uberwgn

Same location. A spin-on canister that held its oil when removed:

Kalamata

Hello Guys! I am rather new to the Audi world. I will take possession of my 2007 Allroad in 2 months! I really look forward! So, I heard that the EA888 Gen 3 has a plastic drain plug. I was wondering if this is the reason you use extractor to perform the oil change? Does someone has made an oil change without extractor? Does the drain plug need to be changed each time?

StKnowhere

Don't know for sure but think you are correct and they need to be replaced with a new one if removed.

The dealer as you probably know uses an extractor.

I read someplace regulators are pressing for this to minimize risk for environmental impact of oil leaks.

Tom Gilkeson

Thanks for the write-up. I did my first oil change today using a fluid extractor at 6,849 miles...but there was some epic-fail along the way:

After I removed the oil-filler cap, I set it on the little shelf just forward. A short time later I knocked it into the engine cavity on the left hand side.

As I came to learn, there is a bottom plate...very cool but stuff won't fall through.

Also, not possible to put your arm down the left hand side to fish around for stuff....right side, no problem.

Shining the flashlight didn't reveal where the cap was, so I proceeded to jack the car and remove some fasteners from the bottom plate under the engine.

I used the OE jack and had the side benefit of learning about all of the cool stuff under the spare tire.

But, since I didn't have jack stands I refused to stick my cranium under the car and could only reach a few fasteners on the bottom pan. I was able to bend the pan down a little a shine the light around but still no joy.

So we are 90 minutes, 3 or so Coors Lights, and lots of cussing into a simple oil-change with no joy. I decide to call the local Audi dealer parts dept. Oil filler cap in stock? Nope, car is too new...I can get one on Tues for $32. I tell the dude I might call him back but pass for now.

Then I spent another 20 minuteS with the flashlight peering down from the top with no luck.

I was almost ready to call the parts dept back but had one more idea. I chopped the straight piece off of a plastic clothes hangar, and went down the right side of the engine, and 'swept' the plastic rod to the left, aft and forward, and aha! I knocked the cap into view toward the front of the cavity. Then I fished it to the right and it was to reach from the right side; no problem.

Oil change then proceeded without further incident.

tldr: DO NOT LEAVE THE OIL FILLER CAP OR OTHER PARTS LAYING IN THE PERIMETER OF THE ENGINE BAY.

yvantheterrible

Holy moly, I just about wet myself reading your post, yep, a clothes hanger saves the day. PERSISTANCE....leads to perfection.

Now, don't worry, the next time you do end up needing parts, your Audi dealer parts dept rep won't remember you.....or..will he? (the funny guy who needed an oil filter cap because he dropped the.....and he realised that...the bottom pan.....). We won't tell.

AudiD

GREAT story Tom thanks for learning this lesson for the rest of us! And thanks Yvan for the excellent photo write-up which has given me the confidence that I can change my oil with this car which would be my first time ever. The car I just put to rest was a 2004 Phaeton and I'm pretty sure that would not have been a qood car for me to attempt my first change on (although I didn't know about extractors then).

Prof

Thanks for the DIY write-up and discussion. I noticed that the AUDI 2017 A4 sticker stated that you could use VW502 oil (such as Mobil 1 0W-40) or VW504 oil (usually 5W-30). The VW504 oil has more cleaning chemicals and is rated for extended oil changes. Supposedly VW504-rated oil may reduce the level of carbon buildup on the intake and exhaust valves in the engine. Could the forum comment on the choice of using VW502 versus VW504 rated oil. What is the factory oil (VW502 or VW504)? I will be purchasing a B9 A4 next year. I have changed the oil using a VW502-rated oil (Mobil 1 0W 40) every 7500 miles in my 2009 A4 B8 (original owner). I had to clean the valves because of massive carbon build up. I wonder if this problem is solved or reduced with the 2017 engine?

gguy

I am kind of on the fence about the 5k vs 10k oil change interval. First off, I called a bunch of Audi dealers in the Northwest, including the largest dealer around and spoke to Service Managers and Techs. They seemed pretty willing to talk about their opinions. All of them change the oil in the 2017 model from the top. Most of them apparently use the Schwaben (SP?) extractor which is what Audi supplies. They all said that the engine is designed for an oil change to be done from the top.

On the 5k or 10k interval, all of the folks that I spoke to suggested staying with the 10k service that Audi recommends. They all said that it was researched pretty thoroughly and that 10k works great.

So, there is just one more opinion.

kanadary

new to this forum and audi. great write up on the oil change thanks. question. i noticed when ordering parts from ecs, dip stick, metal filter housing, that the oil drain plug is plastic. although i plan on using an extractor, just ordered one, i am wondering if the drain plug needs to be replaced at some point, maybe every second oil change? i wonder if the plastic will degrade in time and start to leak. your thoughts?

VipinLJ

This is a lovely thread. One of my many bookmarked ones for my A4.

Btw, has anyone tried using motel xcess 8100 with the B9s (since that is also present in the list from the link in the first post)? I've heard only good thing about it.