Marc3.2TT

I've hit 20k miles so I figured it was a good idea to get some fresh oil in the engine, especially with the 400-hp turbo pushing it harder than usual. Since the Audi maintenance is only at 15k and 25k, I thought I'd take a stab at doing the work myself.

After searching here aimlessly for the post someone had made about changing the engine oil in their TT 3.2 (and not finding it since it was actually <a href="http://www.audittcca.com/faq/1096546770">here on the TTCA site</a>), I finally got the right tool to remove the "underbelly pan" and access the oil pan &amp; filter housing.

Here is the procedure to follow, for those of you who might take a stab at it on your own:


1. Jack the front wheels up, or use a couple of ramps to give yourself more clearance:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange01.jpg">


2. Remove the underbelly pan, here it is taken off from the car:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange02.jpg">

There are a lot of "fasteners" that need to be removed. Given the color-coding above, here's what has to be removed:

a) the blue fastners are flat-head screws that turn 90 degrees and stay on the panel, they're off to the side in front of the wheels:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange03.jpg">


b) the yellow fasteners are T45 torx bolts, note that many of these were actually stripped (need new ones now):

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange04.jpg">


c) the 2 red fasteners are huge 12-point "triple square" bolts, which I had a hard time finding the tool for:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange05.jpg">

The technical term for the required bit to remove the tool is XZN114, which translates to a 14mm triple-square or 12-point bit.
Here's the kit that I bought from <a href="http://autodax.com/catalog/pdetail.php?prdid=44">Autodax</a>, which includes the 14mm bit:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange06.jpg">


3. After the underbelly pan is finally removed, locate the oil pan:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange07.jpg">

This is the bolt you want to remove to drain the oil, it's a 19mm hex:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange08.jpg">


4. Locate the oil filter housing, which is just in front of the oil pan:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange09.jpg">

You'll first need to remove the hex bolt to drain the rest of the oil from the filter housing, then remove the housing itself. My recommendation is to use a 36mm socket, which I already had from changing the oil in my GTI but had to get a while back specifically for this activity:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange10.jpg">


5. Remove the filter housing with this 36mm socket:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange11.jpg">

Here is the old oil filter:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange12.jpg">

Use a small flat-head screwdriver to remove the O-ring and replace it with the new one:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange13.jpg">

Here's the new filter ready to go:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange14.jpg">


6. Place the new oil filter in the housing and re-install the filter housing (tighten with the 36mm socket to 25 Nm torque) and screw the hex bolt back on the bottom.

7. Re-install the drain plug (19mm bolt) and torque to 30 Nm.

8. Re-install the underbelly pan (after getting new fasteners if necessary).

9. Finally, the most fun part: fill'er up with new synthetic oil!!

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/oilchange/oilchange15.jpg">

HPA's recommendation was to use Castrol's "Synthec" in 5W-50, which I had quite a hard time finding locally. For those in the San Francisco area, Cresta Warehouse on 5050 Mission street carries it along with many other oils.

Enjoy!!
-Marc

YosemyTT

People have been asking if your car blew up!

kodeTT

beast, you should consider changing your oil more often, since the turbos are fed with oil. i'd recommend 5K with synthetic.

SF lets you change your oil on city streets!?

Marc3.2TT

Why would my car blow up?? :-)
It's doing very well actually, loving the turbo kit and suspension!

How's Sophia doing?

Marc3.2TT

instead of waiting for the 25k service.

Not sure what the laws in SF are, but I had my car on ramps for about a week while trying to get the right tools and noone complained!
I'm in a fairly quiet neighborhood though (Noe Valley) so not much activity in the streets by my place.

YosemyTT

I guess there is some concern about the DSG's ability to handle the extra torque. How are the streets of San Fran treating your car with that suspension?

I'm going to be visiting SF and Oakland later in the summer. We should meet for lunch/drink. Oh and Sophia is doing very, very well - thanks for asking :-)

Marc3.2TT

but I guess after the magazines (European Car and Road &amp; Track SPEED) come out later this summer with my car featured as HPA's latest accomplishment, there will be more believers out there.

Let me know when you have dates for coming out here, we should definitely hang out! Will it be just yourself or the entire little family? My place is fairly small, but if it's just you, I can definitely have you stay over if you need to crash somewhere for a couple of nights..

kodeTT

on ramps for a week! and on the street? that's pretty crazy.

YosemyTT

This will be a business trip so I'll be solo and have decent hotel room to crash in. I'll keep you posted with dates when I find out but I think it will be late August or perhaps early Sepmtember for a week. I'm going to spend an extra couple of days out there to visit people and places. I'll probably stay close to Union Square or Chinatown.

BluHeaven

try changing the oil on a 1.8T now =P

we get a practically inaccessable screw on 1pc filter (your standar issue can filter) that likes to glue itself to the block. You have to try and squeeze your hand and arm up through a snake of hoses, chassis bracing and intercooler crossover pipe.... I can barely get my hands in there (and being a girl.. I've got small hands) and its even harder to get the filter out.

on a good note.... my belly pan doesn't have the two 12pt bolts.... just the torx and the two slotted snaps in the wheel well.