My vRS is now run in and I fancy changing the oil and filter. Now, on any other car I've owned, this would be straight forward, but on the vRS the oil filter housing has got to be the bigest, most complicated known to mankind. :eek:

Any of you guys changed the filter yet?. If so could you tell me what to expect. i.e. do you have to fill up the housing with oil, or the filter.

Your help would be much appreciated.

Drain the oil first, then undo the plastic nut on the top of the filter housing (It's the thing on thre front of the engine when you lift up the engine cover just in case you are looking in the wrong place). Then with the cover off, the oil filter just lifts out (it's not a sealed cartridge filter, just the element that you change).

Simple as that.

Hope the fuel filter down in the bottom left hand corner is just as easy.

Drain the oil first' date=' then undo the plastic nut on the top of the filter housing (It's the thing on thre front of the engine when you lift up the engine cover just in case you are looking in the wrong place). Then with the cover off, the oil filter just lifts out (it's not a sealed cartridge filter, just the element that you change).

Simple as that.[/quote']

Thanks Jeff. It looks nothing like any other filter I've seen before, so I thought I'd better check before wielding the big spanner.

No probs

Thanks Jeff. It looks nothing like any other filter I've seen before, so I thought I'd better check before wielding the big spanner.

Just a word of caution. The top of the filter housing must not be over tightened when replacing. The tightening torque is very low so I always put two matching blobs of paint on the filter top and the housing so I know how far to tighten the top when replacing. Also make sure that you check the o ring seals at top and bottom; new ones should be provided with the filter..

Thanks Bertj

Rich:

You're welcome

Bert

While we're on the topic (kind of) of oil, I took my bottle of millers oil I bought into my dealers on Saturday to be told by one of their mechanics it was definitely not suitable (it was called XFD or something...?) so I was todld they could sell the real thing for

Millers XFE-PD is an SAE 5W-40 semi-synthetic diesel oil which meets specifications VW 500 00, 505 00 and 505 01 - the latter meaning that it is suitable for PD engines on fixed servicing intervals.

I just changed the oil/filter on my Fabia tdi pd - just out of warrantee.

Seemed simple but is there a way of draining/cleaning the sludge which is usually found in the bottom of 'old fashioned' separate element/casing arrangements?

A word of advice. Take the filter out BEFORE draining the oil.

When you remove the filter the oil filter housing drains the oil held in there by the bottom filter seal back down into the sump. If you have allready drained the oil you will be filling the sump back up with about 1/2 litre of old oil.

Best to do it first then you are changing all the oil that you can.

And the plastic cap shouldnt be tightened any more than 25nm.

I usually clean the inside of the filter housing by stuffing a clean, lint free rag into it and rotating it around inside. Bit messy but it gets the worst out. There shouldn't be too much sludge if you change the oil frequently enough, however the residual oil will be pretty disgusting - use rubber gloves as old engine oil can cause all sorts of nasty skin complaints.

Just a word of caution. The top of the filter housing must not be over tightened when replacing. The tightening torque is very low so I always put two matching blobs of paint on the filter top and the housing so I know how far to tighten the top when replacing. Also make sure that you check the o ring seals at top and bottom; new ones should be provided with the filter..

I would recomend Millers oils as i have used them for years .Excellent product!

I'm thinking of doing this at 5k miles to be on the safe side. Does anybody have any pics of how to do this? I'm a bit new to this diesel lark, me...