How to: Change the Engine Oil and Filter (Fabia vRS)

[aixlad]

Today I set about replacing the Engine Oil and Filter on my vRS. This is
how I did it -

Parts Required -
Oil Filter p/n 071115562A = £5.52
Sump Plug p/n N90813201 = £0.96
5 Litres Millers XFE-PD = £21.99

Tools Required -
T25 Torx Screwdriver.
19mm Socket for sump plug.
32mm Socket for oil filter housing.
Washing up bowl (tell the missus first).

(I highly recommend a 32mm Impact Socket, about £6 from your friendly
local motor accessory shop. As the Oil Filter housing top cover is made of
plastic, a surface driven socket is a must, because bi-hex sockets will
damage the corners of the housing cover nut).

Time Required – about 1 hour.

Level of Difficulty – Easy, but you need to be able to crawl around under
the car, you'll probably enjoy it if you are a Plumber


1. You'll need to get right underneath the engine, so if you have large, but
currently relaxed stomach muscles like me you'll need to make up a ramp
to raise the front wheels about 6 inches. MAKE SURE THIS IS
ABSOLUTELY SAFE BEFORE PROCEEDING!

2. Open the bonnet and remove the top engine cover by grasping its front
edge and sharply lifting it off its rubber locating grommets, then slide it
forward off the rear fixing.

3. Crawl uinderneath the front of the car, armed with your T25
screwdriver and remove the 9 dome-headed Torx screws which attach the
bottom engine cover to the car. There are 4 down each side, and one at
the back. Lower the cover and push it towards the rear of the car to
detach it from the front edge.

4. Now you can see the sump plug, which faces towards the rear of the car.
Use a 19mm socket to remove the plug and let the oil flow out into the
washing up bowl.

5. Use the 32mm socket to remove the plastic cover from the oil filter
housing. The oil filter element at this point will be connected to the
cover so it will all come out together. Grasp the oil filter and pull it off
the housing cover with a sharp action. Remove the rubber sealing O-ring
from the housing cover, and replace with the new one supplied in the oil
filter box. Push the new oil filter into the housing cover until it clicks into
place. Wipe a little fresh oil around the newly fitted housing cover O-ring,
and a bit more around the small O-ring at the protruding end of the filter.
This ensures the O-rings will not snag and get damaged when you refit the
assembly. Place the whole assembly back into the Oil Filter housing, and
tighten hand tight. Now use the 32mm socket to tigthen up, remember the
O-ring forms the seal, not excessive tightness of the cover! I believe
the oil filter housing cover should be tightened to 25Nm.

6. Crawl back underneath and replace the sump plug with the new one,
again don't over tighten, the washer deforms and makes the seal, not the
tightness of the plug! Hand tight, and then torqued to 30Nm, don't over tighten
because the sump is made of Aluminium.

7. Pour fresh oil into the engine until the level is to the top kink of the
dipstick, then replace the oil filler cap, start the engine, and let it run for
about a minute, check for any leaks around the oil filter housing and the
sump plug, switch off. If you check the dipstick now you'll see the level has
gone down to the botton of the hatched area, this is because the oil filter
housing has now filled up. Take your time, and top up the oil to the
required level, avoid overfilling at all costs.

8. Crawl back underneath and refit the bottom engine cover. Slot it in at
the front edge first, then fit the 9 retaining Torx screws. Fit them all
hand tight first, when they are all in go around with your screwdriver and
nip them all up, firm, but not over tight.

9. Pour you old oil into an unused oil can and place it on one side ready to
go up to the recycle centre, give the washing up bowl back to the missus!

Total cost, including VAT, to change Engine Oil and Filter = £28.47

Good Luck

[skodaw]

It should be noted that oil level should be checked once car is back on the level.
it's also worth doing the change when the engine is slightly warm - this thins the oil and will allow more to escape and therfore a better quality change

and I can't stress to strongly - do NOT whatever you do overtighten the sump thread - it will strip - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Top description - it's a lot easier than some people would like you to think

[aixlad]

While I was crawling around under the car, I noticed that the (still shiney) oil sump is made of pressed steel. Has anyone ever heard of these needing replacement due to surface rust? I just wonder whether it would be prudent to rub some oil over it to protect against corrosion.

[Lummox]

The sump is aluminium, is on all VAG diesel and 99% of the petrols nowadays.

And iirc the sump bung should be tightened to 20 nm and 25 nm for the oil filter cap.

[aixlad]

Originally Posted by Lummox

The sump is aluminium, is on all VAG diesel and 99% of the petrols nowadays.

And iirc the sump bung should be tightened to 20 nm and 25 nm for the oil filter cap.

Thanks for your valuable help. An ex-member Skoda guru called Ross Clarke, who used to be on here some time ago provided some very helpful hints in a previous thread. I was hoping he would eventually do the How To when he had sufficient time but now I've done it myself. I'll add your comments to my thread. Thanks again

[Lummox]

I doubt he would have done any better job than you have, nice one

[JUT]

Very handy, I'll be doing this soon.

Has anybody heard about these:

http://www.filtermag.co.uk/cutaway_detroit.htm

One of these won't fit the Furby due to the lack of steel spin-on oil filter. So I was thinking position some hefty magnets near the sump plug, remove them just before draining the oil, and hey ho, any steel particles get flushed away as the oil drains. But since it's an alloy sump the magnets probably won't stick. Any other possible locations people can think of?

[aixlad]

Originally Posted by Lummox

I doubt he would have done any better job than you have, nice one

[aixlad]

Originally Posted by JUT

Very handy, I'll be doing this soon.

Has anybody heard about these:

http://www.filtermag.co.uk/cutaway_detroit.htm

One of these won't fit the Furby due to the lack of steel spin-on oil filter. So I was thinking position some hefty magnets near the sump plug, remove them just before draining the oil, and hey ho, any steel particles get flushed away as the oil drains. But since it's an alloy sump the magnets probably won't stick. Any other possible locations people can think of?

How about magnetising the sump plug?

[JUT]

Originally Posted by aixlad

How about magnetising the sump plug?

Don't know that you can, it's an alloy plug isn't it? Anyway, I'm thinking BIG neodymium magnet from eBay, the sort that could happily support a 50 lb weight, if you did manage to magnetise a standard sump plug the "pulling power" would be too weedy to make it worthwhile...

[TOSH]

Excellent and useful advice ,i use a vac pump to empty sump as im a lazy so & so,saves getting under the car and lots of time.

As you seem clued up on servicing ,when you come to change the fuel filter will you please post the "how to" . i ask because the unit now fitted .without a water drain plug, differs from what ive done in the past and would like a guiding hand! thanks

PS --Just noticed you refer to Fabia ,mine is octy 2,if similar then ok

[jg_norfolk]

Sorry to raise a really old thread but it's still perfectly valid and I have some further information.

Mine's the PD100 Elegance. The difference is that the socket on the oil filter canister is 36mm rather than 32mm on the vRS. Good job my mate at a garage checked before I bought the socket!

Additionally - if you don't fancy mucking about underneath the car - get a fluid extractor for the oil.

[TeflonTom]

Originally Posted by jg_norfolk

Mine's the PD100 Elegance. The difference is that the socket on the oil filter canister is 36mm rather than 32mm on the vRS

yes, it's a 36mm socket on the 1.4 tdi model too

[JP1 VRS]

where can i get some millers xfe pd engine oil please . does halfords sell it ?

[symonevans]

Halfrauds dont sell it. I got mine from the local motorsave. £29.95

[johnmb]

Tools Required -
T25 Torx Screwdriver.
19mm Socket for sump plug.
32mm Socket for oil filter housing.
If these are for the Fabia what sizes are the 1.9 tdi 130 bhp octy 1 sizes . Thanks