Bit of bother determining correct filter for car

B0bbyEwing

Filter changes due on a relatives car (MK5 Golf 2.0 TDI 140 - 2005 year (05) in case any of you have access to some database). I can do these myself to save them cash so buying the parts in. Found the invoice for the old one. 
I hop on AVS & then eBay. 

I find at a good price one that matches what I'd fitted previously. The seller says to contact them to check so I thought you know what, I will for the sake of a message. Just in case there may be some sizing issue or whatever I don't know about.

This is what the one in place in the car looks like.
Notice the blue rubber seal & the large opening on the cartridge - that's exactly what is in place on the Golf in question. I should remember - I fitted it. I don't have the original invoice (where I bought a genuine filter) but the last invoice was a Bosch filter & it says N0007 for the part.

So I was more than a little surprised when the seller said no that's not the correct one, I need this one. Notice the lack of the blue rubber seal, the much smaller hole in the centre of the cartridge. 

I questioned if they're sure - on account of I've actually replaced this before & it looks everything like the one I linked to and nothing like the one they linked me to. They said yes, this is correct for the engine code (the code given is actually a match for the car).

So I'm a little confused now. I don't want to go direct to VW & pay 3x the price of what I can get for on eBay.

Any of you have experience of why a parts database will say part XYZ is needed yet looks nothing like what's on your car??

diystarter7

Hi

Have you tried halfords and Eurocarparts by putting in your car reg and see what you get? They will often have pics and specs along with price etc and if one is local, click collect and can easily return if need be

Thanks

B0bbyEwing

Yes

Unfortunately, as with AVS also, these put-your-reg-in sites just return results showing both fuel filters. 

I don't know if the car is on some kind of crossover year where it could be either - although I doubt that as IIRC the MK5 only really started on the 54 plate & this is an 05. 
For example, what I mean by that is in the case of the MK5 Astra, the crossover year was about 2007. We have a 2007 (07) MK5 which should be the Z16XER engine with 115bhp but it's actually one of the last Z16XEP engines with 105bhp. 

AFAIK, the parts used are the same, but the insurance companies all seem to report it as the 115bhp version as "that's what the database says". 
You then have to tell them well although that's when the Z16XERs seemed to have started, this is still the 105 version, as all the documentation states. 
Then you finally get the insurance lowered a smidge.

I'm inclined to say sod it & go with my gut on this. Why try shoving a square peg in a round hole & all that. 

I just don't want to come unstuck IF it comes to returning.

Goudy

Have you tried GSF's website?

summer_daze009

This one comes up when inputting your car details

https://www.gsfcarparts.com/drpf13-0054

Flight3287462

I used to buy all my service consumables myself and my mechanic would fit them.  But the issue describe started to crop up more and more and is a real PITA  so I now just leave it up to him to order the parts. 

B0bbyEwing

Goudy said:

Have you tried GSF's website?

Had never heard of them but after SDs post I went on the website & it seems like Euro Car Parts under a different wrapper which produced the same result as I'll get to in a sec...

summer_daze009 said:

This one comes up when inputting your car details

https://www.gsfcarparts.com/drpf13-0054

That is true, but it also produced the other one as well....



That's with the reg plate inputted, which granted you wont have.

My point being, the website, like ECP, says these are the filters for the car.



I suspect if I was to book this in with a mechanic tomorrow, he'd order from his local dealers, they'd turn up with the filter, he'd pop the cover off of the filter housing & go well this doesn't match, get back on the phone to them & say bring me the right part.

And the customer when they come to pick the car up is none the wiser.

I think I'm going to gamble & opt for (in the case of the above image) the bottom one.

I just don't see the logic behind buying something that looks totally different to what is fitted to the car just because 'computer says'. I know the bottom one fits, I don't know if the top one fits but as soon as I get it dirty from having a try, that'll be the refund out the window.



Just wanted to run it by some who will likely have had more experience than me. Thanks.

baser999

Tried asking on an owners forum?

Lomast

B0bbyEwing said:

I suspect if I was to book this in with a mechanic tomorrow, he'd order from his local dealers, they'd turn up with the filter, he'd pop the cover off of the filter housing & go well this doesn't match, get back on the phone to them & say bring me the right part.

And the customer when they come to pick the car up is none the wiser.

Yep either that or ecp will send out both and pick the incorrect one back up on the next van run 

Goudy

GSF, German, Swedish and French have probably been around longer than Eurocarparts.
There's usually a local branch and if you give them the VIN they should be able to supply the right one.

But the multi seal one is upto chassis number 1k 6 16000
The single seal one is from chassis number 1k 6 160001

I believe one is an earlier filter and the other a later filter, but the cross over is around that model/year, so there's a chance the overlap might be large.

Have you access to the filter in it?
If so, the filter with the multiple seals is 142mm high.
The filter with the single seal is only 116mm high.

Look here
https://catalog.mann-filter.com/EU/eng/catalog/MANN-FILTER%20Katalog%20Europa/Vehicles/CARS%20%2B%20TRANSPORTERS/VW%20(VOLKSWAGEN)/Golf%20V%20~%20Golf%20Plus%20(1K1,%201K5,%20AJ5,%205M1,%20521)/2.0%20TDI%20AZV,%20BKD,%20BMM,%20CBDA,CBDB,%20CFHC%20(T00000000381837)/Fuel%20Filter,%20Fuel%20Filter%20Housing/PU%20936~2%20x

and
https://catalog.mann-filter.com/EU/eng/catalog/MANN-FILTER%20Katalog%20Europa/Vehicles/CARS%20%2B%20TRANSPORTERS/VW%20(VOLKSWAGEN)/Golf%20V%20~%20Golf%20Plus%20(1K1,%201K5,%20AJ5,%205M1,%20521)/2.0%20TDI%20AZV,%20BKD,%20BMM,%20CBDA,CBDB,%20CFHC%20(T00000000381837)/Fuel%20Filter/PU%20936~1%20x

facade

B0bbyEwing said:

Goudy said:

Have you tried GSF's website?

Had never heard of them but after SDs post I went on the website & it seems like Euro Car Parts under a different wrapper which produced the same result as I'll get to in a sec...

summer_daze009 said:

This one comes up when inputting your car details

https://www.gsfcarparts.com/drpf13-0054

That is true, but it also produced the other one as well....



That's with the reg plate inputted, which granted you wont have.

My point being, the website, like ECP, says these are the filters for the car.



I suspect if I was to book this in with a mechanic tomorrow, he'd order from his local dealers, they'd turn up with the filter, he'd pop the cover off of the filter housing & go well this doesn't match, get back on the phone to them & say bring me the right part.

And the customer when they come to pick the car up is none the wiser.

I think I'm going to gamble & opt for (in the case of the above image) the bottom one.

I just don't see the logic behind buying something that looks totally different to what is fitted to the car just because 'computer says'. I know the bottom one fits, I don't know if the top one fits but as soon as I get it dirty from having a try, that'll be the refund out the window.



Just wanted to run it by some who will likely have had more experience than me. Thanks.

Those filters are for different chassis numbers, the top one for later cars, the lower for earlier cars.

So as said before, looks like 2005 was a changeover year, and you need to buy on the chassis number, but tbh, if the early one fits at the moment, just get another.