DSG service fluid type and fill method preferred

[CraneOp]

Just curious what DSG fluid most use for do it yourself changes ? Online At idparts I've found either OEM or Liqui Moly. The OEM IS $30 more

For the do it yourself people which is better the factory fill method or the top fill by measuring the old amount ?

This will be my first time changing the DSG and I'm leaning towards the measure and top fill method.

Just your thoughts and preferences. Thanks !

 

[Rico567]

I'm not to 40K yet, but from everything I've read, I intend to do the top fill method. My inclination as to the oil would be to pay the $30 higher price for OEM, since it's a 40K service. OTOH, Liqui Moly has a great reputation.

 

[MikeOlive]

I've done two DSG fluid and filter changes. Both were from top. I would not even consider the Bentley method which requires a relatively expensive tool and appears to set you up to drip oil on the driveway. I purchased the fluid/filters from IDParts. Both times I used Fibi Bilstein oil which was the IDParts alternative to the OEM when I ordered. I have VCDS and followed the warm up procedure to achieve the proper fill level. I also use an oil funnel I got at Walmart, Flotool # 10704, that makes the top fill even easier.

 

[kcunniff]

Check out this previous thread that will give you my opinion on your question:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=393046

FYI, below is the DIY how-to that I followed:

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/wiki/d...cement-service-vw-and-audi-stronic-oil-flush/

If you have VCDS (highly recommended for this job and for so much more), this would be a good time to perform a DSG calibration and adaptation:

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/6-Speed_Direct_Shift_Gearbox_(DSG/02E)

 

[CraneOp]

Thanks

Thanks for the replies. All are very helpful.

I believe I will perform the top fill method ,with the Walmart funnel everyone talks about.

I don't currently have VCDS I'm wondering if a drain and measure would be correct assuming the DSG wasn't low from the factory.

Just my thinking but if you drain the fluid while it relatively cool or cold like a drain after a overnight. And then measure the amount. Add the new fluid with it too being cold or room temp of your house. How can you go wrong ?

Seems the most important thing is the correct amount at certain temp. Surely the same amount cold with equal as it warms and thins out.

Why didn't they just add a dipstick ?

 

[Rico567]

Thanks for the replies. All are very helpful.
I believe I will perform the top fill method ,with the Walmart funnel everyone talks about.
I don't currently have VCDS I'm wondering if a drain and measure would be correct assuming the DSG wasn't low from the factory.
Just my thinking but if you drain the fluid while it relatively cool or cold like a drain after a overnight. And then measure the amount. Add the new fluid with it too being cold or room temp of your house. How can you go wrong ?
Seems the most important thing is the correct amount at certain temp. Surely the same amount cold with equal as it warms and thins out.
Why didn't they just add a dipstick ?

There's no reason at all why your method shouldn't work. One volume of oil out, the same volume in, when both are at approximately the same temperature is simplicity itself. As long as the volume drained is about the same, mas o menos, as what other people are getting, I just don't see the problem. Just like I cannot for the life of me comprehend the factory fill method for this transmission. A method that has high labor costs built in to it, either that or it's just some Rube Goldberg thing contrived by armchair engineers that never had to turn a wrench.

 

[CraneOp]

Yeah hard to understand the lengths German engineers go to sometimes.
(No dipstick, no top fill factory method).

I'm a mobile crane operator and most all AT cranes that I have experince with are all German made. Truly complex and over thought sometimes

Simpler is better sometimes.

 

[kcunniff]

I don't currently have VCDS I'm wondering if a drain and measure would be correct assuming the DSG wasn't low from the factory.

"Assuming", in this case, something that is easy to check by a method that can otherwise ultimately be performed correctly (with slight modification as noted) seems to me an unreasonable gamble on such a technologically advanced and expensive transmission. My opinion, of course.

 

[IFRCFI]

One volume of oil out, the same volume in, when both are at approximately the same temperature is simplicity itself.

Drain. 4.6 L in from the top. No need to measure what was drained out. It is irrelevant.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Rico567]

Drain. 4.6 L in from the top. No need to measure what was drained out. It is irrelevant.

Agreed.

 

[bmerge]

Question first before I agree! In past experience with other vehicles, the amount of oil drained depends on if one drains the pan with the car level or if only the front is elevated. Don't want to make ANY assumptions here.

 

[Rico567]

Question first before I agree! In past experience with other vehicles, the amount of oil drained depends on if one drains the pan with the car level or if only the front is elevated. Don't want to make ANY assumptions here.

I have yet to do this service. There are people on this forum who are adamant that the car be perfectly level. Others disagree. I'm convinced that there is an amount of oil everyone I've read drains out of the DSG, about the 4.6 L noted in "IFRCFI"'s post. I plan to run my car up on ramps and drain the transmission. If I get the 4.6 L out, then I'll know that it's unnecessary to level it*. Even if it's a bit off, volume for volume will still work. There's still going to be around two liters of oil in the transmission that cannot be removed without completely disassembling the transmission (factory fill is 6.5 liters), so this is just a sort of a replacement of, say, three-fourths of the old oil in any case.

*Note: Some will say "Yes, but for filling, the internal tube (snorkel) that is used for determining the proper level cannot work properly unless the car itself is level." My reply is that level is irrelevant, period, if a volume-for-volume method is being used.

 

[IFRCFI]

Question first before I agree! In past experience with other vehicles, the amount of oil drained depends on if one drains the pan with the car level or if only the front is elevated. Don't want to make ANY assumptions here.

The way the drain is configured on the pan, I'm not sure it matters. Mine was on relatively short ramps for access.

 

[jrm]

I did the top fill on my friends JSW, easy stuff. Factory oil and filter was only a hundred bucks, I plan to change my fluid early @ 20,000 miles on my new NMS as I have lots of experience with Hondas new DSG dual clutch rancher ATV, those of us who truly understand how the wet clutches wear and how fast the megatronics engages gears they wont flame me for changing it early

 

[tdiatlast]

jrm: those of us dullards that don't "...truly understand..." wet clutches would love to see a UOA of your DSG fluid that shows an early change is justified.
Millions of miles on DSGs worldwide and nothing that I've ever read implies fluid related issues.
Obviously, you can do what you want with your own car, but to imply that going by the VWoA schedule isn't okay is troublesome.

 

[bernie165]

jrm... Shhhhhhhh keep your head down. Everyone
Knows you can't have a sentence containing
the words oil/fluid and (gulp) early together. Sends flags
And the oil change police will get you

 

[jrm]

I totally see his point, the DSG has a very good filter on it... but I put a speaker magnet in the old oil that I drained out of my friends JSW, the next morning it was covered with a heavy grey metallic slime. He had bought the car used, so who knows how it was treated ect.
As Wet clutches wear, both fiber and metal particles are put into the fluid

 

[CraneOp]

Well guys I just got thru performing the DSG service on my car little early at 39045 miles. I performed the top fill method with the car on ramp on only the front end
using the volume out volume refill method. I feel this will work

I took a milk jug and carefully marked lines on it for measurement marks in .25 L
Most say that using the level drain people catch about 4.5-4.6 L well according to my marks I was able to drain 5L. I fell the increase was due to only the front being raised and also the drain hole was towards the rear of car on downhill side.

I installed 5L back in and i'm confidence the volume for volume measure will work

Also as the oil drained in was not a dark color at all. Defiantly not new oil but to the eye not bad either.

I think the most important thing is to have it oil changed and the filter are the key for DSG.

 

[Rico567]

^^^^^

I will use this method when our Passat hits 40K. The VW method for servicing these transmissions is unnecessarily expensive, time-consuming, and wasteful of the transmission oil.