![]() 05/15/2020 at 13:55 • Filed to: None | ![]() | ![]() |
My first oil change was included when I bought the A lltrack. It’s not due until 10,100 miles, but in typical fashion I brought it in after break-in to have the oil changed (around 2k miles). I’m just around 8500 miles now and close to a year of ownership. I have been wanting to have the car tuned but decided to postpone until I can do an oil change and send out a sample to the fine folks over at Blackstone Laboratories .
It was nice on Wednesday so I pulled up onto the car ramps (I threw jack stands under JIC). Next I pulled the engine cover, dipstick, filler cap, and loosened the filter housing (which WAS hand tight for fucking once!). I popped underneath to pull the plastic filler plug and was greeted by something I have never seen before on a MK7 Golf...A large splash guard. Large enough that it needs to be removed to access the drain plug. 14 fasteners (7-13mm, and 7 T-25) and
45 seconds later it dropped onto my face and I slid it and myself out from underneath the car.
I did all of this with my almost 2 year old in tow. I knew I had 10 to 15 minutes where she’d be interested in what I’m doing so I got the above done just in time for her to see her tree swing and request “big pushes”. She watched me pull the drain plug and get the sample for blackstone. Then I popped her up in the swing for 30 minutes or so while everything drained.
Mom returned with Chinese food, we ate, I buttoned everything up, and reset the oil service intervals via VCDS. Blackstone includes the removable window stickers with their sample kits, which I used and thought to myself, “all that’s missing with is an invoice, this was a great shop experience!” I thought about writing one up for myself, but decided not to. For now...
Afterward
we went for a quick family ride to make sure there was enough oil...There was not it took a full 6.
I filled out the paperwork for the Blackstone report and stuck it in the mailbox. T
oday I called t
o make an appointment to get the APR + tune flashed. That’s happening next Friday.
Also, our kiddo’s !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! has just arrived! They a re installing it now!
I hope everyone has a great weekend. It’s going to be REAL MF nice on the east coast.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 14:04 |
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I installed a Ez-oil drain on mine, with the hose adapter, makes oil changes
so clean an so easy.
I just screw in the hose adapter and stick the hose in the last oil jug i used on last oilchange.
Here is my actual car
![]() 05/15/2020 at 14:35 |
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Oh snap, that is awesome!
![]() 05/15/2020 at 14:38 |
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Honest question, w hat is the purpose of an oil analysis on a new car?
![]() 05/15/2020 at 14:57 |
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Thanks for the reminder! I need to change my oil this weekend and send it out to blackstone labs, plus flush the diff/mt fluids...
All dialed in and nowhere to go!
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:03 |
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Pela oil extractor is the way to go. All done up top. That’s actually the procedure in the service manual for my S8. Been doing my wife’s Pacifica that way too. Every couple changes I’ll drop the Drain plug, but not very often.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:04 |
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Problem is, on the VAG cars the drain plug is facing the ground and those valves would hang down and likely get whacked by road debris or a speed bump.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:09 |
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There are expected break in particulates and oh no somebody at the factory screwed up but it hasn’t resulted in catastrophic failure yet particulates.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:10 |
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not with that big plastic guard he took off.
My forester, is up there, covered by an access door held on with clips.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:19 |
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That plastic guard wouldn’t help it much. Also, the oil pan on the 1.8T is plastic, so I wouldn’t put anything in it that hangs belies and could get caught by something you run over.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:25 |
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That’s the procedure for the Mk7 as well. If not there would be an easier way to access the drain plug than removing the entire under tray.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:31 |
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Fumoto makes them too. I had one on my Volvo C30. I had to cut a hole in the splash guard to access the valve , but it was 1000% worth it. Made it go from a chore to a breeze and zero mess.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:44 |
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Keep us updated when you get your tune. I’m seriously considering the same tune (due in large part to the warranty) for my Sportwagen. I so badly want to get it done already. But I only have 550 miles. I haven’t even broken it in yet.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:55 |
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Just a benchmark for me. I’ll send another sample in next oil change (after the tune) to make sure i’ve not KILT it.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:55 |
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Naw, it points toward the rear of the car.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:57 |
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I’m not a big fan of using the extractor. Took me 45 seconds to remove that splash guard. Takes a while to clean/wipe down those extractors
![]() 05/15/2020 at 15:58 |
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Will do!
![]() 05/15/2020 at 16:11 |
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Right, makes sense
![]() 05/15/2020 at 16:43 |
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I’ve seriously considered getting IPD’s aluminium skidplate for my Volvo just because it has cutouts with for the filter and drain. Sure I could just cut holes in the plastic one but that wouldn’t look as neat.
Unfortunately I have some hesitations:
It’s a bit pricey for something that really isn’t necessary
I don’t especially want to get far enough under the car to remove the plastic and install this.
Even if I did, I still wouldn’t be excited about going under to drain. Would it have been so bad to put the drain on the side?
One of my splash guard bolt holes is ripped off, and I’m worried it could because that bolt is horribly stuck.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 20:13 |
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You will no t regret the APR tune.
As for the splash guard, it’s actually a supe r sturdy pie ce and actually helps prevent damage. There’s a premium for them because GTI (me) and Golf R guys like to put them on to help protect the plastic oil pan.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 20:33 |
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Haha I thought that as I slid it off my face. Like, “wow that’s heavier than I thought.” It’s very rigid. I saw though my research that peeps are after them and going $4-500 on them! It was really easy to remove so I have no beef doing it in the future. Really excited to get the tune .
![]() 05/15/2020 at 20:37 |
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There’s some youtube video I saw once where a guy dropped one off a ladder and a bunch of other stuff to beat the crap out of it and it held up.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 21:58 |
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Man, I would never take any of my cars to a shop that’d drop a splash guard on my face. That’s just sloppy, man.
This reminds me that I need to buy a few things for doing oil changes in the garage. Ramps, a creeper, Fumoto valves, kitty litter,
and maybe another oil container.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 21:59 |
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Thats nuts
![]() 05/15/2020 at 22:19 |
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I stand corrected. I thought they all suffered from the drain bolt right in the flat of the oil pan. Hence the move to extraction methods.
![]() 05/15/2020 at 22:21 |
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Both my Audi’s had pans with the plug right in the middle of the flat part of the pan, and not much clearance between the under tray and the pan. Definitely not my favorite layout, but it works.
![]() 05/16/2020 at 00:27 |
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Yeah I mean it’s a trash shop. The coffee and the company are great, but the facilities leave a lot to be desired.
![]() 05/16/2020 at 02:34 |
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The preferred method for that car is to leave the skid plate and drain p lug alone. The pan will start to deform with successive removal (but plastic, not metal thanks vw) and will lead to a poor seal. The better way is to use an oil extractor. At least, that’s how the dealer was servicing them. It could be that removing a fuckton of fasteners was too hard dor the techs i knew.
![]() 05/16/2020 at 02:36 |
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Pro tip, rinse it off with gasoline in your driveway and just hose it all into the storm drain.