Golf 77TSi - First oil change

[gonsped]

I just performed my first oil change on the Golf 77TSi ~6,000km.

Equipment used:
* 19mm hex driver
* VW spare tyre jack
* oil filter wrench (14 flutes, 76mm)
* Shell Helix Ultra Extra 5W-30 ($75 - Supercheap Auto)
* VW oil filter + sump plug/washer ($30 - Austral VW Fortitude Valley)

Not knowing how much oil is in the car, I used a 5kg digital kitchen (+/- 1g accuracy) scale and tarred the oil drain pan then weigh the discarded oil which was just shy under 3,000g. I drive about 900km a week back and forth from GC to Brisbane and the dipstick registers slightly above the "B" mark (see manual) in the dipstick.

Once the oil is drained, replaced the plug/washer, replaced the oil filter (hand tighten) - I filled up the 3kg of oil and then ran the engine until warm, let it settle - then double check the dipstick which was right in the middle of the "B" mark.

So I added another 100g, ran the engine again, checked the dipstick and finally settled on a total of 3.2kg of oil which stops just shy of the top of the "A" mark. Did a 5km block test run to confirm the oil level has not moved.

Based on previous experience, these oil bottles weigh around 250g or so. Gross weight of the bottle was exactly 4.5kg, so that leaves an oil density of 4250/5000 = 0.85 kg/Litre. So at 3200g that would mean 3.765L of oil.

Before I did the calc, I preferred to have put in 3100g so it would be between the upper range of the "B" mark and below the top of the "A" mark which translates to 3.65L of oil.

So roughly in terms of dollars - that would be ~$85 per oil change.

I plan to change the sump plug next time to a Fumotovalve

P.S. I have to say, whatever the factory did, the original oil filter was tightened way more than 20Nm. It was on very tight.

Here is a pic of the oil filter wrench I got from EBay (Seller: avenue35) for under $17 shipped from the UK (allow 2 weeks shipping):

[Lucas_R]

Thanks for the write up. My brother recently purchased a Skoda Fabia 77TSI and "DIY" oil changes look like they will be extremely straight forward. The oil filter mounted up-side-down at the top of the engine (like the Mk6 GTi) and the sump area looks to be easy to access as well.

As for your very in depth oil quantity measurements, doesn't the owners handbook reference the approx amount of oil the engine requires? My Golf R takes about 4.7 litres so i would of assumed the smaller less performance orientated 77TSI motor would be around the more common 3.5 - 4.0 litre range (as you have confirmed).

[SMOK3Y]

gonsped ive never seen such an informative & anal post

[kryten2001]

My approach is a lot less scientific I'm afraid. Tip it out, replace sump plug and filter, pour it in. Drive and be merry.

[Diesel_vert]

Yes, an oil change is usually quite straightforward - except in this case, VW doesn't tell you what the oil capacity is, and just says you should "consult the dealer".

It also doesn't help that VW have changed the oil capacity for the 1.2 l engines built after June 2011.

Perhaps VW have tried to make the menial task of changing the oil more interesting and turn it into a bit of a guessing game.

[hooba]

gonsped ive never seen such an informative & anal post

I'm guessing gonsped is an engineer of some sort, I liked it.

[kryten2001]

Yes, an oil change is usually quite straightforward - except in this case, VW doesn't tell you what the oil capacity is, and just says you should "consult the dealer".

I must be doing something wrong..... I just follow the dipstick....

Are you suggesting anything the dealer/manufacturer could say would override the dipstick or have any real relevance? You lads are over analyzing. Weighing your oil? Wow.... Top to bottom on the dipstick is about 500ml and both are within spec...

Btw you probably should have done the first change at 1000.... Gets out any minor engine shavings etc.... I had quite a few on both my mk5 Gti and the mk6 tdi. Scary.

Use good oil... Shell helix ultra extra 507 spec....

[Diesel_vert]

I must be doing something wrong..... I just follow the dipstick....

Certainly nothing wrong with that. In fact, the tech manual is quite insistent that one checks the level with the dipstick (in bold & italic font no less).

Are you suggesting anything the dealer/manufacturer could say would override the dipstick or have any real relevance? You lads are over analyzing. Weighing your oil? Wow.... Top to bottom on the dipstick is about 500ml and both are within spec...

Well yes, you don't really need to know the oil capacity - as you said, just use the dipstick. I suppose it's just more convenient having that sort of info.

Btw you probably should have done the first change at 1000.... Gets out any minor engine shavings etc.... I had quite a few on both my mk5 Gti and the mk6 tdi. Scary.

He'll be fine.
I'm confident the engine itself will outlast the rest the car (can't say the same about any of the parts around it though ).

Use good oil... Shell helix ultra extra 507 spec....

And which he has done.

[gonsped]

Thanks for the comments. Yes, I am a chemical engineer by trade.

Working with scales seems to be the easiest for me, saves washing, cleaning & keeping another measuring instrument. I have overfilled an engine from a previous car before and didn't want to go through the process of overshooting the dipstick again then draining the oil which is a mess.

I guess one benefit is once I have an extra empty oil bottle, I can prefill the 3.1kg of oil and just dump the whole content come change time