Pongdog

Hello, All ... need some feedback from those who've been down the DIY oil change on a 2006 A3 with the 2.0 liter turbo. I just tried to perform my first out-of-warranty oil change on my wife's A3, and snapped off the 36 mm hex nut from the end of the oil filter canister. I was using a proper 36 mm socket when I did it.

Has this ever happened to anyone - and if if did - how did you resolve it? I've read some posts from others who've changed their own oil in the same engine, and noticed they didn't have any problems. I didn't drain the filter canister first with the Audi or aftermarket tool - but can't see how that would make any difference. I had drained the crankcase before, and the oil filler cap was not installed, so it's not like I had 10,000 psi in the canister, locking it in place and preventing it from turning.

The last oil change was at a local Audi dealer, and my gut tells me the tech honked on the canister with a breaker bar or something, or didn't lube the O-ring. It's supposed to be tightened to 25.5 Newton meters, which translates to 18.8 foot pounds of torque - but that sucker was tighter than the tightest lug nut.

As for me, I've made maybe 250 oil changes in my life, on everything from Audis to VWs. I do my own maintenance, from timing belts to brakes, have rebuilt carbs and adjusted valves, etc etc, and I keep my cars well past 100Kmi, so it's not like I'm a klutz beneath the hood. I sure as hell felt like one when I snapped that SOB off, though ... and yes - I know: righty tighty, lefty loosey.

I intend to take this up with the dealership - either the owner, or certainly the service manager. Would I be wrong if I stated there is no way that fitting would have snapped off the canister if it was torqued correctly? I have a notion to demand the dealer bring a tow truck to my garage and take the A3 back to his dealership for repair on his nickel.

Thanks in advance for your observations/advice/opinions/sympathy.

Best regards, Don

dutchcar

Don, I don't know the answer to your question. I can only tell you it just happened to me. It seemed like it was a bit over-torqued, but not dramatic, and why did they have the brilliant idea to construct that canister of brittle plastic?? What's wrong with alloy steel or even alu?? Anyway, I just ordered the aluminum version from ECS tuning . If anyone has any experience with that, please let me know.

This car is new to me (it's my wife's) and I must say that I find a lot of it is designed rather awkwardly (just spent the better part of 3 hours replacing a headlight xenon bulb) and flimsy (when replacing spark plugs two connectors wiring to spark plug coils are broken, they work but don't 'click in' anymore).

Anyway, I should adjust my methods a bit perhaps since my experience is mostly on an all-carbon-steel jeep cherokee and a low-tech 90's mazda miata:-).


Tim

Pongdog

Hey, Tim - thanks for your input. I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. Long story short - I discussed this with the service manager at Barrier Audi in Bellevue, WA, where the car had been serviced before. He offered to send a flatbed tow truck out to my house, and picked up my car, took it to the dealership, and removed the broken canister. He then installed a new filter, along with the new Mobil 1 that I had bought for the oil change. He washed and vacuumed the car, too. The whole thing didn't cost me a dime. Now that's what I call service! Needless to say, I am a Barrier Motors customer for life.