1998 vw jetta oil filter removal

bluesmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Location
Maple Ridge, B.C.
TDI
2004 pd 5 speed tip
just a quick question , is it possible to remove the spin on oil filter from the engine compartment (top) with out removing the belly pan:confused:

i picked up an oil extractor and i want to change the oil next weekend

thanks
 

alphaseinor

TDI Innovator, Gone but Not Forgotten
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Jul 30, 2006
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Denton, TX
TDI
'03 Jetta TDI 780,000 miles (totaled out), 01 Audi TT 225 Quattro 230,000 Miles (runs great!), 00 Cabreetle Beetle dash, ALH & MK4 harness Swap
I'm sure anything is possible, but it would be quite messy...
 

tdidieselbobny

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Apr 4, 2005
Location
Stafford,NY (WNY)
TDI
'03 Galactic Blue Jetta TDI, '15 Silk Blue Golf Sportwagen TDI
I don't have the plate on mine-always did it from underneath. I tried to remove it from top once-no way-too many hoses in way,and I didn't want to tweak the hoses too much. However,stick w/ oem oil filters(Mann)-as the Bosch,Mobil 1,Fram,and any others that you can get from a part store are just a little too fat to wiggle to install,especially if the front motor mount is old.Last change I didn't have a Mann, so I subbed a gasser VW oil filter for the time being-I'd just do a shorter change interval.
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
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Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
The B4 has a bit more room between the engine and the radiator than the A3. It's possible on the B4, I have not yet been able to replace the A3 filter from above, even using the smaller diameter gasser oil filter.
 

bluesmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Location
Maple Ridge, B.C.
TDI
2004 pd 5 speed tip
The B4 has a bit more room between the engine and the radiator than the A3. It's possible on the B4, I have not yet been able to replace the A3 filter from above, even using the smaller diameter gasser oil filter.
the last question i have is why is the oil filter so HUGE on the ahu

looks like something off a huge semi or something
 

autdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Location
Alabama
TDI
2000 NB, 2003 NB, 2006 Touareg, 2015 Jetta, 2013 Beetle, 2013 Touareg
Since it isn't a canister filter, it will drip when removed either from the filter, or the hoses leading to the filter, so you will end up with oil on the bottom shield. Since it has/had sound deadening material, that will likely soak some of the oil up, but then you'll be driving around with an oil soaked panel. When it rains, it may cause the oil to come out, and drip around.

Far too messy to try from the top, and you'll end up with a mess to carry around until, well probably forever, or when you replace the bottom shield.

There weren't a lot of sizes for spin on filters, the TDI is about the same size as most of the GM spin on filters from the 90's, all are about 3" diameter, so it's really not all that big, except when compared to the newer cartridge filters in the ALH and later models. It's actually kinda small compared to the V10 oil filter.
 
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