D2 Diesel Fuel Filter - Emergency Plug

[Ged]

Thought I'd share a recent experience with the fuel filter on my 04 D2Td5. Driving home from work on the freeway I noticed a film of fluid building up on my rear window. It was fuel that was leaking slowly from the fuel filter - the plastic threaded plug that is located at the bottom of the filter must have been knocked by something and had partly broken away. Quick call to local workshop no good as they were closing for the day and had commitments. Got the car home, leaking fuel at a rate of approx 1 litre every 5 minutes. At home I tried to wrap some putty around the split area but the plug gave way entirely, leaving the hollow threaded body of the plug in the filter body. Of course you start the engine and try and drive that anywhere and the diesel spews out like a kitchen tap on full. Ain't driving anywhere like that. Solution? Remove the remaining thread from the filter and replace with a 10mm threaded bolt - filled the hole perfectly. Now I'm not a mechanic or car design expert but surely you are asking for trouble using a plastic plug in the fuel delivery system of a 4WD, exposed and facing down towards the ground. I wonder if anyone else has heard of this happening? Lucky I had been on the freeway with enough speed for the fuel to be drawn up on to the window - imagine if I had been meandering on a track somewhere in the high country losing fuel and not knowing it...

[Ean Austral]

Always carried a bolt in the ashtray for the fuel filter in my D2 and always removed the plastic plug and put a bolt in when I went on any offroad trips.

There are some threads on here where people have made guards for the filter, from memory 1 was using some PVC pipe that was longer than the filter to protect the plastic bung.

Well done finding a bolt that fitted.

Cheers Ean

[scarry]

Yep,also kept the bolt in the glovebox,after SWMBO came back from the shops one day & informed me the disco smelt of diesel.

On inspection there was a pool of diesel under the rear right hand side of the vehicle,parked in the carport, about one meter in diameter.

I recon the plastic part of the filter deteriorates with the heat,as the filter runs quite hot.

[gavinwibrow]

Yep,also kept the bolt in the glovebox,after SWMBO came back from the shops one day & informed me the disco smelt of diesel.

On inspection there was a pool of diesel under the rear right hand side of the vehicle,parked in the carport, about one meter in diameter.

I recon the plastic part of the filter deteriorates with the heat,as the filter runs quite hot.
Good thinking. Bolt size?

[Slunnie]

Good thinking. Bolt size?
M10 x not longer than 25mm. You'll probably have to shorten one.

[greg-g]

I had this problem a few years ago.
I've actually made a proper drain plug by drilling the 10mm stainless bolt to for about 10mm and then drilling a cross hole.
Reuse the original rubber seal from the plastic plug.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/58321-td5-fuel-filter-drain-plug-failure.html

I just have to remember to get the stealers to recover my bolt from the garbage can whenever the filter is replaced.

[robbotd5]

Or you could carry a few spare plugs as I do. I renew them every filter change and keep the old ones.
Regards
Robbo