[gnosis]

Sorry I've never changed the oil and filter on a car before, will be doing it for the first time soon. Can someone please explain what the gasket is? Is it the black rubber ring that's already on the Napa 1333 filter? I noticed that on the past dealership invoices, they always charge about 50 cents for a new gasket with every oil change with their 06A filter. Does this mean the OE filter doesn't have a gasket so it always needs a new one bought separately?

 

[blaupassat]

The gasket they charged you for was probably the crush washer used w/the drain plug, but I would hardly know because I choose to extract my oil. You can get the plug and washer for like 1.50 @ ECS, probably twice as much at the stealership.

Good luck

 

[gnosis]

Oh ok, thank you for that quick reply. BTW, I'll be extracting from the top of my 1.8T. I got the MityVac! :thumbup:

 

[blaupassat]

Stealership told me that they go 1/4 of a turn beyond hand tightened, but that gets way to hard to take off(f*ckers), anyway I've been just hand tightening and think that it's suffice.

 

[PZ]

I worked as a mechanic for 5 years and never tightened a filter more than hand tight.
Never had one leak. Still doing it that way 20 years later.

 

[ganseg]

Gnosis, I am doing the same process. Let us know how much oil you put in. (Don't put in more than 3.75 to start with, then slowly fill to top of crosshatches on dipstick).

 

[gnosis]

I've only gone 3,500 miles on this first synthetic oil change so I still have a couple more months to go. From what I've read here and at bobistheoilguy.com, I think 7,000 miles or 6 months is a good safe interval for my "spirited commuting" driving style on Mobil 1 0w40. I'll definitely post about my first oil change when I do it later this summer, don't you worry!

 

[gnosis]

Man, I want to change my oil already. I'm easily obsessed with my car. Must... stop... thinking... oil...

 

[ganseg]

Ya, I get wound up about it too. How many miles on your car? I wouldn't go beyond 5,000. This car has too little oil in it even with the big kahuna. Besides, you can change it sooner!

 

[1ReclusiveOrc]

Just remember to rub a little oil around the oil filter gasket to prevent tearing. :thumbup:

 

[gnosis]

I have 34,500 on the car. I'm beginning to think there's no reason for me to push any oil to its limits. Why risk it? I didn't change to synthetic so I could extend my oil change interval. I changed because I just want what's best for my car. I want this engine to last! I plan on keeping this car for a long freaking time. And I shouldn't base my OCI on the UOA's I've read because, uh, they're not my UOA's! I don't know how these people drive, and there's all kinds of other factors too.

On the other hand though, I rarely ever go over 5,000 RPM and I don't have any engine mods... yet. This has been my reasoning for a 7,000 mile OCI. Is this reasonable? Hmm...

I'm thinking about doing my first UOA at 5k anyway so I'll know my ideal OCI and also to see if there's any problems at all. I figure it's like an annual blood test for my car. After reading a bunch of UOA's from bobistheoilguy.com, I wonder if anyone's ever gotten a report back saying, "Oh dear god, sir, we've never seen such horrific numbers with your oil. Your TBN is negative! Change immediately! Better yet, sell your car while you can, before it blows up!" - yours truly, Dyson

 

[gnosis]

BTW, is there a way to accurately measure how much sludge is in the engine? Is there like an X-ray machine for this yet? I mean come on, it's the 21st century. It's beyond 2001: A Space Odyssey. There's not even flying cars yet.