| Author |
Message |
TheBlueTurtle
Samba Member
Joined: July 03, 2007
Posts: 353
|
 Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:03 pm Post subject: how often do i change the fuel filter? |
 |
|
everytime i change the oil and air?
i generally change all filters when i get an oil change.
( i have the square fuel filter.. can i bypass this?
good practice?
_________________
84 Westfalia (Goldie)
GoWesty 2.2 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50353
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:19 pm Post subject: Re: how often do i change the fuel filter? |
|
|
| TheBlueTurtle wrote: |
everytime i change the oil and air?
i generally change all filters when i get an oil change.
( i have the square fuel filter.. can i bypass this?
good practice? |
With the stock little white plastic filter I don't think I ever made it more than 5000 miles without the pump beginning to whine. On the later model Vanagons that use the round metal filter I change them them when I do major engine work, in other words not very often.
On my 84, I recently junked the white plastic filter before the pump and when to the round metal one after it. I don't suspect I will be messing with it very often anymore. You might not want to go this route if you have evidence of a rusty tank.
Last edited by Wildthings on Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:22 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kayakwesty
Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2007
Posts: 687
Location: East Tennessee
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I have both filters and I change mine every spring and fall
_________________
1984 Westy 2.0 Jetta ABA Motor/1.8 head converted to auto tranny, with 180,000 on body, 55K on engine and transmission
B.5.5 Passat Wagen with 30v V6-67000 Miles
DAS AUTO
CHANGE YOUR FUEL LINES!
A post without pictures is useless
http://www.kayakwesty.com
http://www.waldensridgewhitewater.com/ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tencentlife
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 10078
Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I believe the spec is 30k miles for the round metal canister.
The square pod? Every fillup, apparently.
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/
Please don't PM here, I will not reply.
Experience is kryptonite to doctrine. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bmwloco
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2006
Posts: 1093
Location: Asheville NC
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I've done mine once, about 2k miles ago.
Burn good quality fuel like Shell, BP and the like and you'll probably do it annually. I find my '85 Vanagon Westy gets better mileage and the performance is better with 92 Octane.
YMMV
_________________
'85 Vanagon Westfalia |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
psych-illogical
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2004
Posts: 1181
Location: AZ
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:27 am Post subject: |
|
|
I think I end up doing mine about every 5000 or so. My 26 year old fuel tank definitely has some rust in it so my filter starts to get a little bit loaded up and the fuel pump starts to whine. It's a heluva lot easier and cheaper than pulling, cleaning and sealing the tank. So far, so good.
_________________
83 1/2 Westy waterboxer
'57 Beetle-sold 
Coupla '81 BMW motorcycles (R80G/S; R100RS)
'96 BMW R1100GS |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
16CVs 
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2004
Posts: 4026
Location: Redwood City, California
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:40 am Post subject: Fuel filter |
|
|
Change it and then cut it open and see what it looks like. I changed mine,a large aluminum canister that looks like it hadn't been done Bush got in to office .When I cut it open I was amazed at how clean it was. No crap ,some small paper debris and nothing else really.
I generally cut all of my filters open and have a peek.
Stacy |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Volksbulli
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006
Posts: 364
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:49 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel filter |
|
|
| stacy schneider wrote: |
Change it and then cut it open and see what it looks like. I changed mine,a large aluminum canister that looks like it hadn't been done Bush got in to office .When I cut it open I was amazed at how clean it was. No crap ,some small paper debris and nothing else really.
I generally cut all of my filters open and have a peek.
Stacy |
yeah I had to change my little square filter twice in 3 months, looked like sand and dirt clogging the filter media, so bad the second time that it wouldn't stay running. Its a 82 I'm sure there is some rust in there but I don't mind replacing the 3 dollar filter now and then.
_________________
It's a Volkswagen Thing, Even I Don't Understand!(o\|/o)
-------------------------------------------------------
82' A/C Westfalia
67' Typ 1
96' Golf GL |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TheBlueTurtle
Samba Member
Joined: July 03, 2007
Posts: 353
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| bmwloco wrote: |
I've done mine once, about 2k miles ago.
Burn good quality fuel like Shell, BP and the like and you'll probably do it annually. I find my '85 Vanagon Westy gets better mileage and the performance is better with 92 Octane.
YMMV |
IVE NOTICED THE SAME THING.
I USE CHEVRON 92
_________________
84 Westfalia (Goldie)
GoWesty 2.2 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
AlexWesty415
Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2020
Posts: 4
Location: California
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:24 am Post subject: Re: how often do i change the fuel filter? |
|
|
Volkswagon actually found they could bypass the small plastic square back in 1986, they've done this ever since, Use this upgrade kit from GoWesty, it's cheap and will lengthen the fuel pump life, other than that I've been told every 30K for Fuel Pump unless you have a bad gas tank, that will cause debris buildup.
Fuel Filter Upgrade: https://www.gowesty.com/product/-/23266/gowesty-vanagon-fuel-filter-upgrade-kit-?v= |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sagebus
Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2004
Posts: 310
Location: Temescal Valley, Corona California
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 8:43 pm Post subject: Re: how often do i change the fuel filter? |
|
|
When i first got my 84 way back in 1999, it had the square pre filter and the metal bosch filter. I have kept the same set up to this day. One of each, I'm still using the fuel pump that came on the van twenty years later. As far as i know, it's original, never have had any trouble with the fuel pump. But have carried a spare new one in the van for many years now...just in case.
_________________
1984 Vanagon GL, Wolfsburg Westy 1.9 ltr |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
IdahoDoug
Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010
Posts: 10252
Location: N. Idaho
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 9:43 pm Post subject: Re: how often do i change the fuel filter? |
|
|
I changed the fuel filter on my 97 LandCruiser last month for the first time at 285,000 miles. Always babied with quality fuel since new, etc. It's supposed to be a lifetime filter and is the size of a campbell's soup can. Looked terrible inside and did not fix the tiny idle stumble I hoped it would against all logic.
I installed the square and round filters when I restored mine. I have gone through a square one chasing down a low power issue a few years back and I could see a drift of crud through the plastic with a bright flashlight. Clean fuel, happy engine.
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
newerwesty1987
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2010
Posts: 407
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:41 am Post subject: Re: how often do i change the fuel filter? |
|
|
For the big filters like on the 86+ models, once every.... 150,000 miles? Ive seen longer than that and on whatever the cheapest gas is. The price and brand of fuel has nothing to do with dirt.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Microbusdeluxe
Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2003
Posts: 980
Location: Bellingham, WA
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:02 pm Post subject: Re: how often do i change the fuel filter? |
|
|
The thing about fuel filters is that they last a long time, that is until you get a bad batch of fuel in them. Change them as you wish, just be sure to carry a spare one for that crappy gas you are bound to find when you're a long ways from home.
_________________
'69 Squareback RIP
'65 21 window deluxe sold before the price spike, damn it.
'70 rhd bay now a taxi in South Sudan
'81 Westy sold
'89 hightop Westy Joker syncro 16" now with Bostig! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
uberaudi
Samba Member
Joined: June 24, 2013
Posts: 503
Location: Hi-top Country
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: how often do i change the fuel filter? |
|
|
^ This.
Filters take up little room, and are easy enough for anyone to change on the side of the road.
I had to change my last one coming out of Southern Utah a couple years back. I knew my gas tank had bad grommets and the of course we got caught in a massive sandy windstorm...a while later with little gas in the tank I started surging bad. Changed the filter in a parking lot and all was well the 800 miles home.
A simple 10 minute field repair can bump you to legendary status with the fam.
_________________
'84 Adventurewagen 1Z Tdi, '89 Tintop ABA, and a 86 Syncro tintop WBX. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
