DIY Service Guide: Fuel Filter, Oil+Oil Filter, Pollen Filter, Air Filter + MAF Clean
- Thread starter Seat_Stu
- Start date
mike_burton
Guest
Hi there
Apologies for the downtime of the photos, had some website issues ! Can't quite believe its still here
Just serviced that car again (parents have it now) and its all set for another year ! A nice full service for less that £50 !
Hope the guide still helps people save some money
Cheers
Stu
Apologies for the downtime of the photos, had some website issues ! Can't quite believe its still here
Just serviced that car again (parents have it now) and its all set for another year ! A nice full service for less that £50 !
Hope the guide still helps people save some money
Cheers
Stu
Strawp
Guest
Hi Strawp,
I don't have the car any more, it belongs to my parents but I still do the servicing for it when time is available
It sure as hell doesn't hurt to do all of those tasks every 10k/annually but may be unnecessary for some bits.
I can't remember the 'official' service jobs at each stage as I always check the service book anyway but I will always change each year/10k at minimum the following,
-Oil + Oil Filter
-Air filter
-Pollen filter
-Drain out fuel filter
Cleaning the MAF and changing the fuel filter I reckon every 20k maybe (I think the book says every 40k for the fuel filter change?)
Remember to have your cambelt changed at the 60k/4 years mark. But for the sake of an air filter and pollen filter being £10-20 max to change both, why wouldn't you??!
Hope the guide has helped !
cheers
-Stu
Strawp
Guest
Heh, I just started a thread about cam belts http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?p=3868064
TDi FR with 60k on the clock had its cam belt changed at 30k. I suspect it's about to need a new one.
TDi FR with 60k on the clock had its cam belt changed at 30k. I suspect it's about to need a new one.
Strawp
Guest
Did all of this yesterday (except the fuel filter EDIT: or MAF). First time I've ever serviced a car.
Printed the first page of this thread to PDF and stuck it on my kindle, wrapped in a sandwich bag
Hardest bit was getting the fuel filter cap off. Slightly damaged it trying to use heavy duty pliers with adjustable jaws before putting a deep scratch up my arm, admitting defeat and getting a suitable adjustable spanner. Also screwed up trying to put the car on ramps. Didn't have anyone spotting me and one ramp shifted forwards, so I ended up driving over the end of the other one. Put a couple of small dents in the chassis but nothing serious.
Thanks for the guide!
Printed the first page of this thread to PDF and stuck it on my kindle, wrapped in a sandwich bag
Hardest bit was getting the fuel filter cap off. Slightly damaged it trying to use heavy duty pliers with adjustable jaws before putting a deep scratch up my arm, admitting defeat and getting a suitable adjustable spanner. Also screwed up trying to put the car on ramps. Didn't have anyone spotting me and one ramp shifted forwards, so I ended up driving over the end of the other one.
Put a couple of small dents in the chassis but nothing serious. Thanks for the guide!
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haha Strawp that's fantastic ! Glad the guide has helped you !
Changing the fuel filter is super easy, if not the easiest part - The MAF sensor takes allot longer but then you don't really need to do this that often.
Next time though, try to include some damage control, we dont want you to have any more accidents with getting up on ramps etc in future, especially any cuts !
I use a trolley jack and axle stands nowadays as I repopulated the shed with some new tools !
If you need any more help or to change the fuel filter then let me know and I'll walk you through it. If I remember its good to change every 40k miles but every service you should drain the crap out the bottom of the current one. There is a big plastic screw drainer at the bottom of it, get a bucket and open that up. Witness all the soot'y rubbish in there.
Cheers
-Stu
Changing the fuel filter is super easy, if not the easiest part
- The MAF sensor takes allot longer but then you don't really need to do this that often.Next time though, try to include some damage control, we dont want you to have any more accidents with getting up on ramps etc in future, especially any cuts !
I use a trolley jack and axle stands nowadays as I repopulated the shed with some new tools !
If you need any more help or to change the fuel filter then let me know and I'll walk you through it. If I remember its good to change every 40k miles but every service you should drain the crap out the bottom of the current one. There is a big plastic screw drainer at the bottom of it, get a bucket and open that up. Witness all the soot'y rubbish in there.
Cheers
-Stu
Strawp
Guest
Air filter and cabin filter were definitely the easiest bits. My oil filter cap was screwed on really tight.
I got a fuel filter like the one in the picture. I had a choice of two - the other was slightly longer and the guy at the parts shop said it wouldn't make much difference. I can now see that the one in there was actually the longer model so I might switch the one I bought next time I'm in the area.
I wasn't quite sure in the guide about the connections with the fuel filter. Are you effectively just giving tubes a good pull to get them off? Is this where mole grips would come in handy to keep those clips open?
I got a fuel filter like the one in the picture. I had a choice of two - the other was slightly longer and the guy at the parts shop said it wouldn't make much difference. I can now see that the one in there was actually the longer model so I might switch the one I bought next time I'm in the area.
I wasn't quite sure in the guide about the connections with the fuel filter. Are you effectively just giving tubes a good pull to get them off? Is this where mole grips would come in handy to keep those clips open?
Regards the fuel filter, I originally ordered one from ECP and it was the short one without the drainer at the bottom. I decided to send that back and just pickup an OEM part from SEAT which was the taller one with a drainer. I doubt it makes much difference but for the sake of a few quid, i went official
The connections on the filter - there are directional arrows on the pipes and etched on the top of the filter (or at least should me). Slightly different to what you described, the following is what I did,
-Pull out butterfly clip and keep somewhere safe
-Lift that part out the filter (remember to change rummer grommets, one is thinner than the other, remember to keep them in the right places with replacements. Think one was blue the other was black)
-Use mole grips or pliers to open the small metal clamps and just simply move them up the tube a little.
-Ease off the cable by pulling, twisting and eventually it will come off - have a rag at the ready as some diesel may come out !
-I wrap the tubes in kitchen towel while I lift the filter out
-Swap out filters
do the same in reverse to put back !
If its a cleaning exercise then you wont need to replace the rubber seals and just drain off the filter and put it back in and connect up.
I personally leave the engine running for a few mins after as remember, there is no fuel in the filter - I let the system sort itself out for abit
Remember there are are 3 or 4 little black hooks that hang over the edge of the filter to hold it in.
Cheers
-Stu
The connections on the filter - there are directional arrows on the pipes and etched on the top of the filter (or at least should me). Slightly different to what you described, the following is what I did,
-Pull out butterfly clip and keep somewhere safe
-Lift that part out the filter (remember to change rummer grommets, one is thinner than the other, remember to keep them in the right places with replacements. Think one was blue the other was black)
-Use mole grips or pliers to open the small metal clamps and just simply move them up the tube a little.
-Ease off the cable by pulling, twisting and eventually it will come off - have a rag at the ready as some diesel may come out !
-I wrap the tubes in kitchen towel while I lift the filter out
-Swap out filters
do the same in reverse to put back !
If its a cleaning exercise then you wont need to replace the rubber seals and just drain off the filter and put it back in and connect up.
I personally leave the engine running for a few mins after as remember, there is no fuel in the filter - I let the system sort itself out for abit
Remember there are are 3 or 4 little black hooks that hang over the edge of the filter to hold it in.
Cheers
-Stu
Strawp
Guest
I cleaned out the fuel filter in this car (my old one) a few months back - took no longer than 20 mins !
All I had was,
-Handful of tissues & rags
-An old/empty ice cream container !
-Pliers
If you're changing it competely you will need the same plus,
-Small flat head screwdriver (to pry off the small rubber washers)
-New filter, of course
Piece of cake! Who knows, next time I might video it and wack it on YouTube
Cheers
-Stu
All I had was,
-Handful of tissues & rags
-An old/empty ice cream container !
-Pliers
If you're changing it competely you will need the same plus,
-Small flat head screwdriver (to pry off the small rubber washers)
-New filter, of course
Piece of cake! Who knows, next time I might video it and wack it on YouTube
Cheers
-Stu
Zenith
Guest
Well maybe I jumped the gun a little bit!
Tried to find my pollen filter but when I remove the panel under passenger side glove box it looks very different to the picture you posted.
I am off down the road now, but will have another crack after the weekend.
If I'm still stuck, could I maybe post a couple of pics?
Thanks again.
Zenith
Guest
Just an update.
I've searched this forum and everybody describes the pollen filter being housed in panel under the passenger glove box.
I've taken this off and can see a black plastic box but cannot for the life of me get it off - it certainly has no sliders etc.
Can anyone help with a pic or should I repost this in Leon section?
Thank you
I've searched this forum and everybody describes the pollen filter being housed in panel under the passenger glove box.
I've taken this off and can see a black plastic box but cannot for the life of me get it off - it certainly has no sliders etc.
Can anyone help with a pic or should I repost this in Leon section?
Thank you
Hmm I believe its the same - what year Leon do you have?
When I'm next back at my parents I'll steal the car keys and snap some photos on the mobile for you
Once you take off the plastic cover with the torx screws. There should be like to slides on the outside edges that push into the middle (if i remember correct)
That then should come loose and then you can pull down and out the filter which has a square/rectangular plastic casing.
Cheers
-Stu
When I'm next back at my parents I'll steal the car keys and snap some photos on the mobile for you
Once you take off the plastic cover with the torx screws. There should be like to slides on the outside edges that push into the middle (if i remember correct)
That then should come loose and then you can pull down and out the filter which has a square/rectangular plastic casing.
Cheers
-Stu
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