OK, A4 TDI owners! How to change your oil:

First, get yourself some tools. The oil drain plug uses either a 17mm wrench or a 19mm (I forget which.) Just buy a set of metric wrenches that includes those two sizes. You'll also need a set of small TORX sockets or drivers. (TORX screws are those funny "star" screws that hold the lower engine cover in place. TORX screws are used all over your car. I suggest buying a set of small TORX sockets with a 1/4" drive socket wrench, and a separate set of small TORX screwdrivers. They'll all come in handy from time to time.) The cap on the oil filter housing can be difficult to remove because it's made of slippery ABS plastic. Probably the best tool to use is a band-type oil filter wrench. Get the kind without a handle, that is intended to be used with a 3/8" drive wratchet and extension. If the band wrench slips, put a shop towel or a piece of a rubber glove over the cap and force the wrench on over the towel/glove. That'll improve the "traction." You'll need a 10mm socket, and an short extension to remove the upper engine cover.

Supplies needed will be: One A4 TDI oil filter cartridge, which is available from your dealer. Make sure the filter includes the two o-rings: The BIG o-ring goes on the filter cap, and the little one goes on the end of the plastic stalk that pokes down inside the filter from the cap. You'll see what I mean when you remove the old filter. Make sure you get a fresh crush washer for the oil drain plug. And go to an auto parts store and get a can of aerosol Silicone Spray Lube for the CV boots!

You'll need to get the car up off the ground. There are a few different options. Probably the simplest would be to jack up one side of the car using the stock jack. It's designed to fit on the drip rail on the side of the car. But for safety's sake you MUST use a jackstand! Get a good pair of jackstands. If you look under the car, near the side, and just behind the front wheel and the front suspension mounting points, you'll see what looks like a "frame" member. It's a boxed section of sheet metal which serves the same basic function of a "frame." You can put the jackstand under that, but make sure you slide the jackstand toward the FRONT end of the "frame" member! It's reinforced towward the front to provide a rigid mounting point for the suspension, but if you put it farther back the "frame" is too weak to support the weight of the car and it'll crush! Once you get the jackstand in place, lower the car just enough that the jackstand bears a little weight.

Another excellent option is to use ramps. Metal car ramps are available at most auto parts stores. Get ramp extensions, too! Most ramps are too steep to accomodate VWs, especially New Beetles. But I bought ramp extensions to go with my ramps and they work great!

The engine oil should be at least warm when you change it, so more of the used oil will flow out. I suggest wearing some disposable rubber gloves to protect yourself.

Once you have the car up in the air, use the appropriate TORX socket or driver to remove the lower engine cover. There are over a dozen screws, as I recall. Once you've removed the lower cover, it's easy to locate the oil pan and the drain plug. (The plug faces toward the rear of the car.) Place your catch pan with the front edge of the opening just behind the drain plug, and remove the plug. Be sure you don't get confused and try to turn the plug the wrong way! Sometimes you have to think about it a bit, since you'll probably be working from the front of the car. If you're facing the front of the car, and the wrench is hanging down from the plug, you bang the wrench toward your LEFT (passenger side) to loosen the plug. Try not to let the plug fall in the used oil! It's no fun a all to fish it out! And bear in mind that the oil will probably shoot out of the hole farther than you think, so be ready to scoot the catch pan farther back.

While you're down there waiting for the oil to finish draining remove the old crush washer from the drain plug and install a new one. You might have to pry the old one off with a screwdriver. Then, grab your silicone spray lube and spray the CV boots on the driveshafts. That will make 'em last longer. You should give them a squirt every time you change your oil.

When the oil flow slows to a drip, re-install the drain plug. When the new washer makes contact with the pan, tighten the plug with your wrench. How tight? Pretty tight. I don't know what the torque spec is, and I've never bothered to torque a drain plug. You'll feet the washer crush as the plug is tightened. Tighten it as much as you can with steady hand pressure on the wrench, then give it a couple of quick "bangs" with the palm of your hand. That'll be plenty.

Reinstall the lower engine cover, pull the drain pan and your tools out from under the car, jack the car up a little bit to remove the jackstand, then let the car down off the jack. (If it's on ramps, wait until you've got the first gallon of oil in there before starting the engine and backing down the ramps.)

With the hood open, pry the little round plastic nut covers off the upper engine cover with a screwdriver. Use a 10mm socket and extension to remove the screws. Remove the oil dipstick, too. There should be a third 10mm nut somewhere toward the rear of the cover, which you might have to remove with a 10mm open end wrench if there's not enough room for a socket. Lift the cover up until the rubber "boot" clears the dipstick tube, then pull the cover towards you. Make sure you dont lose the rubber grommet on the rear engine cover mounting stud.

The oil filter housing will be right in front of your face: Its the round, cylindrical casting with a black plastic cap on it that says "15 nm" or something on it. (That's a torque spec.) Use your wrench, or bare hands if you're a stud like me, to unscrew the cap. Replace the big o-ring on the cap, and the little o-ring on the end of the stalk. Lift the old filter out and discard it. Press the new filter down into the housing until you feel it "seat." (There is no "top" or "bottom", either way is good.) Screw the cap back on as tight as you can by hand, then snug it well with the filter wrench.

Add one gallon of your favorite oil. Start the engine, and make sure that the oil pressure warning light goes out after a few seconds. If the car is still up on ramps, back it off at this time. (The car should be as level as possible.) Let the car run for about 2 minutes, then shut it off. Allow about 10 minutes for the oil to drain down into the pan. Add another 0.5 to 0.7 quarts of oil, and allow a few more minutes for it to work its way down to the crankcase. Then clean off the dipstick and check the oil level.

If you check the oil immediately after shutting down the engine, "full" is at the top of the cross-hatched area on the dipstick. After 10 or 15 minutes of drain-down time "full" is at the bend in the dipstick just ABOVE the crosshatched area.

Remove the dipstick again, re-install the upper engine cover, and put the dipstick back in place. Drive away!

Next morning, double-check the oil level and make sure you don't need to add just a little bit more to bring it up to the "bend" in the dipstick.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001