Your 2000 jetta tdi won't start after changing fuel filter?

Answer 1

Early A4 Jetta's didn't come with a fuel pump and the injector pump isn't self priming so when you break into the fuel line to replace the fuel filter you have introduced a significant amount of air into the line thereby causing a break in the fuel delivery. To help get around this problem you can fill the new filter with fuel, all you can get it to accept, and then re-install the fuel lines. This will USUALLY, but not every time, allow the engine to restart although it may run roughly for a minute or two. Once started, press on the throttle pedal to raise the engine speed to 1500-2000 RPM and hold it there until it runs smoothly again for at least 30 seconds.

Now for the bad part. If the engine won't start then you need to use something to pull the fuel back up to the injection pump and essentially, prime it. This can be done with hand-held vacuum pumps available at almost any autoparts store ($50) or you can use clear plastic tubing of the appropriate size and suck it up yourself. Be sure to use several feet of clear tubing if you want to do it this way so you can see it before it crosses you lips. This also requires pulling the filter hoses back off to make the appropriate connection.

Another, and probably the one I would choose, would be to remove the line from the filter to the injection pump and fill it full of fuel by whatever means you have at hand; an eyedropper or something like that may work. Then reconnect it to the full fuel filter and see if that works. The object is to fill the new filter, prime the injection pump and fill the fuel lines as much as possible.

If you haven't done this procedure before then it seems a daunting task but it can be done fairly quickly assuming you have the tools at hand.

This is all quite an inconvenience but the only other thing that can be done is to buy a fuel pump from a newer TDI and have it installed. It will fit in your tank but it will also need to have ignition switch activated power provided to it so that it turns on and off with the key. The last time I checked a factory TDI fuel pump from VW ran about $450 but have seen aftermarket replacements for as little as $250 as of Sept 2009.

Also, look on the various online VW TDI forums for step-by-step instructions for performing this procedure. This happened to me on my first fuel filter change and I had to learn the hard way, just as you have.