Unofficial MK7 Oil Change Guide

[jason_]

On these cars it can't be too high or too low. It has to be just right.

What's the tolerance? I'm about 1mm, maybe 2mm above over the criss crossed hashes on the dip stick.

I guess its possible they're sensitive within a half or quarter pint?

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[Victor Huge]

Never mind, i was thinking alh dipstick, the golf has a hash mark and I'm right at the top with no warnings

 

[Lightflyer1]

The EA288 in the 2015's uses 5.5 liters/5.8 quarts of oil. I would try and stay right on that amount. No idea what the tolerance is one way or the other. Easier to add than take away. The oil gets to 230 or so degrees as well so it expands some with the temp rise. Even a little over cold may make a difference when hot.

 

[amitsekhon]

where does the teeny tiny o-ring go? I couldnt figure it out..

There is a another drain plug on the filter cap and that o-ring goes in there.If you drain the filter via drain plug on filter cap,it gets less messy.

OP,could you please add filter drain plug and torque values to your first post.

Values:
Oil pan drain plug- 30Nm
Oil filter drain plug- 5Nm-----accepts 13mm socket
Oil filter cap- 25Nm

 

[jason_]

Another odd update.

Reduce oil level warning disappears during a dpf burn.

After Temps reduce and its done, bingo, reduce oil level.

Is this **** weird or what?

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[turbobrick240]

Another odd update.

Reduce oil level warning disappears during a dpf burn.

After Temps reduce and its done, bingo, reduce oil level.

Is this **** weird or what?

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The ea288 has a variable rate oil pump that increases/decreases flow based on rpm, load, and oil temp. Maybe the oil temp goes up enough during regen to trigger a higher flow rate that is keeping the oil level in your sump just below the point that triggers the high level warning.

 

[RIP TDI]

Check your sump sound dampener shroud

If you are draining the sump the traditional way via the sump plug, be aware that oil migration inside the plastic sound-dampening shroud below the pan is significant and gets absorbed by the foam inside the shroud. If left that way, the absorbed oil will begin to degrade the foam and eventually affect its sound-damping ability. Not the end of the world, but unacceptable for us anal types .

When changing the oil for the first time @ 10K on my new stop-sale GSW, with a previous oil change by the dealer @ 300 miles (for stop-sale prep), I removed the shroud to find about a 1/3 of the molded foam had absorbed quite a bit of oil and it took a lot of wicking/sponging with a ton of shop towels to remove the vast majority of it.

Removing the shroud is a snap; pry the 4 plastic round-head pins down slightly from the 4 T-head shroud retainer rivets, then pull the pins the rest of the way out with pliers. Now pry the T-head rivets down until they drop down freely. Carefully pull the shroud down (w/ retainer rivets still attached or removed), finessing the molded foam underneath the shroud so that it doesn't stay attached to the pan and tear.

This takes so little extra time to do when changing the oil, I recommend doing it at least once just to see how much oil has been absorbed from previous oil changes. But once you go through the wicking/sponging procedure with the foam, you'll want to remove the shroud before draining in the future.

 

[GreenLantern_TDI]

Fumoto valve will cure that.

 

[funoutdoors121]

Thanks Chris,
I noticed that same issue (foam totally soaked with old oil) on my car when installing a metal skid plate and was not sure of how to remove that shroud covering the oil sump without breaking any of those plastic pins.
No problems (snapping,shearing off) with those plastic retainers holding that shroud in place?
It may be a good idea to order some spares (pins/T-head rivets?- anyone have part numbers for those?) before removal of that shroud?

 

[RIP TDI]

Thanks Chris,
I noticed that same issue (foam totally soaked with old oil) on my car when installing a metal skid plate and was not sure of how to remove that shroud covering the oil sump without breaking any of those plastic pins.
No problems (snapping,shearing off) with those plastic retainers holding that shroud in place?
It may be a good idea to order some spares (pins/T-head rivets?- anyone have part numbers for those?) before removal of that shroud?

No problems; the pins pull out and reinstall very easily, as do the rivets. I really wouldn't bother ordering replacements. Just pry the round heads of the pins down slightly with a thin screwdriver, then grab pin heads lightly with pliers and pull them out. Then pry the T-head rivets down until they release and drop down freely. The shroud can now be easily pulled down without removing the T-head rivets remaining in the mounting holes. Just make sure that the foam separates from the oil pan when dropping the shroud so the foam doesn't tear in the process.

 

[jason_]

Fumoto valve will cure that.

Idparts website claims valve won't fit vehicles with plastic pan.



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[adjat84th]

The TDI has an aluminum pan [emoji6]

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[jason_]

Which year?

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[RIP TDI]

Adjat's closer but not quite there: '15 TDIs have a hybrid pan (aluminum top, steel bottom). The 1.8Ts have the plastic pan, I believe.

 

[GreenLantern_TDI]

Tdis are Aluminum with steel bottom and Fumoto fits just fine.

 

[jason_]

Hm. I took this huge plastic panel to get to the oil drain plug. Maybe my tdi is special?

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[RIP TDI]

Hm. I took this huge plastic panel to get to the oil drain plug. Maybe my tdi is special?

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That's the sound-dampening shroud covering the lower half of the pan.

 

[PHAT-DUB]

Tdis are Aluminum with steel bottom and Fumoto fits just fine.

no adaptor required

 

[jason_]

Idparts email, the valve does not fit 2015s.

Guess it was luck I made my own.

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[moonlite]

Prefill Oil Filter Housing

I was thinking of prefilling the oil filter housing, maybe half full of fresh oil with the new filter in place before reinstalling it. Has anyone done this without making a mess?

I always did this for engines that used canister type oil filters to reduce oil starvation time during the initial startup after the oil change.

 

[Victor Huge]

With how hard it is to get the filter in there, it's not worth it. Also, there isn't that much oil in the filter and think about it this way, that oil isn't going to move till the oil pump pushes new oil through, how much less time does the engine go without oil if you prefilled? My guess is that it makes very little difference as from what i understand, the oil flows quickly enough that it's not an issue. I don't know for sure though

 

[pkhoury]

Thanks to the OP for the write up. Changed oil last night as part of my mother's 40K service (still need to do DSG and stock up on air and fuel filters from rock auto).

Is there a purpose for a small o-ring with the filter? I know what the larger o-ring was for (and used accordingly for the cap).

And I must say, the location for the oil filter is stupid as ****! I don't know what the hell VW was thinking - mk4, good. Mk5, good. Mk6, good. mk7 - *** with putting the oil filter upside down and on the bottom, let alone at an angle?

All in all, the whole process took about 30-40 minutes. Eventually, the DPF will find its way into the recycling bin, so I just used Rotella T6, as I'm not wasting money on 507 00.

 

[adjat84th]

The small o-ring is for the drain plug on the bottom of the filter cap. Makes it not quite as messy with that location. I've learned that if you can get the car in the air level rather than nose up/rear down, it will drain without hitting the block.

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[jason_]

Drains the headache so it's less of a mess!

There's a mini plug on end of canister.

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[omahamike]

Blue DEF

That reminds me of when the dealer told me they had to fill-up the DEF tank. I told I would refill it myself as I thought it was cheaper to purchase the 2.5gal containers ($28.75 incl taxes at dealer). They told me, no, we have it in bulk and it will cost between $10-$15. Uh? I though the 2.5gal was the cheapest?!? Oh, you have to add "work time" to the cost of fill-up. Total cost: $70-$80. I ended-up pouring 4/5 of the container in 5 minutes. Total cost: $23 (incl. taxes). I know I could get the DEF for a bit cheaper elsewhere (~$20 for the 2.5gal container)... I am really thinking of doing my own oil change + own diesel filter change.

WalMart sells the 2 1/2 gallon box of BlueDEF for $12.99 or $14.99 shipped to their store! But I don't know where you're located!! And lots of auto supply stores like O'Reilly's run it on sale quite often.

 

[740GLE]

i won't pay more than $10 for a def jug, so many auto parts have sales, let alone it can be had for less than $3/gal at the trucker pumps.

 

[elcid86]

... let alone it can be had for less than $3/gal at the trucker pumps.

I had not thought of this!

 

[740GLE]

You just gotta be that awkward guy parking in the big rigs spot and paying at the cashier for 2.5 or 5 gal of DEF, then argue with the cashier that you don't know how much that's gonna cost as the DEF price isn't listed on the pump and wonder why she doesn't know how much DEF costs/gal, and eventually agree to bill me $40 and trust the her when she said I'll get a credit for what ever I don't use (which I did).

I'm glad I filled up two jugs last time, 2.79/gal, prob gonna need to snag another 5 gallons in 2020.

 

[davidlp]

So, which Fumoto drain valve kit for the 2015 GSW, assuming I don't have a plastic pan? They list Fumoto Oil Drain Valve Kit (4-cyl. TDI 1998-2014)(3.0L TDI) but not clear if I need that kit with the extra spacer since it doesn't specifically address whether 2015 also has the recess the adapter is needed for. Their separate 14mm kit implies that it fits except for lacking the spacer adapter, but the TDI kit doesn't say whether it is 14mm also. A little confused.

 

[GreenLantern_TDI]

So, which Fumoto drain valve kit for the 2015 GSW, assuming I don't have a plastic pan? They list Fumoto Oil Drain Valve Kit (4-cyl. TDI 1998-2014)(3.0L TDI) but not clear if I need that kit with the extra spacer since it doesn't specifically address whether 2015 also has the recess the adapter is needed for. Their separate 14mm kit implies that it fits except for lacking the spacer adapter, but the TDI kit doesn't say whether it is 14mm also. A little confused.

I used the SX and no spacer. Plastic pan cover is in the way and a small piece must be removed but it fits tight to the pan. A guy could use the spacer but i wanted it tight to the pan. I turned mine to 4 o clock.