the Hengst or the Bosch one. Since the Hengst is a bit less expensive I am wondering if one is better than the other. Also do I need to purchase an o-ring for the filter or does it come with one? and can I use the old one?

I am planning on keeping this vehicle for a very long time and would prefer to use quality parts, but also don't like spending money on things which are not necessary as funds are limited currently.

Sofar I've been using oil filter from vw dealership but have a feeling I will be switching over to Mann based on the reviews which I've read, the other ones available are again Bosche and "Full"..

I should also add that I've been using 5w40 synthetic oil and will be going to a non synthetic in the summer as some have suggested, is this fine for the engine or am I doing more harm than good?

I figure I should ask the helpful and knowledgeable users on this forum first as you guys have way more experience than me.

Once again for an awesome and informative message board and great friendly members.

Also the oil pressure sensor (attached to above oil filter?) is leaking.. which one do I have to get? it's a 96 golf td with the aaz obviously and has 224,000 on it.

I apparently have 3 choices but have no clue which one to order.

http://parts.autopartsonlinecanada.com/parts/apocanada/wizard.jsp?year=1996&make=VW&model=GOL-D-004&category=P&part=Oil+Pressure+Sender

Thanks again

[steevz]

Hi everyone, So i've decided to replace the fuel filter myself and am unsure of which brand people use most. The ones available to me from auto parts online Canada are the Hengst or the Bosch one. Since the Hengst is a bit less expensive I am wondering if one is better than the other. Also do I need to purchase an o-ring for the filter or does it come with one? and can I use the old one?

I'd suggest staying away from cheap filters. Mann oil filters are good. I like to stick with quality filters and use Bosch fuel filters.

Also the oil pressure sensor (attached to above oil filter?) is leaking.. which one do I have to get? it's a 96 golf td with the aaz obviously and has 224,000 on it.

I apparently have 3 choices but have no clue which one to order.
Thanks again

You want the 1.8 bar sender. The sender on the oil filter flange is your high pressure sender. The other two are to replace the pressure sender in the head.

[london96td]

Awesome! thanks for the reply, I'm wondering if I need just the fuel filter.. isn't there an o-ring which needs to be replaced when changing out the fuel filter?

[maxfax]

The o-ring *should* come with the filter...

[vanbcguy]

Every filter I've ever got that had the preheater valve came with an o-ring on it already.

That said, unless you're driving around in the arctic, the preheater isn't doing much other than ensuring that every air bubble possible will spend as much time as possible whipping around between your pump and your filter.  Those things are definitely in the top 3 for letting air in to the fuel system.  Today's diesel is much more refined than the old stuff, and doesn't suffer from cold weather anywhere near as much. 

If you ask for a filter for an '85 diesel at most parts shops you'll get one without the spot for the plastic "recirculate" valve.  You can then connect the ends of the lines where the recirc valve was together.  Amazing how well your fuel system works at that point!

[belchfire]

As for the oil filter, I've been using the standard Ford one for some time now. (fram PH8A, NAPA 1515) has the same or better numbers (micron,flow) as the VW and a lot cheaper.

[maxfax]

As for the oil filter, I've been using the standard Ford one for some time now. (fram PH8A, NAPA 1515) has the same or better numbers (micron,flow) as the VW and a lot cheaper.

However, the standard Ford filter isn't rated for the insane oil pressure these engines can make.. They do work (I've used them myself), but they also can "balloon" which pretty much makes them bypass the filtration all the time, or just plain blow apart (both of which I've had happen a few times)...

[Baron VonZeppelin]

....unless you're driving around in the arctic, the preheater isn't doing much other than ensuring that every air bubble possible will spend as much time as possible whipping around between your pump and your filter.  Those things are definitely in the top 3 for letting air in to the fuel system.  Today's diesel is much more refined than the old stuff, and doesn't suffer from cold weather anywhere near as much. 

If you ask for a filter for an '85 diesel at most parts shops you'll get one without the spot for the plastic "recirculate" valve.  You can then connect the ends of the lines where the recirc valve was together.  Amazing how well your fuel system works at that point!

SOLID TRUTH on that.

and.... have tested 4 or 5 of these T's so far and none have worked (redirected) at 15-20*F. (left in my freezer overnight)
So if you aren't Arctic - they are a complete delete trouble item.
Maybe someone in the Arctic can test some at lower temps and see when/if they kick in.

On oil filters - you'll get Bosch and Mann for around $5 each from AutohausAZ and RockAuto. I buy about 6-10 at a time.

[theman53]

That and I ran the one for the TDI spin on that had a higher value for drainback and bypass IIRC. It was for the first TDI engines that still ran the spin on filter. Also, after cutting up my filters for inspection I never run fram on anything, lawn mower or vw nothing of mine sees the fram. The bottom of the filter media is expoxied to cardboard and is usually blown apart from the pressure of our diesels, even the ph3569 which is the one in the books for our cars didn't like it.

[maxfax]

I forget the number off hand but the filter used on some older Oliver tractors with the Waukasha diesel or later on the White Tractors with the 354 Perkins is the proper pressure and filtration specs for a VW..  Tight fit on a MK1 but it fits, and gives you almost an extra quart oil capacity.. 

[belchfire]

I don't get the high pressure problem. Maybe the problem is volume. Compared to the pop can filters on a lot of imports, this filter is huge.  My 1.6 hyd engine may start at 60 psi but cruises @25 psi. I've run ford race engines @80 psi w/ no problems even a 428 scj w/ dual inlets. I've blown cheap filters but that can happen with any cheap filter. Run what you want, just my experience.

[maxfax]

Volume could have something to do with it..  A somewhat healthy IDI with 15w40 at 40 deg can make well over 100 PSI at a cold idle... And that's measuring the pressure at the cyl head..  Then blip the throttle to get the alt charging and that's all she wrote for the filter.. (I now have black carpet due to a mech oil pressure gauge blowing apart  )..  Some of the "racing" filters for Fords, Wix in particular, I've found are almost indestructable though.. 

[belchfire]

Off topic. Your alternator too? Thought it was just mine.

[maxfax]

It's pretty much all of them..  Nothing to worry about...  I had a delco remy alt on my one old Bunnies and it even did it...

[JamesT]

Bosch black filters are the only bosch filters I'd run. The white ones are basically the same as Fram filter, and don't even have a working over-pressure bypass in them. The black bosch filters seem to be a bit better quality, and I've seen them handle over 90psi of cold oil on an air-cooled VW.
I need to find a Baldwin supplier that can get me a filter for my next change. I like their stuff for industrial applications, and I think it may be a good choice for my car's filter.