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Today I was given a simple task. My roommate and good friend gave me $100, and simply said "can you do the oil on my 2008 VW Rabbit 2.5?". I thought, simple enough, I've done many an oil change, what could make this difficult?
Oh how I was wrong. At first it went swimmingly, I jacked it up, dropped it on the stands, dropped the splash pan, and easily got at the strangely placed oil filter under the car. Much to my chagrin I had gotten a 36mm socket as quoted by several forum posts for the filter housing, but oh was I wrong. It turns out the car required a 76mm 14 flute socket. The trouble is being a tool, I had already drained the pan. I then had to find my way to Canadian Tire, whom did not have the socket, then furthermore to Autovalue, who finally did (for $5!!!). I was also annoyed I could not use my Pela vacuum oil extractor (I've never seen a filter on the bottom of a car, it just seems... Strange, since wouldn't gravity make particulates collect at the bottom of the filter?).
Three hours later, I had FINALLY gotten the filter housing off and gotten her all cleaned up (my roommate had not done his out in 14,000KM, it was blacker then space and had the consistency of cream of mushroom soup, which I chewed him out for, it was also down to 4.5L!!!!). I got her filled up with Liqui-Moly 5W-40 and a fresh filter, tossed the splashpan back on and was off to the races.
A HUGE thanks to Chris & Colin at Calgary Autoworks for supplying the oil/filter and helping me figure out I actually required a 76MM 14 Flute socket! And helping me keep a cool head after having a bad time! They have saved my butt too many times!
Pictures of the carnage!
The Socket I had purchased vs the housing, apparently the smaller unscrewable part of the housing is 36mm
His oil, so black it was a perfect mirror (yes, I was having a very bad hair day)
Best part, after 3 hours my roommate was mad I had taken so long. I ended up spending my own money to find the socket/other resources to do his oil. I ended up sticking the "Next service at" sticker in a very obvious place, so he cannot ignore it this time. I also set a notification on my phone to remind me based on his average millage of when his oil will be due.
Oh how I was wrong. At first it went swimmingly, I jacked it up, dropped it on the stands, dropped the splash pan, and easily got at the strangely placed oil filter under the car. Much to my chagrin I had gotten a 36mm socket as quoted by several forum posts for the filter housing, but oh was I wrong. It turns out the car required a 76mm 14 flute socket. The trouble is being a tool, I had already drained the pan. I then had to find my way to Canadian Tire, whom did not have the socket, then furthermore to Autovalue, who finally did (for $5!!!). I was also annoyed I could not use my Pela vacuum oil extractor (I've never seen a filter on the bottom of a car, it just seems... Strange, since wouldn't gravity make particulates collect at the bottom of the filter?).
Three hours later, I had FINALLY gotten the filter housing off and gotten her all cleaned up (my roommate had not done his out in 14,000KM, it was blacker then space and had the consistency of cream of mushroom soup, which I chewed him out for, it was also down to 4.5L!!!!). I got her filled up with Liqui-Moly 5W-40 and a fresh filter, tossed the splashpan back on and was off to the races.
A HUGE thanks to Chris & Colin at Calgary Autoworks for supplying the oil/filter and helping me figure out I actually required a 76MM 14 Flute socket! And helping me keep a cool head after having a bad time! They have saved my butt too many times!
Pictures of the carnage!
The Socket I had purchased vs the housing, apparently the smaller unscrewable part of the housing is 36mm
His oil, so black it was a perfect mirror (yes, I was having a very bad hair day)
Best part, after 3 hours my roommate was mad I had taken so long. I ended up spending my own money to find the socket/other resources to do his oil. I ended up sticking the "Next service at" sticker in a very obvious place, so he cannot ignore it this time. I also set a notification on my phone to remind me based on his average millage of when his oil will be due.
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