Hi all,

I've just dived under the car and drained the oil to do an oil change, removed what I assumed was the oil filter housing expecting to find this...

(taken from JF returns log of his oil change http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/21318-how-to-change-the-engine-oil-and-filter-fabia-vrs/page__view__findpost__p__1792725 )

but I found this instead (an oil cooler I presume)

with no sign of an oil filter cartridge anywhere :S

Can anyone help me with this ?

Does anyone know where the the cartridge/filter is located ?

(Thanks in advance )

Edited 14 April, 201016 yr by chris-x1

That is indeed the oil cooler, the bit you want is attached to this but comes from the top. When the engine cover is removed, you can see the cooler part and can't really miss the filter cartridge assembly!

I would recomend putting the cooler part back together first before removing the filter, and run the engine up and be sure the cooler part doesn't leak

Hope this Helps

Matt.

sorry i just LOL'd,

the oil filter is accessed from the top, under the engine top cover, 32mm socket required

what you have removed is the oil cooler, what you need to do is make sure the big O rings are in place, push the cooler up, then tighten that big bolt back through the cooler, make sure it doesn't twist, and when you start it up make sure you have no leaks

Sorry to laugh but haha! fail! :p

Sometimes pays to just check on here first. You undo that big socket (32mm as mentioned above) you see down the front of the engine from under the bonnet. It sits to the right of that big plastic ball with the vacuum pipe coming out the top.

Bloody VW- why can't they put the filter where they always used to - at the bottom

Thanks for that (both replies), it's too late to look at it now but i'm guessing it's going to be pretty obvious what I have to do now I know where to look. At least i've got all the oil out now (the cooler did contain a reasonable amount after draining). There's a german swedish and french in walking distance of where I live so i'll get a new seal and o-ring (I can't run the car up and check for leaks as there's no oil in there at the moment to leak out ) but new seals should reduce any chances of leaking.

Thanks again

Sometimes pays to just check on here first.

thing is, I did....I saw the (small) picture above and have done dozens of oil changes in the past (all with a filter hanging underneath the engine), thought I recognised the nut in the picture and went at it, I didn't give it a second thought until I couldn't find anything resembling a filter wooops

Edited 14 April, 201016 yr by chris-x1

sorry i just LOL'd,

the oil filter is accessed from the top, under the engine top cover, 32mm socket required

what you have removed is the oil cooler, what you need to do is make sure the big O rings are in place, push the cooler up, then tighten that big bolt back through the cooler, make sure it doesn't twist, and when you start it up make sure you have no leaks

I presume there it doesn't positively locate in anything as such, it didn't feel as if it did, ie it's just the through bolt that holds it central and it can sit an any orientation, you just mentioned not twisting it to avoid damaging the seals ?

I presume there it doesn't positively locate in anything as such, it didn't feel as if it did, ie it's just the through bolt that holds it central and it can sit an any orientation, you just mentioned not twisting it to avoid damaging the seals ?

no locating lugs, so basically so the coolant pipes are stretched/twisted/touching anything try not to turn the cooler assembly

It least no you have undone the bottom, you will have removed more dirty oil that you would not have done if you had done it correctly from the top.

I'd suggest ones you have installed the cooler and putting the new filter and O-rings in, you put a bit of new oil in the housing to ensure no oil starvation when you first start the car. I always used to pre-fill the filter on the normal spin-on can type filters.

Thanks everyone, all done and dusted now...

that'll be the right bit if anyone else was wondering

Just noticed this thread A case of the correct part is far too easy to get to compared to most cars

Thing is they may as well stick it under the car as you've got to get down there to undo the sump plug anyway

It makes a good case for investing in an oil hoover anyway :p

Oh dear... plus one on this mistake.

Got covered in oil in the process too. Screwed the cooler back in nice and tight and proceeded with the oil and filter change. Seems to be a bit of oil still leaking tho so may have to redo the whole thing next weekend with a new o ring. :(

Handy little guide here

For a full change drain the oil cooler as well, you will be surprised how much extra oil comes out

 

The car then took a full 5 litres of oil, and that took it just upto 3mm over the max level

 

I did this yesterday after completely cleaning the EGR system (now coded out) and inlet manifold, both were full of huge gummy soot deposits

 

I am looking forward to cleaner oil for a good while

 

 

I am looking forward to cleaner oil for a good while

 

Your new oil would have been black by the time it got to the sump from the filler cap  All diesels are the same but that's how they run.

 

Good to see a 5 year old thread being bumped too

Your new oil would have been black by the time it got to the sump from the filler cap  All diesels are the same but that's how they run.

 

Good to see a 5 year old thread being bumped too

 

I was trying to find out if anyone else on here had drained their cooler as well

 

I didn't realise how much old oil stayed in the cooler housing underneath the filter housing

 

The oil will now be a lot cleaner as the other TDi we have has had EGR turned off and oil is really clean

If I want mine a little cleaner I'll let it tick over with Forte flush for a few minutes.  Cleans out all the pipes etc before draining

I just changed the top and bottom seals, its a brastard to fit back together in situ. Apparently a leak can make it pop its gutts and if you dont notice quick enough knackare your engine, few quid for seals, leaks gone jobs a good un :P, best to do with a oil change makes sense .. btw you dont loose coolant fluid if engine off and its cold temp outside.

I just changed the top and bottom seals, its a brastard to fit back together in situ. Apparently a leak can make it pop its gutts and if you dont notice quick enough knackare your engine, few quid for seals, leaks gone jobs a good un :p, best to do with a oil change makes sense .. btw you dont loose coolant fluid if engine off and its cold temp outside.

 

i didn't notice any rubber seals on the cooler parts themselves, only the usual o-rings on the screw in parts below and top where the filter goes

i didn't notice any rubber seals on the cooler parts themselves, only the usual o-rings on the screw in parts below and top where the filter goes

i mean seals> o ring on the top with the notches, and there is a round seal/ oring in the bottom fixing screw part.

 

If you look at the cooler from underneath, that's where i have changed the seals.

 

I also changed the seals/ o ring on the top part, that goes with a new oil filter 

Edited 4 April, 201511 yr by FromTheDarkness

i mean seals> o ring on the top with the notches, and there is a round seal/ oring in the bottom fixing screw part.

 

If you look at the cooler from underneath, that's where i have changed the seals.

 

I also changed the seals/ o ring on the top part, that goes with a new oil filter 

 

the PD170 may be slightly different but all tested and working well  :sun: 

Another plus one to this thread!

Dohhh

I got all the way to starting the engine again after doing an oil change and boom.. 4.3 litres of oil all over the drive!!

The problem I now have is that there's 1 seal and I'm unsure if it came from the bottom or middle of the cooler.. I had it in the bottom and i noticed it wasn't in right at all after the oil spillage? It fits better in the middle but I'm just not sure.. it has notches in it that don't seem to line up with anything?

That 100 quid for a garage to do it seems a better idea in hindsight. Sigh.

Top oil cooler seal (038 117 070 A) ....

 

 

Bottom oil cooler seal (038 117 070) ....

 

 

 

 

Edited 13 June, 20224 yr by TMB

The holes in the top seal fit onto two of the multiple pegs on the oil cooler. I don't know if the orientation matters (I doubt it) but if you fit it the same as the one in the following pic - i.e. with one of the holes in the seal next to that oval hole in the oil cooler, it should be fine as that's how it's fitted in most of the pics I've seen....

 

 

Edited 13 June, 20224 yr by TMB