[Vwdiesel] [VW-TDI] Fuel filter T fitting leak

[Tad]

Thanks for the reply Roger.

I checked the condition last night after driving about 25 minutes across
town to my aunt's house and back, and was surprised how apparently little
fuel had leaked during that trip.  Your comment about the thermostatic
function made me think that perhaps it's only leaking/pressurized when the
Tee is "cold" - maybe the pressure is relieved when the valve opens.

I too was shocked at the prices when I called around - stealer wanted $65
for it!  Cheapest local price I found was $35 (Halsey Imports), but I ended
up getting it for $14 shipped from IDParts.  I figure it's probably been
leaking for quite a while, so I can probably let it leak for a few more
days. :)

Just over 170k here and averaging around 46-47MPG on B99.  Relatively
trouble-free miles... excluding normal maintenance items (and small
annoyances like the stupid door microswitches) the only serious failures
I've had are the alternator pulley breaking at about 140k and a spendy
injection pump rebuild 5 or 6 thousand miles ago.  That can be largely
attributed to the biodiesel though - or rather, the effect on the seals of
repeated switching between BD and Petrodiesel.  Overall a very cheap car to
operate, even accounting for the reaming that the salesman gave me when I
bought it new!

On Mon, May 2, 2011 at 9:25 AM, roger pelkey <rpelkey at ameritech.net> wrote:

>
> Tad,
> I have a '00 Jetta and had the same thing happen. I thought it was an
> o-ring, replaced them and it leaked worse. The next time I pulled the
> t-fitting off it split in half right down the seam where it had been
> asembled (glued) together. Pieces went flying. I found the bi-metallic wafer
> but couldn't find anything else. It's not just a t-fitting but also a
> thermal by-pass valve that I assume routes cold fuel back to the engine
> until it reaches a "warm" temp then sends it back to the tank. The
> bi-metallic wafer would pop when held between my fingers so I assume (again)
> that the by-pass temp must be around 90 degrees or so. After the shock of
> pricing a replacement fitting I decided to glue it back together and give it
> a shot. It no longer contains the internal components. I don't know if it's
> by-passing or what. I still get 50 mpg and it hasn't leaked in over 20K
> miles.
>
> I just rolled 300,000 miles. This has been the most economical auto I've
> ever owned. 10 year old technology and getting 50 mpg. I want to make a
> comment on this. I don't know what to say.
>
> --- On Mon, 5/2/11, Tad <thadddeus at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> From: Tad <thadddeus at gmail.com>
> Subject: [VW-TDI] Fuel filter T fitting leak
> To: "vw-tdi" <VW-TDI at yahoogroups.com>, "mailing list" <vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> >
> Date: Monday, May 2, 2011, 1:17 AM
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Hey all - so I saw something weird today while I was changing my oil, and I
> thought I would share with the class and see if anybody has seen something
> similar. This is an 01 Golf TDI.
>
> While I was under the hood, I noticed that my fuel filter was wet with fuel
> on top. My first impression was that one of the hoses, the ends of which
> are looking pretty worn from many filter changes, had started to leak. So I
> cleaned up the mess and continued with my oil change. Once finished I
> started the car and checked for leaks, and happened to notice that the
> little divot on the top of the fuel filter T was once again holding a tiny
> reservoir of fuel. I thought I had cleaned that up, thinks I... and I
> soaked it up with a rag. But a minute later, it was full again! Somehow,
> fuel is being forced out under pressure, not around the outside of the T
> (past the O-rings) but through the body of the T itself!
>
> I can only assume that the T must have a tiny invisible crack allowing fuel
> to pass from... well, somewhere that it is under pressure - which
> is bizarre, because in my previous experiences with leaks at the T, it's
> air
> that goes in, not fuel that comes out.
>
> Anyway I diapered the top of the filter with a paper shop towel and plan to
> find a new T and replace it ASAP, but I was wondering if anybody had seen
> anything similar.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tad
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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>
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