General Maintenance Advice

[rum4mo]

I bought one this afternoon, took all three off the shelf to see which one was the correct fit. Thanks for the advice, the only ones available were metal 'chrome' ones, I don't mind paying the extra couple of pound of whatever the difference over a plastic one would of been. Picked an oil filter up too, just need to wait for my oil to arrive and I'll drop it/new filter/new oil. Sorted.

I should invest in one of the digital calliper/micrometer, it's just the lack of use it would get that holds me back.

JRJG

 

The sockets made specifically for low torque jobs like these oil filter casings, are not plastic, just hardened chemi-blackened shallow hex sockets, usually with a 3/8" square drive fitting and maybe a drain plug sized hex fitting, they are neat and easy to use in some places where the normal deeper bi-hex socket would fail to work well.

 

Digital callipers, one thing about them is, once you have one, your measuring/guessing of lots of things suddenly becomes a lot easier, even batteries, okay you can live without one, but in my mind, if you do buck the trend and try to fix/repair/refurbish "things" - they can make your life a lot easier!

[Jrjg]

Depends how far down you push the pipe into the sump. I use both methods personally.

The pipe pushes down the dipstick tube untill it hits the bottom of the sump. The usually curl slightly anyway so do it in the direct of the sump plug and you'll get 95% of what you would anyway.

Fair enough, as I say I wasn't taking what I had heard as gospel.

Depends on the car and sump, I've been unable to recover as much as a few litres before but in general you get enough out.

It wouldn't hurt to alternate and drain the oil fully every other oil change just to make sure your getting everything

I suppose as you say it is down to the design of the sump isn't it. I am glad to see the plug on the rear bottom of the sump on my engine, so that when it is jacked up on the front, the plug will still be the lowest point, good thinking skoda/vw.

JRJG

[VWD]

 

 

Digital callipers, one thing about them is, once you have one, your measuring/guessing of lots of things suddenly becomes a lot easier, even batteries, okay you can live without one, but in my mind, if you do buck the trend and try to fix/repair/refurbish "things" - they can make your life a lot easier!

Place to look is Aldi- reccuring offer ,and I've got one marked as Workzone, which cost me circa £8 .I wouldn't be without it now.

 

BUT- if you do regular oil changes- change the sump plug( or at least WASHER) EVERY SO OFTEN.

Edited 10 February, 2016 by VWD