First DIY maintenance on a4 B6 1.9 tdi 130 pd. What? How? where?

[denispearl]

Hello guys.

How in title really.

I am about to do my first DIY .

Apart of OIL and oil filter change, what else could be changed ?

How properly change the oil in home conditions ? Which tools needed?

Iam not a mechanic and dont have almost anything apart of screw drivers.

Please advice.

[Rob69]

Denis
I'll be honest with you here and this is only my opinion - take the car to a decent garage and let them check your previous service history, see where your car is up to in it's schedule and what is due. You're starting from scratch by the sound of things and are highly likely to end up stuck at home with a car that won't run or a part done service with none of the safety checks completed that should also be done ( brake pads, hoses, ball joint gaiters, suspension etc. etc).
Most DIY'ers pick up sufficient knowledge through hands on experience helping others who know what they're doing, rather than starting from scratch alone.
Although a service can seem like a cake recipe, it's the little things that a Haynes manual or list off the internet don't tell you that will likely trip you up.
I do most jobs at home myself but there are some jobs where I will draw the line and pay a man who knows more than me and has the right tools.

[denispearl]

Denis
I'll be honest with you here and this is only my opinion - take the car to a decent garage and let them check your previous service history, see where your car is up to in it's schedule and what is due. You're starting from scratch by the sound of things and are highly likely to end up stuck at home with a car that won't run or a part done service with none of the safety checks completed that should also be done ( brake pads, hoses, ball joint gaiters, suspension etc. etc).
Most DIY'ers pick up sufficient knowledge through hands on experience helping others who know what they're doing, rather than starting from scratch alone.
Although a service can seem like a cake recipe, it's the little things that a Haynes manual or list off the internet don't tell you that will likely trip you up.
I do most jobs at home myself but there are some jobs where I will draw the line and pay a man who knows more than me and has the right tools.


You right and for the first service it probably the best.

Although, I have to change oil quite often, maybe every 3-4 months, so Id rather to do it myself in the future.

Could I bring my oil to the garage tho? at least i will be sure which oil is used ( i hope).

[Doctle Odd]

You need the following tools for this job

Socket set
Torque wrench
Spanner set
Trolley Jack
Hex keys
Torx/spline bits
Axle stands
Oil collection pan or Pela pump
Oil filter tool
Nitrile gloves

You need to change the air filter, fuel filter and cabin filter. If you drain the oil from the sump you must use a new sump plug. If you don't have any history it's a good idea to replace the brake fluid and coolant. You'll need to check the condition of the brake pads and discs. I suppose a Haynes book would be of some help. If you just bought the car a full diagnostic scan before starting work is a good idea. Most site members use VCDS.

It's not a simple drop the oil and replace it job any more and to do it properly and safely with the correct tools will cost you hundreds

[zollaf]

you also need to know exactly when the timing belt was last changed and that a full kit was used with a new water pump. if you are not sure, either get it done or pull the front off the car to check. and if you tell the garage that does an oil change that you want the correct oil to be used and are happy to pay for it, then thats not a problem. you could supply it yourself, but thats not always ideal .

[denispearl]

you also need to know exactly when the timing belt was last changed and that a full kit was used with a new water pump. if you are not sure, either get it done or pull the front off the car to check. and if you tell the garage that does an oil change that you want the correct oil to be used and are happy to pay for it, then thats not a problem. you could supply it yourself, but thats not always ideal .

I've got all the records when the timing belt and everything was changed last time, so I don't have to be done yet. All I want to have is oil, filters changed. How much for the service in decent garage? Quoted £260 for full service. Is it about right? Also how to use those oil pums, so you don't need to lift the car? Are they really good?

[denispearl]

Hi all. Just to let you know I would appreciate all advises really. I need to figure out which way is more smart. As much as I want to save money, I want tohave the car maintained properly. my car has a full service history, so only oil and filters are due. Therefore i would concider using the pelo or similar pump. Would you recommend?

[zollaf]

yes, the pump work just fine on a car such as yours. just make sure the oil is hot. get one and a filter and then i will run through what to do. i use a sealey pump myself but the pela seems to get good reviews. they don't work on all cars as you can't get to the bottom of the sump, but they do on yours. 260 is good price though for a good going over ...

[nevo]

As above invest in a oil vacuum extractor,most of us on here change the oil every 7 to 8k,don't skimp on oil go for the right spec 505.01 or above,also you'll need something to get the oil filter cap off.apart from that it a piece of cake,only thing that can get tricky is fuel filter change,can get airlocked but no problem if you've got the vac pump just hook it up to the return line and draw it through till all's full.

[denispearl]

yes, the pump work just fine on a car such as yours. just make sure the oil is hot. get one and a filter and then i will run through what to do. i use a sealey pump myself but the pela seems to get good reviews. they don't work on all cars as you can't get to the bottom of the sump, but they do on yours. 260 is good price though for a good going over ...

Cheers mate, ill check those pumps tonight. Do they really give you the results az good as bottom draining?

[nevo]

Been using the sealey tp 69 for years,also use it to drain the oil filter housing dead leg at the bottom,often overlooked and won't empty on a bottom drain.

[zollaf]

Cheers mate, ill check those pumps tonight. Do they really give you the results az good as bottom draining?
better. the sump plug is not in the very bottom of the sump, so leaves a bit in the very bottom, the sucky tool sucks right to the bottom. people always say they don't get the sludge out. i say what sludge, if you have sludge then change the oil more often...

[Doctle Odd]

With a vacuum pump you can do most of the work without raising the car. If you buy some tools aim for the best you can afford. Halfords tools are surprisingly good and even more surprising the professional range is really good with a lifetime guarantee. As the OP said you need a tool for the oil filter it's a 65mm or so pressed metal socket costs about a fiver. Any work that involves raising the car I'd suggest a trolley jack and axle stands. Safety first

If you know the names and abbreviations used in the car trade you'll find write ups on the internet for most jobs. myturbodiesel.com has a lot of information and I think there's an Audi.uk forum, and passatworld has plenty of write-ups and theyre basically the same as an A4.
Loads of helpful short tempered guys on this site too.
:cussing:

[denispearl]

So, what is it ?DIY with the vacuum pump then? Why so any people advising to use garage if pump is o good?
Im confused.

How much is the oil/filter change , labor only, as Iam planing on bringing my own stuff into the garage.?

Cheers

[Doctle Odd]

It depends on the garage, a small indie might be relying on his 10% mark up on the oil and filter. He also has to pay for disposal of the old oil. It will probably be an hours labour anything between £40.00 and £120.00 + depending on where in the country you are. Little tip. If you find a good indie that knows his way round VAG cars it's probably better to allow him his little percentage on parts.

[denispearl]

It depends on the garage, a small indie might be relying on his 10% mark up on the oil and filter. He also has to pay for disposal of the old oil. It will probably be an hours labour anything between £40.00 and £120.00 + depending on where in the country you are. Little tip. If you find a good indie that knows his way round VAG cars it's probably better to allow him his little percentage on parts.
Cheers. No trace of good indie so far around Bracknell, Reading, Wimbledon area.
still searching

[Doctle Odd]

My advice, become your own indie :)

[denispearl]

My advice, become your own indie :)

Not sure if I want to kill my car tho

[Doctle Odd]

Just be a Santa to your car, make a list and check it twice

[nevo]

When i've paid for expensive oil I wanna make sure it goes in,not putting crap in and keeping the good stuff,doing a oil change is straight forward give it a go you might surprise yourself.

[Doctle Odd]

If you can find a good indie, the guy that does the work properly at a reasonable cost, always allow him his 10% on oil and parts. He's not making huge money and you'll appreciate him when you need a timing belt or clutch done

[defever]

Interesting thread! Slightly off topic but probably worth mentioning...

denispearl, oil & filter change is the bread & butter in the world of cars. I have B5 model and I believe it's much simpler than your B6, so I taught myself how to change oil & filter, and many other simple mechanic stuff via this very forum (thanks very much everyone) and using online parts catalogue, “how to” YouTube clips, and many other forums via Google search. Once you get the hang of the technical terms, you'll be amazed how much information you can find by just sitting in your comfort and surfing the net. There is plenty of information out there. But, be careful which advice to take… there are many conflicting information out there and you can get confused really quickly!

It's also very easy to go wrong if you forget your reality that you are not a trained car technician. In your DIY journey, you’ll make mistakes along the way. Some mistakes are very minor without severe consequences, but some will cost you a lot (or even write off the car) if you mess up. Knowing your limit in your own skill and knowledge, and knowing when to hand over to a professional is the key to minimise this. This goes with any DIY in life.

Get Haynes manual for very basic maintenance, use online search for solutions, become active on forums like this, and if you have a mechanic mate ask him/her to supervise. If you can't do any of these, then I think it'll be cost and time efficient if you let the professional look after your car. DIY is basically using your unskilled time instead of paying someone qualified for their time. Time is money. And respect your mechanic.

I don’t have a vacuum pump nor filter wrench but I change my oil every 6 months or 7,000-8,000 miles (whichever comes first). Get an oil drain pan, a generic 50+ piece socket set (£15-30 range) and axle stands. And build up your tool kit from there. Find out your local recycling place for proper chemical / scrap disposal. Be creative with where to buy tools and other stuff. Euro Car Parts and Trade Parts Specialist for parts (pay more for genuine parts), and Halfords/Screwfix/Toolstation for bits and bobs.

I hope this give you more sense of whether you want to do it yourself or not. Good luck and let us know how you get on!

Happy motoring.

[Doctle Odd]

^^as above^^. If you buy the Haynes manual try to find more information on the job your doing before you start. eg (Haynes suggest brake hose clamps but the clamp will destroy the hose internally). You'll also need a diagnostic code reader get a VAG specific one as generic rode readers don't seem to read VAG cars . They are priced from £30.00 for a hand-held unit. Couple of other things you might find useful. A magnetic bowl for holding small parts bolts etc. A gardeners knee pad for jobs requiring kneeling and a good torch, Cree penlite is my choice all three things costs pennies but make working on a car easier

[GeorgeE]

My dad used to own/run a vehicle workshop and so I used to go there to do my own servicing in the evenings. However now he has retired I no longer have that option. Now I pay a local independent (Stirling Garage in Newbury - not far from Reading) to do a longlife service BUT I do an intermediate oil change myself as well. That means it gets a proper "going over" on a ramp once a year or so with an independent set of eyes (effectively what my dad did while I was doing the service) and the oil never goes more than 10k miles. All oil changes are proper long life spec.

The oil/filter change itself is a doddle, 30 mins tops. Take the acoustic cover off the engine, take the cover off the oil filter (for which you will need a special tool, any of the motor factors or even Halfords will probably have one - I got the Sealey one but needed to pack it out slightly with a bit of card) which usefully is at the top of the engine and lifts off meaning you don't cover the place with oil (oil drains from the filter and housing into the sump when you take the cover off), then pump the old oil out through the dipstick hole (I use the Sealey pump recommended earlier). When you have pumped the oil out of the sump use the pump to drain the remains from the bottom of the filter housing. Fit new filter, put lid back on (not too tight - think torgue setting is on the lid. Remember it is the O ring that seals it, not the tightness of the thread), put oil in.

[joe.hollis.79]

I have had no problems doing my own services in past only pain in *** is taking bottom engine cover off but other than that oil and filters changes on my a4 1.9tdi b6 easy as .garages charge a fortune for the parts and labour shop around for parts most garages don't .

[zollaf]

er no, garages, like me, charge the going price. you can always get stuff cheaper, but i call my supplier and get it, on a van, delivered within a few hours or next day if they don't stock it. its a quality part, usually oem. if its wrong i can semd it straight back. if it fails within 12 months i have to change it free of charge to the customer. i could shop around, but are you going to pay me an hour at 35 quid to make 30 phone calls to save you a fiver. no. are you then going to be happy signing that you don't have a warranty because you wanted cheap sheet. no, and you would be the first to moan when it goes bits up. as for labour, i am expected to fix anything that come in, i have to to be able to put bread on table and keep wolves from door. to that extent i had to spend £7k on a diagnostic computer, £5k on a tool box , £3k on a ramp, and then probably about another £30k on bloody tools, so don't tell me i charge too much and don't deny me a profit on my parts.

[zollaf]

oh yes, i also spend far too much time helping others like you, for free, because i can...

[joe.hollis.79]

Well fair play to you maybe not al garages are as honest as you .I have found out through past bad garage experience. I'm not knocking you and you can't possibly defend all garages .so I just gave my opinion which was asked for your entitled to yours .

[defever]

I didn't realise "thumb down" button existed...

We as a customer are quick to complain when things go wrong and don't appreciate enough when a good job was done. It's partly because we don't visually see the background work Zollaf just described and think the thecnicians are out to rob the customers.

I learnt this recently... when I had cam belt done earlier this year, I asked for a quote from a garage and I noticed that their part list included codes from ECP. So I did my online search at ECP with the same list and it came out £100 cheaper to get the exact parts myself! Obviously I called up the garage saying err I can get the parts £100 cheaper. They said, sure you can supply the parts yourself, but if anything goes wrong there's no cover. That was enough to change my mind and happily pay £100 to the garage for their job... humble pie was on the plate after that call.

[joe.hollis.79]

The idea of DIY is trying to do it yourself if you can but just like it's been clearly put it's at your own risk and not covered if goes wrong and taking profit from garages etc weigh it up and make your own mind up and decide all very valid points of view from everyone .

[zollaf]

but some people can and some people can't. i am totally for people doing it themselves, until the car comes in for something and you see the mess their work is, and have to say something for the sake of other road users. bolts left loose, things just done wrong, i have seen quite a lot. sure, some are more capable than a qualified mechanic but others shouldn't be left to tie their own shoelaces.

[zollaf]

some customers are the worse though. cheques bounce left right and centre. they call you up for a price, you spend an hour pricing it up, then they don't want it done, or say they can get it done 100 cheaper at another garage, so you call the other garage as the customer is too stupid to realise we all communicate, to find they quoted more than i did... then they want to pay for the job in a weeks time, or haggle the bill when they have agreed the price, then accuse you of not doing what you have charged for, then when their brakes fail in 6 months time its my fault because i put a new starter motor on it. oh, and on the test drive i dented their wheel, enough to bend it totally out of shape. (yes, this really happened). is it all worth it, yes, because otherwise i would have to work for someone else....

[Doctle Odd]

Remember the clueless home mechanic, doing his brakes in the dark at the roadside? Man was a danger to others and a menace. I was asked to do the belt on a Stilo recently, I didn't take the job even though I could really use the money because I don't have the locking tools. He brought it to a "make fix" that changed the belt without special tools, now it drives like a 126

[GeorgeE]

The problem is finding someone who you can trust, and I never appreciated that when I had access to a workshop with a ramp and my dad, because I didn't need to appreciate it! Only now do I find there are good places and very bad places to get work done, ranging from the local dealer who reckoned the car needed £1800 of (mostly unnecessary) work doing on it (including every year claiming the screen washers needed unblocking when they worked perfectly when they went in and when I said no I am not going to pay you £26+VAT to unblock a washer jet I'll do it myself and when it came out they were still working fine! That actually was the least of the scams but won't go on about that now....) through a local independent who did an excellent job one year but then when I took it back the next year claimed to have done some work and didn't actually do it, when I took the car back to get the issue sorted there were no apologies or even acceptance that they had made a mistake which really upset me as it broke that bond of trust. I am now back with Sterling who in fairness have been VAG specialists for years and if they can't do a job for whatever reason they will at least tell you and point you to someone who can.

[zollaf]

i had a new customer come in last year for the first time in his t4. hi local garage had done a timing belt and some other work, including new front calipers. once i had got the timing right, it ran nicely again. i asked to see his invoice for these 'new' calipers, as they looked remarkably old, and there it was in black and white, 80 bob each. nah, not been touched. he uses me now.

[Doctle Odd]

I have had no problems doing my own services in past only pain in *** is taking bottom engine cover off but other than that oil and filters changes on my a4 1.9tdi b6 easy as .garages charge a fortune for the parts and labour shop around for parts most garages don't .

Buy a vacuum pump suck the oil out

[micheal balbrig]

Not sure if it was mentioned, but do not over tighten the sump bolt.

[GeorgeE]

And yes, for balance I have seen it from the other side and there are always customers who you would rather you had never met as they are far more hassle than they are worth.

Going back to the original subject, either know (and stick to) your limits or accept you may break it worse than it was before you started and treat that as a learning exercise before getting it to a garage who will take on a job started by someone else - not all will! The OP said he is not a mechanic and this is his first time working on a car. Oil and filter change should be in the capabilities of someone who has a bit of common sense and mechanical aptitude and is probably a good place to start, however much more than that I would suggest getting help from a mate who has experience (and a range of tools) or find a garage you can trust.

[GeorgeE]

Not sure if it was mentioned, but do not over tighten the sump bolt.

Better still, don't undo it! OP is doing this for the first time, much safer not to be mucking about jacking it up and putting it on stands to get the undertray off. Just use a pump to take it out the top, quicker, easier, safer and just as effective!

[JMR1]

As he has mentioned himself,he has no previous experience,and this is hIs starting point...he should find a mate who has a bit more experience,and do one or changes with him first.Even a ( relatively ) straight forward oil change and filter,can escalate into many hours of work.I am sure that everyone posting on this forum has met sump stud which brought the threads out with it , or the magnetic stud covered in metal particles, or the spanner or tommy bar that slipped.and broke some nearby plastic fittings. I am just trying to say , that when it comes to servicing / repairing cars, things can and do go wrong.

[Doctle Odd]

You can't make a hash of an oil change, warm the car, suck it out, change the filter pour the correct amount in. We all made mistakes when we started working at cars, before I started I used to pay a guy to make a balls of everything he touched.

[JMR1]

Hi Denis,
Good Luck with it, and let us know how it goes for you, OK?:D

[zollaf]

You can't make a hash of an oil change, warm the car, suck it out, change the filter pour the correct amount in. We all made mistakes when we started working at cars, before I started I used to pay a guy to make a balls of everything he touched.
yeah, you can. had a passat in for a service, oil filter cap was not done up, by about 4 turns, no leak though, lordy only knows how.

[GeorgeE]

yeah, you can. had a passat in for a service, oil filter cap was not done up, by about 4 turns, no leak though, lordy only knows how.

It is sealed by an O ring, as long as the O ring and that is not affected by how tight the cover is done up. The only reason to tighten it down is to stop it coming undone, if you see what I mean.

[Doctle Odd]

On a petrol engine it must be tight in all cases and leaving it loose is careless and says a lot about the mechanic

[GeorgeE]

Wasn't saying it being loose is a good thing (it even has a torque figure to do it up to stamped into the lid so there are no excuses), just pointing out why it wasn't leaking!

[nevo]

If the guy's too stupid/lazy or incompetent you wouldn't want him working on your brakes.
yeah, you can. had a passat in for a service, oil filter cap was not done up, by about 4 turns, no leak though, lordy only knows how.

[zollaf]

last serviced by another local garage, by the apprentice who has since 'left' and now works for himself, as a mobile mechanic...

[Martynas26]

As above invest in a oil vacuum extractor,most of us on here change the oil every 7 to 8k,don't skimp on oil go for the right spec 505.01 or above,also you'll need something to get the oil filter cap off.apart from that it a piece of cake,only thing that can get tricky is fuel filter change,can get airlocked but no problem if you've got the vac pump just hook it up to the return line and draw it through till all's full.
Hi. Last time i changed fuel filter and had no fresh diesel to fill a new filter so i suck from one of the pipes and with no help i use ignition on and off to fill a cup of diesel. Noticed less power after all. Can some one explain about airlock in fuel system?

Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk

[micheal balbrig]

The injection system needs the fuel in the system to pressurize it, it can not do that with air! Likewise the suction side needs the fuel in the system to be able to syphon,It can not
suck air. It is best to have system primed as best you can to avoid having to keep cranking with not enough fuel,I expect it would be harmful to system. This is my opinion and open to correction.

[Martynas26]

Im just suck some diesel from fuel line and put in new filter.conected hoses to new filter and start car.first is run bit lumpy but after 15secs all fine. Do you think i got airlock in fuel lines?

Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk

[micheal balbrig]

It must be ok now or it would not start easy