Keeping track of the age and condition of your oil is an essential part of being a car owner. The oil’s job is to keep everything inside the engine lubricated and happy. As the oil is used, its lubricating properties fade, leading to increased wear on the engine components. The new synthetic oils that companies like Audi use can last up to 10,000 miles, nearly triple that of conventional oil.
Changing your oil can be an important step in learning how to service your vehicle. Oil changes are some of the most basic jobs you can do at home and can make you more conscious of the importance of looking after your car.
Audi models and years applicable:
All Audi models equipped with the 3.0 or 3.2 V6
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Symptoms and effects of unchanged oil:
- Increased engine wear
- Decreased fuel mileage
- Decreased engine performance
In an engine, the oil’s job is to lubricate all of the moving parts. Without the lubrication, parts would wear rapidly, sending debris through the engine before it locks up.
Over time, the oil itself will degrade. The molecules inside of the oil break down, causing the oil to lose its viscosity. Modern synthetic oils last significantly longer than conventional oil, but still require scheduled changes. Always check with the manufacturer of your vehicle or its manual to find out how often your oil should be replaced.
What will it cost to complete an Audi B8/B8.5 oil change?
The kit we sell for this job contains all of the parts needed and costs roughly $70. For that, you get a new OE filter, all 7 liters of LIQUI MOLY oil, a new drain plug with its crush washer, and the oil filter housing seals.
An oil change performed by an Audi dealership or independent shop won’t cost much more than if you complete the job yourself. However, you won’t have to wait for technicians to finish any other cars if you decide to do the change yourself.
How long will it take to complete an Audi B8/B8.5 oil change?
With the right tools, the oil change shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes.
Tools required to complete an Audi B8/B8.5 oil change:
- Floor Jack
- Jack Stands
- 36mm Socket
- 6mm Allen Bit Socket
- T25 Tox Socket
- Ratchets
- Phillips-Head Screwdriver
- Tool Pick
Parts required to complete an Audi B8/B8.5 oil change:
Steps required to complete an Audi B8/B8.5 oil change:
Step 1: Remove the undertray
Before getting under the car, head under the hood and loosen the oil filter cap with a 36mm socket. Loosening the cap along with loosening the oil fill cap will prevent a vacuum from forming when the oil is draining, allowing it to flow out quicker.
Next, jack up the vehicle and place it onto jack stands. There are three Phillips-head fasteners securing the undertray to the chassis just in front of both of the front wheels. Remove them first and then remove the five T25 fasteners securing the small plastic lip to the undertray.
Next, remove the nine T25 fasteners at the front of the undertray. The tray is now held on by three Phillips-head fasteners. They are captive inside the undertray and won’t fall out when loosened. Support the tray when loosening the last fastener, so it doesn’t drop off of the car.
Step 2: Drain the oil
The oil drian plug is located on the bottom of the oil pan on the driver’s side of the car. Depending on who has previously changed the oil, the tool needed for the drain plug could either be a T45 Torx bit socket or a 6mm Allen socket. Use whichever tool the plug requires and remove it from the oil pan. Set a drain pan under the plug to catch the used oil.
Put upward pressure on the drain plug when removing it to help prevent oil from leaking out past the threads and covering your hand and tools. The kit we provide includes a new drain plug and crush washer. Install the new plug and crush washer once the oil has stopped draining from the engine. Thread the plug into the pan with your hand before tightening to prevent cross-threading.
Over tightening the drain plug can result in ruined threads and a useless oil pan. To save yourself from doing an oil pan change, tighten the plug until it stops turning. If any oil leaks out, tighten the plug until that stops.
Step 3: Change the oil filter
Go back into the engine bay to finish loosening the oil filter cap and then pull the cap off with the filter.
Pull the old filter off of the cap and throw it into the trash. Inside the cap is a thick rubber seal. Pull out the old seal and replace it with the new one provided with the filter. Then, slide the new filter onto the cap. When installed properly, the filter won’t want to slide off of the cap. Push on the filter until it seats fully into the cap.
There is a thin o-ring that sits on the oil filter housing to seal the cap from leaking. Use a pick to pull the old o-ring off and then install the new one onto the filter housing. Lubricate the new o-ring with some oil before sliding it onto the housing.
Thread the filter and cap combo onto the housing by hand to prevent any cross-threading. Use a 36mm socket to torque the cap to 25.5Nm.
Step 4: Fill the vehicle with oil
Insert whichever funnel you have into the opening in the valve cover and pour in your oil. If you were unsure about the tightness of the drain plug, check every so often while pouring in the oil to see if anything is dripping. Tighten the plug as needed and replace the oil fill cap after all of the oil is added.
Step 5: Refit the undertray
Slide the front of the tray into the bottom of the bumper and then secure the tray at the back with the three captive Phillips-head fasteners. Install the nine, front, T25 fasteners next, followed by the lip and then the last six Phillips-head fasteners.
Just like that, your Audi is full of fresh oil and is equipped with a clean filter. If you’re interested in more DIYs for your Audi, you can visit audi.fcpeuro.com and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
