Hi there,

was just about to embark on an oil change on my '01 fabia tdi, and luckily before loosening the oil sump, tried to slacken off the filter. Impossible using my traditional chain stylee opener. There;s just not enough room to get any purchase on it. Do I need to get a special tool or am I just being a muppet?

IF it's anything like little brother - (and picture in Haynes would suggest that ) -it's held by a bolt through the centre (head on lower side ). Unscrew and the lot drops out( it's a filter element in mine ) .And as Haynes suggests - replace all the seals .(Not as the "quick " change blokes in a certain place did - not order all the seals and wonder "why is it leaking "??

Thanks I'll give it a go and see if I can find a socket big enough to tackle the central nut!

Had a go before with some of those trusty plumbers spanner thingy and broke off a bit of the plastic nut - oops!

you can buy an aftermarket pressed metal type spanner to fit the oil filter and you just insert a 3/4 drive shaft and off it spins try sykes pickavent. Like these - check which one is correct -

Sealey Oil Filter Wrench Ø93-45 For Vw/Audi : Tooled-Up.com

Cup Type Oil Filter Wrenches: Cranbrook Tools

Edited 9 January, 200917 yr by sparky2
update

32 or 36mm nut on the centre of the black plastic cap.

Thanks I'll give it a go and see if I can find a socket big enough to tackle the central nut!

Had a go before with some of those trusty plumbers spanner thingy and broke off a bit of the plastic nut - oops!

You don't mean a stillson do you - they are for gripping hard round things like metal pipes - or other hard things that no one can see! Maybe you now need to buy a new "top" for that filter assembly.