Oil change tips that helped me.

[eahayco]

I am new to the world of VW and foreign cars in general – I have always driven Fords – so needless to say my first oil change was an experience! While I am impressed with the cars handling and gas mileage, the one thing I am not impressed with is how VW makes it hard for the average consumer to do even the simplest DIY task like change your oil. If they had their way, you would need $200 in special tools to do what shade tree mechanics have been doing for years. So 2 oil changes later, I have 2 tips to help make your life easier.

First, you want to get yourself a Fumoto Drain valve (www.fumotovalve.com) – this runs about $30 BUT once it is in, you don’t have to remove the engine guard ever again because you never have to remove the oil plug ever again. This is my third car with the Fumoto Valve and I love it. Do order the valve with nipple on it that you can attach a hose to, but what I found is that you don’t really need to attach a hose if you don’t want to. You can simply open the valve partially and let the oil drain through the hole right under the drain plug in the engine guard. It takes a little longer, but it by controlling the drain pressure; you can leave everything in place and NOT make a huge mess. Once it’s done draining, just wipe up the area around the hole and you are good to go.

Next, I took the threaded cap off the oil filter drain housing and took it into Lowes. I found that the thread pitch matched up with 3 / 4 inch high pressure PVC pipe. I bought a 6” nipple to see how that would work. To drain the housing and not make too much of a mess, I unscrewed the cap off the filter housing and threaded in the PVC pipe. I then used a long Phillips head screw driver to pop open the spring loaded plug in the filter so that it could drain. The oil comes out down the PVC pipe nicely and doesn’t make a mess.

I may give in and buy the oil filter wrench however. Right now I use the tips of my medium sized channel lock pliers as a “key” between the “fins”. I grab on LOOSELY and turn the filter. It worked to get it off and on the last couple of times, but it’s not easy AND if you are not careful I could see that it would be easy to crack the housing, which would not be good.

So there you have it. Some may call me crazy – but I just can’t see me dumping a ton of money into specialty tools to do what my standard set of Craftsman wrenches have been doing for years on a dozen different vehicles.

Ed

[noR]

wow, did they change the filters for 2.5 from the 1.8t and 2.0's?

It sounds like a filter element in a housing, similar to the TDI's...

I guess I should take a look sometime.

Thanks for those tips though man.

[kcfoxie]

Yes they did, noR and it's a freaking nightmare.

I personally think the housings are good for 3 changes then break. The first-runs lacks the 36mm wrench nut on the bottom like the TDI's had, and the housing is nearly identical to the can filter the 1.8T and 2.0L use in size.


Essentially, its a plastic screw connection at the block and a large plastic housing w/ a drop-in cone filter that screws into it. VERY EASY to misthread and break. It bleeds like a stuck pig if it breaks a thread too, I know this first hand.

[Blinky]

Any chances of some pictures of your way of changing the oil, Ed (eahayco)? And what year, model is your VW?

Thanks

[Madwand]

Which drain valve did you get? They have 4 I think.

[eahayco]

Madwand,

I believe it was the F-106 w/nipple. I also got the ADP-106 adapter, but for the life of me, I cannot recall if I actually used it or not - sorry. Next time I have the car on the ramps, I will snap some pictures of the installed valve.

Ed

[Willem]

Originally Posted by eahayco

First, you want to get yourself a Fumoto Drain valve (FumotoValve.com - Engine Oil Drain Valve - the bast way to change oil) – this runs about $30 BUT once it is in, you don’t have to remove the engine guard ever again because you never have to remove the oil plug ever again.

Ed

I have used Fumoto valves on other vehicles and would like to consider using it for my NBC. However, I have yet to really get underneath the car because I no longer have any ramps or a floor jack/jack stands.

Are you saying that once the Fumoto valve is installed you can change the oil without tools or disassembling the skid plate, etc? If so, I'll be ordering one soon!