Anyone with a VW 1.8T engine...

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
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Looked on several VW sites, couldn't find any detailed info... I can open the hood and see it there, but there's a bunch of stuff blocking it. I took the skid plates off the bottom to try to get to it that way, and there was more stuff blocking it.

Do I have to remove something else to get to it? If so, what?

('03 Passat if it matters)
 

Nutdotnet

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2000
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03' Passat? You have a Longitudonal (sp?) 1.8t right? I know on mine (transverse) the filter is located on the lower-part, near the front and almost smack-dab in the middle of the engine.

I took off the skid-plate, and used one of THESEthese attached to a ratchet + extension.
 

Nutdotnet

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2000
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Originally posted by: radioouman
You have skid plates on an '03 Passat?

They're just plastic plates...I don't know how much they would help with skidding. I think they are more helpful in keeping rocks and debris from coming up and damaging the oil pan.
 

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
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you don't need to get to it. it's a VW, so the engine will break before it's due for the first oil change. ;) sorry, couldn't help myself.
 

Nutdotnet

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2000
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Originally posted by: thomsbrain
you don't need to get to it. it's a VW, so the engine will break before it's due for the first oil change. ;) sorry, couldn't help myself.

If you were trying to crack a joke you should have tried a little harder.

0/10 ;)
 

radioouman

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2002
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Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
Originally posted by: radioouman
You have skid plates on an '03 Passat?

They're just plastic plates...I don't know how much they would help with skidding. I think they are more helpful in keeping rocks and debris from coming up and damaging the oil pan.


THat's my point. They are plastic shields, certainly not skid plates! :)
 

AgaBoogaBoo

Lifer
Feb 16, 2003
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Not sure how much work you do on your car, but you may want to consider getting a Haynes manual for your car. We have it for all our cars and find it very useful.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
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Originally posted by: radioouman
Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
Originally posted by: radioouman
You have skid plates on an '03 Passat?

They're just plastic plates...I don't know how much they would help with skidding. I think they are more helpful in keeping rocks and debris from coming up and damaging the oil pan.


THat's my point. They are plastic shields, certainly not skid plates! :)

Well, whatever it is, that's what the oil change guy called it when he used it as an excuse to refuse to change the oil. :) It's a PITA is what it is.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
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Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Not sure how much work you do on your car, but you may want to consider getting a Haynes manual for your car. We have it for all our cars and find it very useful.

Yeah, I have one for my car, I guess I'll probably get one for this car too.
 

Aharami

Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
21,205
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Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Not sure how much work you do on your car, but you may want to consider getting a Haynes manual for your car. We have it for all our cars and find it very useful.

VW manuals are called bentley manual.

OP, i have a VR6 so I dont know if oil filter configuration is different than urs (probably is). But you might want to search/post in the VWVortex's 1.8T engine forums
 

Triumph

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,031
14
81
You have to take the skid plate off anyway to get to the drain plug. And you will probably need an oil filter wrench to make the job easier. No matter how loose I put mine on every time, it always seems like a bitch to get off. So just get yourself one of those. Anyway, get underneath the car and reach up to the oil filter from the driver's side of the car. There is enough room to do it, just stick your arm up there. You're going to get oil everywhere though, that's a given, so be ready with a rag and an oil pan. If for some reason you can't get under your car, then try unscrewing the coolant fluid reservoir and moving it out of the way. You don't have to disconnect the tubing to do this.

I've done this about a dozen times, believe me it's not impossible.
 

Nutdotnet

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2000
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Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: radioouman
Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
Originally posted by: radioouman
You have skid plates on an '03 Passat?

They're just plastic plates...I don't know how much they would help with skidding. I think they are more helpful in keeping rocks and debris from coming up and damaging the oil pan.


THat's my point. They are plastic shields, certainly not skid plates! :)

Well, whatever it is, that's what the oil change guy called it when he used it as an excuse to refuse to change the oil. :) It's a PITA is what it is.

The oil change guy refused to change the oil? My god...it's probably a good thing that he didn't do it anyway. The plates come off with a screwdriver. They are only 4 large plastic screws. What a tool...haha.

forums.vwvortex.com. Go to the 1.8t Technical Forum and do a search. :)
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
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Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
The oil change guy refused to change the oil? My god...it's probably a good thing that he didn't do it anyway. The plates come off with a screwdriver. They are only 4 large plastic screws. What a tool...haha.

forums.vwvortex.com. Go to the 1.8t Technical Forum and do a search. :)

It was toward the end of the day, I think he just didn't feel like it. I took the plastic crap off myself, it's just an annoyance is all.

Originally posted by: Triumph
You have to take the skid plate off anyway to get to the drain plug. And you will probably need an oil filter wrench to make the job easier. No matter how loose I put mine on every time, it always seems like a bitch to get off. So just get yourself one of those. Anyway, get underneath the car and reach up to the oil filter from the driver's side of the car. There is enough room to do it, just stick your arm up there. You're going to get oil everywhere though, that's a given, so be ready with a rag and an oil pan. If for some reason you can't get under your car, then try unscrewing the coolant fluid reservoir and moving it out of the way. You don't have to disconnect the tubing to do this.

I've done this about a dozen times, believe me it's not impossible.

Thanks, I'll try again. It didn't look like like I could fit my arm up in there and have enough room to move around in, but maybe I wasn't looking at it from the right angle. I got one of those filter wrenches that attaches to a ratchet and fits right over the end of the filter. http://www.harpermotoguzzi.com/images/oil-filter-wrench.jpg

On a related note, where should I jack the car up from if I want to put the jack stands under the jack points on the side of the car? On my civic I usually use the tow hooks, but I couldn't find any on this car.

 

Triumph

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,031
14
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you can get your hand up there, unless you have gorilla arms.

putting this car on jack stands is a pain in the ass. because the lifting point is in the same place as the jackstand point. what are you supposed to do, lift the car with your arm while you replace the jack with a jackstand? anyway, on the plastic along the side of the car, in the front you have two plastic flip covers and in the rear you have a little upside down triangle. the metal rail here is where you jack from. but there are also 4 holes covered by a dust cap on the underbody around this same area. these holes are designed to accept a rubber pad which tells you where to place the lift arms if you're using a lift. the Audi TT has the rubber pads stock. so you can jack up with a piece of wood from these points and then fit a jack stand underneath the jacking points mentioned above.

or just go buy a set of ramps.