An oil change is an important part of your car’s maintenance regimen. Because of the synthetic oil used on many modern Audis, the recommended interval is 5000 miles. The B7 oil change is slightly more involved than the B6, but in many ways it’s more efficient, and most definitely less messy. It may seem daunting, but it’s quite an easy process. Europa Parts took advantage of a beautiful, warm March day to prepare a detailed DIY to help guide you through your first oil change on your 2.0T. Before you know it, you’ll be a pro! Some of the items are interchangeable; what’s listed is what we used.
Car Models
- 2005–2009 Audi A4 B7 2.0T
Parts Required
Tools Required
- Flat Head Screwdriver
- 19mm Socket and Ratchet
- Oil Filter Socket
- Oil Filter Housing Drain Tube
- Torque Wrench
- Oil Drain Pan and Funnel
- Paper Towels/Rags/Cardboard
- Ramps/Jack-stands/Floor-jack
Step 1
Drive the car to warm up the engine oil. About 15 minutes of driving is sufficient to get the oil warm. We added a bottle of Motul Engine Clean to degunk the engine a bit. If you choose to follow this, you can add this and let the car idle for 15 minutes instead of driving it. We found the oil to be warm enough.
Step 2
Drive the car onto ramps or put it on jack-stands. Make sure the car is secured properly before climbing underneath.
Step 3
Remove the belly pan using the flat head screwdriver.
Step 4
Open the hood and remove the oil cap to let the pressure in the crankcase escape. This should go without saying, but make sure your car is off before removing the oil cap. Set the cap aside and carefully clean around the hole into the crankcase (if it’s dirty). Be careful not to let any dirt or debris fall in.
Step 5
Locate the engine oil filter. It is on the driver’s side of the engine right above the motor mount. Unscrew the protective cap on the bottom of the oil filter. From underneath the car, screw the head of oil filter housing drain tube into the bottom of the filter until you feel resistance. Then connect the hose, making sure the line is pinched. Continue to screw until you hear the click of the drain valve. Oil should start to drain down the hose. Un-pinch the hose and let it drain into your drain pan. When it’s done, re-pinch the hose and let it catch whatever else drips out.
Step 6
Climb under the car. If you’ve never done an oil change before, it’s a good idea to lay a piece of cardboard down under the oil pan. Grab your ratchet and 19mm socket. The drain plug is on the passenger side of the car. Make sure the socket is seated properly and steadily apply pressure until the initial bond breaks. For the most part, you should be able to unscrew the bolt by hand (be careful, the oil pan is probably still very warm).
Step 7
Grab your drain pan and hold it up close to where the drain plug is. Continue to unscrew the plug. You’ll start to see oil drip out, and you’ll start to get a sense of where the end is. When the plug finally releases, let it drop into the drain pan. By holding it close to the plug, hopefully you’ve caught the initial jet of oil and it hasn’t sprayed all over your driveway. You can lower the pan to the ground; just gauge where the oil flow is going. As it slows, it will trickle out. Let the oil drain out for about 10 minutes or so.
Step 8
Go back to the engine oil filter. Drain any remaining oil and unscrew the hose and head. Use the oil filter socket (you may need an extension), and unscrew the oil filter from under the car. Once you break the initial bond, you should be able to unscrew it by hand. Remove the assembly, and drain any oil into the drain pan. Discard the old filter.
Step 9
Take your new filter and seal out of the box. Note how the old seal is situated on the filter housing (there’s a little tab sticking up, use that to gauge its relative position). Remove the old seal, dab the new seal with some of the used engine oil, and reinstall it. Put the new filter in the housing and screw it back into position. You may need to apply some pressure to help it catch the threads, but once it catches, it should screw on effortlessly. Use the torque wrench and tighten the filter to 25 nm (newton meters). Reinstall the protective cap.
Step 10
Screw your new oil drain plug into the oil pan. Screw it in by hand so you don’t cross-thread it. When it’s tight, use a torque wrench and tighten to 30 nm (newton meters). If you don’t have access to a torque wrench, tighten it with a ratchet just to the point that you feel resistance, and then give about a quarter turn.
Step 11
Add your engine oil. The 2.0T has a capacity of 4.5L of oil. Add it slowly through the hole in the crankcase. If you’re unsure of exactly how much to add, err on the side of caution and add less (you can always add more, but it’s a pain to take oil out). Make sure the cap is on tight.
Step 12
Start the car and check for leaks. If there are none, reinstall the belly pan and put the car back on the ground. After the car has run for ~10 minutes, check the oil level and adjust as necessary. Dispose of the old engine oil properly (I put it in the oil containers that are now empty, a funnel helps greatly here). Local laws differ, but most gas stations or places that sell oil will take your old oil from you.
Step 13
Clean up and enjoy the money you saved by DIYing!
Are we saying we can remove the oil filter housing from underneath the car? Not from under the bonnet via top?
Here’s how I change oil -AudiA4 B& 2.0T:
No need to use ramps, jacks or jack stands. An electric marine vacuum pump and extraction catch-can is used to draw oil from the oil filter and oil pan, all done from above. There is no need to crawl under the car.
Tools and apparatus:
-Oil filter drain tool – Baum part no. BT40057
-Flat plastic spill pan
-36mm oil filter wrench
-Vacuum pump, 2 gallon extraction catch-can, ¼ inch plastic hose
Supplies:
-Liqui-Moly Syn Premium 5w40, five liters
-Mann filter cartridge HU 719/6 X with O-ring
-Medium plastic bag
-Shop towels
1. Warm engine to normal operating temperature.
2. Place spill pan under car to catch possible drips.
3. Disconnect chassis electrical harness next to oil filter housing.
4. Unscrew end-cap from oil filter housing. Attach drain tool and run clear tubing out hole in belly pan. Run tube to front of car and attach to catch-can/vacuum pump.
5. Loosen Oil Fill cap on engine-Important.
6. Plug in vacuum pump and turn on to draw oil from oil filter housing. 1-2 min.
7. Turn vacuum pump off, remove drain tool. Screw cap on housing unless using step 8.
8. Optional: Use 36mm wrench to remove oil filter housing. Use plastic bag to surround housing then drop housing and cartridge into bag. Carefully lift bag from car to avoid spillage. Clean filter housing with shop towels.
Replace filter cartridge and apply new O-ring. Thread housing back in place. (Don’t over-tighten.) Screw end-cap back on filter housing.
9. Reconnect electrical harness.
10. Remove dipstick and slide ¼ in. tubing down dipstick pipe ‘til you feel end of tube hit floor of oil pan.
11. Turn on vacuum pump and draw all oil out of pan. 4-6 min.
12. When pan has been drained shut off vacuum pump and remove apparatus.
13. Add fresh oil. About 4.2L. Replace engine oil cap. Start car, check for leaks. Remove spill pan from under car. Put away tools etc.
14. Drain oil from catch-can to suitable container for recycle. Done.
Good Luck….Haya