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where's the oil filter on my T5?

30K views 17 replies 14 participants last post by  T5ce 
#1 ·
Newbie changing oil for the first time on my 53 plate 2.5 T5 (Caravelle) 30k miles on clock.

Been to the local motor factors & bought 5 litres of standard Turbo Diesel oil & paper filter.

cannot find the oil filter anywhere - been told it is inside a black box between the red & the block, but I still can't find it?

Also been told to only use VW oil?

HELP...
 
#2 ·
Hello there!!
I'm sure i saw somewhere that the 2.5 takes about 7.5 litres with filter and oil change.

I am an owner of a 2.5 myself and sure it was stated in the owners manual.

SO you might want a couple more litres before you drain!

AS for the filter................. not a scooby do!!!!

HOpe this helps.
 
#3 ·
no help whatsoever!

only kidding BIG MAC!

think I've just found the oil filter but bloody hell - how you supposed to get to that.

Description is that it's got a big nut on the top (about 30mm) so in that case it looks like the metal cylinder on the left hand side of the engine (looking from the front) but right down insider the engine bay.

If this is the filter, is there any special knack to getting to it - looks like I might need to undo a couple of hoses above it.

Anyone got some inspiration, or can tell me where I can get the oil/filter changed around the Solihull area & what I could expect to pay.

Cheers
 
#7 ·
As above, use the correct oil otherwise you will be in for some serious expense. Your van will thank you for it T:T:T:

The oil filter cap if its anything like the 1.9tdi is easiest to remove with a huge socket to fit, a long wobble bar and a ratchet wench :ILU:
 
#10 ·
Thanks guys - very helpful.

I assume it is just a case of getting a 36mm socket on the big nut, undoing it with a long extension and a UJ (do I need to remove any of the hoses, or can you get it undone without this) & undoing the nut, letting the oil out then replacing the filter & doing it back up again?

Also, what make oil should I get.

Anything else to do for a service apart from the air filter?

Sorry to sound so dumb, but never had a diesel or a T5 before.

Thanks again.
 
#13 · (Edited)
TBH, a decent parts supplier should have sold you the right stuff! I use TPS or GSF, there should be one of those local to you. Service parts include oil, diesel, air and pollen (cabin) filter. 8ish litres of oil, other fliuds eg brake, antifreeze, screen wash to top up. Importantly though, you need a sump bung, not a washer the whole thing. These are 1.50 ish but should not be used more than once. They stretch and if reused can become seized in the alloy sump and then its new sump time:( Unfortunately, even with pattern parts the bill for service items for this vehicle is going to be three figures, but its better than the thousands if the incorrect oil is used;)

as you say, hope the op got it sorted by now:D
 
#15 ·
hi,

Sorry, just seen this post - yeah got it done - it's not as hard as it first looks - just fiddly. i bought a big socket & a very long 1/2 inch drive extension socket - no need to remove any pipes, just force them out of the way so you can get the socket on - then remove the top of the filter cannister and take the paper filter out to the side.

I used Castrol edge fully synthetic long life oil - need 2 !!
 
#16 ·
I use an old 36mm flat metal ring spanner with a short arm, about 5" long. Last used to remove the forks on a Gold Star many years ago.
Stand with your left side against the radiator, hold the spanner in your left hand, slowly reach down until you feel the filter top.
Position the spanner so you have a few inches space to move the handle of the spanner.
Carefully push the spanner arm until the filter top starts moving.
Be very careful not to smash you knuckles if the spanner slips.
Takes just a couple of minutes, it is quite easy really.
I tried usung my right hand but the angles needed to get my hand down that far made it impossible.
I should imagine with a socket and extension bars it would be super easy.
 
#18 ·
Usable tools for oilfilter change VW T5 2,5 D 130 and a interesting Youtubelink.for T5 owners
I was inspired to try change oilfilter with ratchet and it worked out well.

Tools that I used : Ratchet with linked 1/2”-head (20-30 euro), 13 mm socket, 19mm socket, 32 mm (others may have use for 36 mm socket), used ramp on right front wheel for getting van up so I could get under the van and remove plate under the engine.
Torque wrench 1/4” for the oil plug (30 Nm), big retainer for the oil.
Gloves.
Optional tools , used another smaller torque wrench 1/4” graded to 24 Nm (oilfilter ca 25 Nm), 2 adapters for torque wrench,1/4” to3/8” and one 3/8” to 1/2”
Estimated time : 1-3 hours..


Procedure for this work: Engine should be warmed up. Take away the plate under the engine, 13 mm socket. I used ramp on right front wheel to get access under the car. There is of course better and safer ways to do this part.
The oil drain plug is located on the front of the engine so I took the van off the ramp to get it horizontal. The oilplug could easily be removed when the van is on the ground, so no reason to lift it up. There is also quite lot of room for the oilretainer, but if you have a lowered van that could maybe be an issue. My retainer was about 15 cm high.

Now to the real work, decided to loosen up the oil filter first, to be sure that the tools was suited for this, I have extensions and universal joint in the tool box just in case as it looks very crowded around the oilfilter whitch is located in front of the engine under the servo reservoir on the left side on my van.
In this operation I did not loosen up and disengage anything like the servo reservoir and hoses, just put the tools in place and performed the task.
At first I thought my ½ ratchet would be useless with regards to its length of 28,5 cm (10-11 ”), but it has a linked head and it was no problem to loosen up the oilfilter, then screw it out by hand. You have to place the ratchet in the position of about 10 a clock, there was little room but enough to loosen the filter. This work will probably be best to do using the left arm at least for the ratchet . Use some gloves also. When I had loosened the oilfilter I removed the 19 mm oilplug,just hoping to have less mess of oil before removal of the oilfilter. You need a retainer around 10 L because there is about 7,5 L oil in the engine.

I do not know if a ratchet of this size without the linked head will work.

While letting the oil dripp out I mounted and tightened the new oilfilter ( and new and oiled O-rings properly attached) with my hand, then tightened it a bit more with the linked ratchet. I decided to see if it was possible to use my little torque wrench, set it up to max 24 Nm and it actually worked, heard the click sound.. I used 2 adapters to fit it to the 32mm socket, my 36 mm socket is of the 3/4” sort and if I had this on the oilfilter I would have to use a third adapter. There is probably more ways to tighten oilfilters, I have done it in other ways on some oilfilters on a Vito. Anyways it worked out this way for me.

I really have to say that it is tricky due to minimal space to get the tools right in place, so for some people it may be a better choice to use extensions. I have not used extensions, only owned this van for 5 months or so and this was the first oilchange..

A new oil plug was mounted (as recommended for every oilchange), torque 30 Nm.
Filled it with 7 L oil of the appropriate quality, itś important on these vans I have heard. Checked the oil level and put in a little more oil till the level was good. Started the engine and let it idle and pump oil up to the oil filter for a couple of minutes. Then stop the engine and check the oil level after some time, refill if needed and remount the plate under the engine.
This work will maybee take a couple of hours the first time depending on your resources, My next time will be a lot faster.

I will use the tools described in this method for the next oil change, but it would be nice with smaller ratchets though.
I use Longlife 507-00 oil but I will change oil after 15000 km or earlier, its my car and I get a lot of oil for the cost of one enginefailure. I also think that 506-01 is good enough but my VAG-dealers recommendation is the 507-00 sort of oil, referring to viscocity propertes.

I recently found some material from www.bildeler.no regarding repairs on 2004-2009 T5 on Yotube that is relatively newly published. They did oilchange (with extensions) and removed driveshaft, for example. I found it interesting, although they used clamps on suspension springs without saying that it is a dangerous operation and it could be hard to understand the language. It could be tricky to get to their Youtube site from their homepage, link down here will hopefully help for a start.
Published a week ago, AC pump = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3_Q1ayb8lg
 
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