The Worst Oil Change Ive Ever Done

Seems to me you could just cut a groove in a hockey puck. Puck goes on the jack, pinch-weld sits in the groove.

Keep your stick on the ice, eh?

I just did my 20,000 mile service the other day and I didn't think the oil change part was bad at all. I just used a couple zip ties to pull everything out of the way of the oil filter. And I actually liked that you can drain the oil filter housing before pulling it off. Although I'd still rather have an actual filter not a plastic housing. Also a curved pick makes getting the seals off easy and painless on the housing. Now my Abarth, that thing is a huge pita to change the filter.

DasUberSchwebel said:

I just did my 20,000 mile service the other day and I didn't think the oil change part was bad at all. I just used a couple zip ties to pull everything out of the way of the oil filter. And I actually liked that you can drain the oil filter housing before pulling it off. Although I'd still rather have an actual filter not a plastic housing. Also a curved pick makes getting the seals off easy and painless on the housing. Now my Abarth, that thing is a huge pita to change the filter.

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Did you change the fuel filter too? I think that is a 20k interval. If so how hard was it?

Did the oil and filter change today. It was a little more difficult than the gas 2.0T I am very familiar with, but overall not a biggie.

And what's with all the fasteners on the bellypan. LOL.

http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/500/2015_Jetta_oil_change.pdf
above links to pdf with some photos and notes from an oil change on a 2015 Jetta.

http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/517/2015_Jetta_10k_Service.pdf
includes added details including DEF a few notes on brake inspection.

a little different than the MK7 but same engine.

if anyone has torque specs for the oil drain plug, oil filter cover, and the center plug in the oil filter, I am happy to update.

thanks

meerschm said:

http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/500/2015_Jetta_oil_change.pdf
above links to pdf with some photos and notes from an oil change on a 2015 Jetta.

a little different than the MK7 but same engine.

if anyone has torque specs for the oil drain plug, oil filter cover, and the center plug in the oil filter, I am happy to update.

thanks

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Someone should make this a sticky in the mk7 section. Seems identical to what I just did on mine. Would be nice for anyone doing it for the first time.

Kranzandrew, re jacking up the car...I use a trolley jack with a block of wood (which I've been using for years so is moulded to the shape of the cup of my jack) to spread the load and not have metal to metal contact. I position the jack where the track control arm rear bush is connected to the body, directly under the bolt and also onto the subframe that's inboard of that. The wood stradles across both. Its a bit tricky to position because the mk7 is quite low at the front. On the mk5 golf I had this was easier as the rear bush was housed in a neat aluminium mount that was a perfect shape to sit in the cup of the jack without the wood. Hope that helps.

Is the oil drain plug on the Mk7 the same as the Mk4? Just wondering because I have a few spares for my Mk4.

Many of the oil change kits I buy come with a drain plug, but I don't end up using it since I use an oil extractor for top side oil changes on the Mk4.

It would be great if I could use them on the Mk7 because they include a new crush washer.

Mike_04GolfTDI said:

Is the oil drain plug on the Mk7 the same as the Mk4? Just wondering because I have a few spares for my Mk4.

Many of the oil change kits I buy come with a drain plug, but I don't end up using it since I use an oil extractor for top side oil changes on the Mk4.

It would be great if I could use them on the Mk7 because they include a new crush washer.

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Yes. The one installed at the factory will be black in color but the N90813202 drain plug is the correct one.

Outlier said:

Yes. The one installed at the factory will be black in color but the N90813202 drain plug is the correct one.

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Awesome! Thanks. Now I can do something with them. Glad I didn't throw them all away over the years.

for the mk7 its 5.5L, but you could get away with 6 to the top of the full line.

if you put too much in the car will complain

Considering doing my 1st (10,000) service myself and have a question about the oil change.

Not having seen the position of the drain plug, will all of the oil properly drain if I just raise the front of the car? Or does the car need to be level and lifted on all 4 corners together?

Thanks in advance.

Just raising the front of the car, as if t were on a set of ramps, will be fine.

5.5 Liters will get you to the middle of the Safe Zone on the dipstick.

TDI BR said:

Did you change the fuel filter too? I think that is a 20k interval. If so how hard was it?

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Yes I did the fuel filter too. It wasn't hard at all but a little messy. I did it without a VCDS. I clamped off the fuel line that goes to the HPFP so when I lifted the top off air wouldn't get sucked into the line. I filled the canister back up as high as I could and re-installed the top. While this may not be a recommended method of doing it, it worked for me without a problem.

I would say it's 50/50. Most dealers pull the old out and stick the new one back with no priming.

DasUberSchwebel said:

Yes I did the fuel filter too. It wasn't hard at all but a little messy. I did it without a VCDS. I clamped off the fuel line that goes to the HPFP so when I lifted the top off air wouldn't get sucked into the line. I filled the canister back up as high as I could and re-installed the top. While this may not be a recommended method of doing it, it worked for me without a problem.

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Yea I actually just did mine tonight. Couldn't have been easier.

On my '13 Passat TDI, cycling the ignition (without starting) will prime the fuel lines. I haven't changed the filer on my GSW yet, but checking if it primes the same way is simple:

1. Remove fule filter
2. Note level of fuel in canister
3. Place lid back on canister (I didn't fasten it)
4. Cycle ignition on for a few seconds (don't start)
5. Check level of fuel in canister

When I did this on my Passat, I could hear the fuel pump in the tank run, and there was additional fuel in the filter canister. If this checks out then just cycle the ignition 5 or 6 times after replacing the filter to prime the system.

-Fred

So I just did the dreaded oil change. It wasn't really that bad.

If you just accept the fact that oil is going to go everywhere, it's not difficult, just messy.

There was a torrential rain while I did this, which meant I was also covered from head to toe in water and oil and it was entering every orifice of my body.

Anyway, I have a question. Why are the bolts that hold the rear of the plastic belly pan so large and secured with Loctite? What are they holding other than the flimsy piece of plastic? There must be something else that they're doing, besides holding a little piece of plastic.

Mike_04GolfTDI said:

So I just did the dreaded oil change. It wasn't really that bad.
If you just accept the fact that oil is going to go everywhere, it's not difficult, just messy.
There was a torrential rain while I did this, which meant I was also covered from head to toe in water and oil and it was entering every orifice of my body.
You might want to get checked out by your doctor!
Anyway, I have a question. Why are the bolts that hold the rear of the plastic belly pan so large and secured with Loctite? What are they holding other than the flimsy piece of plastic? There must be something else that they're doing, besides holding a little piece of plastic.

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Mike_04GolfTDI said:

Why are the bolts that hold the rear of the plastic belly pan so large and secured with Loctite? What are they holding other than the flimsy piece of plastic? There must be something else that they're doing, besides holding a little piece of plastic.

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the large heads hold that plastic.

the locktite keeps the bolts from falling out.

meerschm said:

the large heads hold that plastic.

the locktite keeps the bolts from falling out.

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I wonder if maybe they were thinking ahead and put those bolts there to facilitate a metal skid-plate installation.

They're overkill for a plastic pan, but for a metal plate they'd be just right.

Next time I'm under there (in ten months) I'll have to look around to see what could be done for front skid-plate mounts.

just for reference, on my 2009, I lost one of those bolts.

(it actually was one I made a dealer tech fish from the pile on his toolbox after he did not replace any of the three after a DSG recall.)

the plastic does flow (relax) a bit, and without some kind of resistance on the threads, the bolt can just work itself out and head for the hills (or someone's tire tread)

bmwM5power said:

It only looks great and enticing till you run into nightmare. If you have a great deal of confidence in your dealer only then I would allow them to touch my car, I say this from experience.

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Geeze... dealers do 15 to 60 oil changes a day. Yes you might hear about the one 5 years ago and believe me, that guy was fired!!!! and vw made it right. When you screw something up, will vw make it right?

I hope the screw up my car when I have 100,000 miles on it and I then get a free engine. Lighten up a bit...

Kind a like the fram oil filter story, Everyone know the guy who knows the guy that had the bad filter. You got to know that a piece of space junk will fall on your car tomorrow.

Really not that bad of an oil change, although it isn't as quick as most. But...I would rather the skid/cover plate be there as opposed to not.

Took about 2 hours, but this was the first oil change, taking my time, in the dark with a headlamp, up on ramps outside in the yard. After the first time, this is probably a 30 minute job (particularly in the daytime!). No big deal.

PS: I unplugged one wire, but the hoses I just moved out of the way by hand.

I have not had my first oil change yet on my 2015 - so this is a preliminary question.

If the wire that is left disconnected during the oil change, (I believe it is the electronic water pump), will it set off the MIL/engine-light on the dash?

If yes that is a good thing because you will know the tech forget to plug it back in,
If it does not set off the engine light, then the only way to find out is: the hard way - overheating engine - or by crawling under the car and checking it.

Pick your poison:

1) Express service lanes at the VW dealer: for oil change, tire rotate - is usually done by an "on spot trained" teenager or young fella trying to move on to be a certified tech.
That is all they do all day long so they should have the steps memorized.

2) oil change done by a regular service tech: he is capable of performing all works on a VW, and an oil change is easy for him, but likely wants to get it out of the way quickly so he can move onto other better paying services.

when I worked for General motors- we only got paid 0.3 hours for oil changes (18 minutes)- this included locating the car in the parking lot, driving to the service bay, get the parts from parts dept, do the oil change, tire pressure, fill fluids- and other mandated inspections to upsell work such as check brakes (sometimes pull the wheels), tire thread dept, hoses, belts, air filter, lights -then record all findings, park the car. Regular techs (paid by booked hours) hate oil changes unless it turns into an upsell.

charley654 said:

If the wire that is left disconnected during the oil change, (I believe it is the electronic water pump), will it set off the MIL/engine-light on the dash?

If yes that is a good thing because you will know the tech forget to plug it back in,
If it does not set off the engine light, then the only way to find out is: the hard way - overheating engine - or by crawling under the car and checking it.

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The N489 valve controls coolant pump flow. If the N489 valve is off, coolant flows as normal. When the valve is energized, it pushes a shroud over the pump impeller which stops coolant flow. The default position is off, with normal coolant flow. If the wire to the N489 was left unconnected, coolant flows as normal. Probably sets a code, don't know for sure.

http://pics3.tdiclub.com/data/517/820433_EA288.pdf
see page 22

the plug for the N489 is at the top of the engine, and unrelated to the oil change.

there are two electric-only coolant pumps, one in front, one in back. (easy to see from the bottom with the large plastic cover off)

pretty sure the one at the front of the engine (that you unplug, to gain access to the oil filter) is the V188 Charge Air Cooling Pump.

leaving it off should throw a code pretty quick.

I didn't think the oil change was to bad. It just took a little longer and I had hardly any oil spill. I did not disconnect any wiring, I just used a zip tie and pulled it out of the way. But you will need to remove a hose out of its harness.