Hi all,

As from the subject line - I'm doing an oil change. Will all the engine drain properly while on ramps or is there anywhere the oil can get caught like in the rocker cover?

Thanks in advance,

Simon

Edited 21 September, 201213 yr by cosaw

What engine is it

If the drain plug is at the back of the engine, it will drain OK, if it is not at the back, perhaps not.

If the drain plug is at the back of the engine, it will drain OK, if it is not at the back, perhaps not.

Thanks for the replies. The car is a MkIII facelift, 6N2. The engine is the 1.4 8 valve. The drain plug is on the back of the engine.

Make sure you get the car up to running temperature before you drain the oil because it will make the oil flow better so you will get more oil out :)

Thanks for the tip Joepowell.

Make sure you get the car up to running temperature before you drain the oil because it will make the oil flow better so you will get more oil out :)

just try to remember that when you remove that plug hot oil will be shooting out, burnt my hand a few times doing this

And remember to put the sump plug back in before re-filling

Simon, hope you don't mind me asking.... Why the ramps? you can do it with that car on the ground unless it is super lowered? you should be able to get to the sump plug, i think its a 17mm with it on the floor. Make sure you have a big bucket / bowl handy to collect the 3ish litres that will be gushing out and as said, its better if its hot and remember the when you turn that sump plug for the last turn' hot oil will be gushing out.

Going back to my original point, a good place to do it is on the road side where you park with two wheels up on the curb, and with the camber of the road, you can easily get underneath to access the sump plug. HTH.

LOL oil change with car on the ground..... I think less that 20 percent of people on here could do that.

Simon, hope you don't mind me asking.... Why the ramps? you can do it with that car on the ground unless it is super lowered? you should be able to get to the sump plug, i think its a 17mm with it on the floor. Make sure you have a big bucket / bowl handy to collect the 3ish litres that will be gushing out and as said, its better if its hot and remember the when you turn that sump plug for the last turn' hot oil will be gushing out.

Going back to my original point, a good place to do it is on the road side where you park with two wheels up on the curb, and with the camber of the road, you can easily get underneath to access the sump plug. HTH.

why struggle on the floor when you have ramps?

Ramps are ideal, best leave it ten minutes up there before emptying the oil to give it time to drain down.

Simon, hope you don't mind me asking.... Why the ramps? you can do it with that car on the ground unless it is super lowered? you should be able to get to the sump plug, i think its a 17mm with it on the floor. Make sure you have a big bucket / bowl handy to collect the 3ish litres that will be gushing out and as said, its better if its hot and remember the when you turn that sump plug for the last turn' hot oil will be gushing out.

Going back to my original point, a good place to do it is on the road side where you park with two wheels up on the curb, and with the camber of the road, you can easily get underneath to access the sump plug. HTH.

why struggle on the floor when you have ramps?

I hear you chap, and we all have our different ways and methods... I personally find ramps the struggle as I have to dig them out the corner of the garage, line them with the car, get it up on them etc etc and for a short & simple job like this, i find the ramps more of a struggle when let's face it, you've got to be on the floor anyway and it's only to open a sump plug and put it back when it's drained. As I say, we've all got our ways that suit us best.

Ramps are ideal, best leave it ten minutes up there before emptying the oil to give it time to drain down.

agreed about leaving it a good while before emptying and leaving it with the plug put for as long as possible to drain out s much as you can.

i ca nt get to my drain plug even with one side patked up kerb

i ca nt get to my drain plug even with one side patked up kerb

I'm down about 50mm on the front, Can barely get my fingers in the front arches on 13s, and i can still do an oil/filter change on flat ground without jacking the car up.

Thanks for all the input. I've just had a look this morning and I can reach the drain plug from under the front of the car while on the flat. That being said I don't know how I'm gonna get to the oil filter from there - go in from the top or the bottom?

Thanks for all the input. I've just had a look this morning and I can reach the drain plug from under the front of the car while on the flat. That being said I don't know how I'm gonna get to the oil filter from there - go in from the top or the bottom?

Sorry, not sure where the oil filter is on your car... on mine (1997 6N, 1.4l petrol), you can access it from above, so just bonnet open job, no different to filling screenwash / checking the dipstick etc.

i ca nt get to my drain plug even with one side patked up kerb

I'm down about 50mm on the front, Can barely get my fingers in the front arches on 13s, and i can still do an oil/filter change on flat ground without jacking the car up.

your obviously not a pork pie fingered 18 stone fb. lol :-D

Onepointfour, I think it sounds a bit easier on yours. Not sure if I could do mine from the top - not sure if I could get the chain removal tool in as the exhaust manifold seems to be in the way. The drain plug is bigger than 17mm on mine so guess it must be 19mm.

Can do mine on the mk3 without jacking up, not that low but still. Can get to oil filter from above.

On a 6n you can get to the drain plug easily enough, 19mm that, and do the filter from above. Most have a big nut on the filter so if its tight you can just use grips as apposed to struggling with a removal tool around by the hot manifold from warming it up. or use an appropriately sized socket obviously lol.

I'm so low I can only drive up one ramp at a time on full lock.

• Ideally, fit a new sump plug washer.
• Don't do the plug up too tight on an alloy sump you can strip the thread and it will not undo next time.
• Wear gloves, old engine oil is mildly carcinogenic.
• Don't do it on a windy day or the slow trickle at the end will be blown past

  the collecting container.

• Weight down the newspaper you use to catch spills.

It is advisable to give the car a decent run before draining the engine oil, this has two effects that leaving it to tick over for ten minutes will never have:

1) It gets all of the dirt/carbon particles in suspension in the oil.

2) It thins the oil so that it will drain better.

If oil is drained from an engine that is at less than normal operating temperature, tends to leave pockets of dirt/carbon in various places, this then contaminates the new oil.

A genuine VW filter (and some of the better replacements) have that hexagon that has been mentioned, moulded into the filter body, this makes it easy to slacken off from above (depending upon what else you may have in the way of it.)

When cleaning the filter seating, use ONLY a cotton or linen cloth ( an old tea-towel is ideal), this wont leave lint on the boss, which could block up oil ways.

Put a smear of clean oil on the filter rubber seal before fitting it, tighten it as tight as you can get it BY HAND only, if that is a problem, then add no more than one flat of the hexagon with a socket.

It is advisable to give the car a decent run before draining the engine oil, this has two effects that leaving it to tick over for ten minutes will never have:

1) It gets all of the dirt/carbon particles in suspension in the oil.

2) It thins the oil so that it will drain better.

If oil is drained from an engine that is at less than normal operating temperature, tends to leave pockets of dirt/carbon in various places, this then contaminates the new oil.

A genuine VW filter (and some of the better replacements) have that hexagon that has been mentioned, moulded into the filter body, this makes it easy to slacken off from above (depending upon what else you may have in the way of it.)

When cleaning the filter seating, use ONLY a cotton or linen cloth ( an old tea-towel is ideal), this wont leave lint on the boss, which could block up oil ways.

Put a smear of clean oil on the filter rubber seal before fitting it, tighten it as tight as you can get it BY HAND only, if that is a problem, then add no more than one flat of the hexagon with a socket.

^^ Purrfect advice all of that.

More excellent advice from everyone, many useful tips - many thanks!

To update - pulled out my old chain style removal tool, loosened the stiff joints but it really isn't gonna fit anywhere on the filter on this car! Won't go tight enough on the hex end and no room round the full circumference that will give me good purchase. So I did a quick search and it seems there is a proper cup style removal tool for VW Group and BMWs. I'll get one from Halfords next week for around £7, I don't mind the extra outlay as I'll be saving on the oil change anyway. They're like this: Oil filter removal tool.

It's a 76mm, 14 sided one which accepts a 3/8" square drive. I know there are probably other methods but It's a long bus ride to get bits and pieces if I mess up - drain the oil and then can't get the filter off.

Will definitely make sure I give the car a good run.

OK, if I wanna stir the debate up: I've done 113,000 miles, should I use the Fortron Engine Flush that I asked for at the VW garage. Fortron Engine Flush Link

They didn't push it on me - I asked for it, they said though that they're using it on all age cars now without any problems.

I'm only wanting to flush cos my Oil Separator keeps getting blocked up - has done since 75,000 miles now, I just keep blowing it out down the crankcase breather hose. The garage have flushed it out before, by the way, with the same product.

Access from the top, for the oil filter, is a little difficult but it should be made easy with the cup style removal tool as mentioned above. That way I can do the whole change without lifting the car and will also ensure a proper drain.

Edited 22 September, 201213 yr by cosaw

Flushing oil (fluid) is all very well, BUT if there is a residue of sludge in an engine, it may not loosen it instantly, possibly resulting in a quantity of sludge becoming dislodged at a later date. Just where this sludge could end up is anyone's guess, but there is always the chance that oilways, the pick-up strainer or the filter may become blocked.

With engines that haven't been serviced as often as they should be, and/or poor quality oil has been used, it is quite likely that there will be deposits of sludge in parts of the engine where, in honesty, it won't do much harm. BUT once you start loosening it, problems can start to arise.

If an engine has sludge deposits, it is probably best to simply change the oil and filter more often.

If engine breathers become blocked, this too can lead to the formation of sludge deposits. The answer is to remove and replace the offending breather, together with its hose, cleaning them often isn't that effective.

Regards.