A5 Jetta Oil Change - what did I do wrong?

lildevildee · Jun 16, 2005

Since everyone has raved about the Pela 6000, I purchased one for my car. I watched the video with sound off here on the forums.

I was only able to get just over 3 liters of oil out of the car. Engine was warm; I had been running errands before changing oil. Do I need to jack up the rear end to help oil flow to the front of the engine? I figure I'll do my second oil change at 8,000 miles instead of 10,000 miles to accomodate for the old oil still in the engine.

Also, I noticed that my Pela has a very slight leak in it where the two hoses connect. I shouldn't have to pump the entire time to get the oil out, correct?

Any advice?

endseeker · Jun 16, 2005

i did the oil change with Pela6000 last weekend. did you try to move the end of tube around in the oil pan when you hear the sound from the Pela sucking in air?

also dont forget the oil remaining in the oil filter housing.

I got out around 4.2 liters.

lildevildee · Jun 16, 2005

I did the oil in the housing.

I had to pump the entire time to get the oil to drain into the Pela. Otherwise, it'd lose suction and stop flowing

I moved the tube around quite a bit and kept getting some out. I did this until I could get nothing out no matter where I had it. The best I could get out was 3 liters.

ETA: I went in through the dipstick housing until I couldn't get the tubing in any more. After I got as much out as possible, I'd move it around a little to get a little more oil out.

pruzink · Jun 17, 2005

I also have fallen short on being able to remove as much oil using the vacuum extraction as draining through the plug. The next time I do the extraction method I will try jacking the back end of the car up a bit as it looked like the pan had a bit of a slope back toward the plug. Also, you need to go in through the oil filter housing and suck the oil out of the oil cooler which is just below the filter (I have an A4, I assume the A5 is the same ?)

milehighassassin · Jun 17, 2005

I don't understand the rave about the Pela. One guy only got out 3 liters, the other 4.2 liters. Capacity is what 4.5 (random guess). IF you have to jack up the rear end, why not just jack up the front and drain it?
I know there is a belly pan to remove, but that only takes like 5 minutes tops.

jkeller · Jun 17, 2005

The first time I used mine the oil wasn't very hot and I got maybe 3.5 liters out. I was disappointed both in the time it took and the amount of pumping required.

Last time the engine was hot and I got at least 4.5 liters. It is much easier (less pumping) and faster with a hot engine.

By "hot" I mean I was out driving running errands for about an hour, came home and immediately starting pumping out the oil. The Pela was almost too hot to pick up when I had it full of oil. Kind of scared me, I though I might melt it - but it worked a lot better!

JettaJake · Jun 17, 2005

I don't understand the rave about the Pela. One guy only got out 3 liters, the other 4.2 liters. Capacity is what 4.5 (random guess). IF you have to jack up the rear end, why not just jack up the front and drain it?
I know there is a belly pan to remove, but that only takes like 5 minutes tops.

Some get it, some don't. No matter, Pela's just plain rock! No jacking required either.

JJ

lildevildee · Jun 17, 2005

I had been out doing errands for over an hour. The oil should have been plently hot.

I'm scratching my head over this one. Sounds like I did everything I was supposed to...

JettaJake · Jun 17, 2005

Maybe a dumb question, but would it be possible you were low on oil to begin with? Did you check the level before starting the oil change?

lildevildee · Jun 17, 2005

I checked the oil level in the car when I first bought it then a couple other times during fill-ups. I took a look at the dipstick before changing the oil but I didn't pay much attention. Quite frankly, this dipstick is a PITA for being able to tell the level of oil. It is possible I could have been low on oil; I'd just like to think not by that much! I'm still going to change the oil a little early just in case. I need to start driving again; I want to find out if I have the same results next time!

SuburbanTDI · Jun 17, 2005

I think I'd go nuts if I had to pump the Pela, and I know I'd use the drain plug first....but I did get the 'PneumatiVac-Air Operated Fluid Evacuator' by MityVac(about 60$ on ebay).
If you have a compressor its unbeatable, just hook it up and walk away till its drained.

(http://www.mityvac.com/kits.html#07300)

burpod · Jun 17, 2005

i'ved use the pela twice now, with absolutely no problems. took about 35 minutes and got out about 4.5-4.8 liters out both times. not sure what could be going wrong for you guys... other than not getting the suction tube down the dipstick tube far enough...
?

vector1 · Jun 17, 2005

beware fellas
i did an oil change on my 5.5 jetta and the manual states 5.1 qts. so i put in 5 qts. thinking that would be fine. well i couldn't get a reading on the stick. the whole think is covered in oil. so i drive for a while, thinking i could tell better when the oil gets dirty. finally i have had enough and started draining to see if i could get a reading. i drain out 1.5 qts and finally get a reading in the middle of the marks. so i'm thinking the capacity is 3.5 us. qts, or 5.1 imp quarts, or something like this. am i correct?

lildevildee · Jun 17, 2005

Hmm. That's interesting. I drained out 3 liters (guessing by the marks on the Pela) and added 3 liters before I started checking levels. I was pretty much dead-on at 3 liters.

lildevildee · Jun 17, 2005

I had a chance to check the book - it's 5.1 quarts or 4.8 liters.

burpod · Jun 18, 2005

should be the same as the A4s.... correct me if i'm wrong but it should be the same PD engine.

maxforce · Jun 18, 2005

I use this one http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/sto...productId=10677 8 pumps and in about 10 minutes the sump is dry than suck out the cooler. sitting on level ground I get out over 4 liters. It is not far from the top of the changer. Nice and neat. Max

endseeker · Jun 18, 2005

Hi Lildevildee, try not to put the tube all the way in, stop when the end of the tube touches the oil pan, this way the end of tube should be perpendicular to the pan.

If you insert the tube all the way in, the end of tube might start to point up intead of pointing down to the oilpan

Long_Range · Jun 18, 2005

endskeeper: That was what I was thinking.

Also if the fittings are leaking on a new unit the manufacturer should send replacements upon request.

I'm using a MytyVac unit. Plan to acquire a rigid tube from the plumbing section of my local hardware store. Then trim the bottom end to the angle of the dip-stick Placing a witness mark on the top end for orientation. Maybe overkill but it'll feel good.

Also you need to remove the oil filter to dump the baffled oil into the pan for removal.
I know that seems obvious to some people but it's the details that get ya sometimes.

SUNRG · Jun 18, 2005

should be the same as the A4s.... correct me if i'm wrong but it should be the same PD engine.

probably is the same as the A4s, but it is a different engine. A4 PD engine code is BEW, A5 is BRM. Oil filter is the same, fuel filter is different.

jddaigle · Jun 20, 2005

I don't understand the rave about the Pela. One guy only got out 3 liters, the other 4.2 liters. Capacity is what 4.5 (random guess). IF you have to jack up the rear end, why not just jack up the front and drain it?
I know there is a belly pan to remove, but that only takes like 5 minutes tops.

Sounds like the OP has a defective Pella if he had to pump it constantly and the hoses are leaking. I've used mine in my Golf twice and once on a 1.8T Passat and get all the oil out every time, no jacking required.

lildevildee · Jun 20, 2005

Jeff, the OP is a female

lildevildee · Jun 20, 2005

Well, I'm trying to get more miles on my car so I can change the oil again. I want to see if I get the same results.

I'm also chalking it up to not the right day to be changing my oil. I had my dog of 6 years put down; the boat we just bought wouldn't start (while at the lake

and the truck we were towing it with overheated. Oh the joys!

TomB · Jun 20, 2005

Sorry guys the pela is overrated.

I have Rhino Ramps. Put them in front of the tires, roll up. Drop the cover underneath and get all the oil drained.

The pela just left too much behind. You really want the gunk on the bottom out.

As a rule never add the "supposed" amount of oil. Add two check, then another and keep checking along the way until you know for sure the volume. Over filling WILL hurt the car.

meganuke · Jun 21, 2005

I've done my oil changes both ways, and the Pela got out the same amount of oil as using the drain plug. I recommend it.

spyderhead · Jun 21, 2005

I just did my initial change at 5000 miles with the Pela. It was excellent. I only got about 4.5 L out of it, but it was a touch low before I started. No "jacking" required. The engine oil was hot and the change was effortless.

SUNRG · Jun 21, 2005

only got about 4.5 L out of it

IME - that's all you can expect to extract.

nickleinonen · Jun 21, 2005

o i'm thinking the capacity is 3.5 us. qts, or 5.1 imp quarts, or something like this. am i correct?

an imperal QT is bigger than a us QT... 4 imp. qt's is an imperal gallon, 5 us qt's is an imperal gallon...

burpod · Jun 21, 2005

the A4 1.9L engine, according to the bentley is 4.8 US quarts or 4.5 liters... i would think the 1.9L engine in the A5 would be the same. and certainly not 3.5 us quarts...

lildevildee · Jun 21, 2005

According to the owner's manual, the A5 is 5.1 quarts; 4.8 liters.

Spyderhead, do you have an A5 or other? Nevermind; I just saw you have a NB.

A5 Jetta Oil Change - what did I do wrong?

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