Audi A4 B8 – 2.0 TDI CAHA – Oil Change

I am writing this post about how you can do the Oil change on your Diesel 2.0TDI Audi A4 B8 (CAHA – engine code) for all you OCD guys.

Why would you do it ? Is it because:

• you make sure that it was done properly
• you save money
• you do it every 6.000 mile ~ 10.000 km and protect your engine and DPF (diesel particle filter)
• you get to know your car

Not really, you would do it because you enjoy working on your car and you don’t want some stranger messing things up.

What do I think about long servicing intervals ?

Although the new engine oils are “designed” to be Long Life, from my point of view, the sad reality is that you are sacrificing your engine and DPF to save some servicing costs. Add this to the ever growing market of counterfeit oils and you will soon realize that you are better off changing your oil more often.

Now back to Oils. Rather then buying that special Mobil 1 Extreme Long Life or that Motul Super Racing oil, go and buy what your Cars Manufacturer recommended and change it more often. Setting aside my “oil philosophy” lets do the oil & filter change.

Step 1. Buy the parts/products that you will need.

For my Audi A4 B8 – 2.0TDI CAHA 125Kw 170HP, I am using:

• MANN HU 719/7 x – oil filter
• 5L of Castrol Edge Long Life Engine Oil – 5W-30

*if you have a different car or engine I recommend using the MANN-Filter Online catalog.

*if you want to use a different brand of oil make sure it meets the VW 507 00 standard. From the owners book of my Audi A4 B8 I have the oil recommendations: – must be VW 507 00 standard – oil capacity of The Audi CAHA engine: aprox 5L

In the UK a very convenient place to buy products is Amazon but also try Ebay, Eurocaparts, TPS and don’t forget about you local part shop.

Step 2. Make sure you have/Get the tools needed.

The Essentials:

• 18MM Socket & ratchet
• TX25 Socket & ratchet
• 32MM socket & ratchet – test that it will fit in the space that you have available

• you could use a low profile M32 for a 3/8″ ratchet
• Car Jack and Stands
• Oil drain pan – something that can hold over 5 L of liquid
• Some clean rags or quality paper towels

Optional:

• Torque wrench able to torque the M18 bolt @ 30Nm
• Torque wrench able to torque the M32 bolt @ 25Nm
• Secondary jack stands and wheel locks
• Special oil change funnel (you can use an old plastic bottle that you cut)

Tools & Products that I use

Step 3. Get the engine warm.

Step 4. Lift the front of the car.

• Place the car on a level surface.
• Rear brake On.
• Lift/raise the front enough so that you can remove the engine under-tray.
• Make sure that the car is securely lifted and supported.

Step 5. Open Bonnet

• Remove engine cover by pulling it straight up.
• Loosen the engine oil fill cap.
• Remove engine under-tray – this is where you use the T25.

Step 6. Identify the oil drain bolt.

• Position your oil pan in the direction of the oil drain.
• Loosen the 18mm bolt and proceed to remove it completely.
• Leave the oil pan under the car and get up to remove the oil filter.

If you are fast enough you should be able to remove the bolt without drooping it in the pan and without getting your hands dirty.

Step 7. Removing the oil filter

Because of the position of the filter, it is recommended to use a 32mm low profile socket. I did not have the low profile socket but I got it done by using some adapters from my BGS tool set.

• With the above setup you will be able to loosen the oil filter cap. After loosening the element you have to continue the movement by hand without the ratchet.
• When removing the oil filter on the Audi A4 B8 2.0TDI have some rags placed so that you don’t get oil over the engine. Also invert the filter so that it does not drip all over.
• Replace the filtering element & the rubber o rings.(you should have detailed images of the procedure in the oil filter box). Put some oil on the new o rings.
• If you are OCD you could wait ~ 20 min so that you let even more oil to drip from the engine.

If not you can start putting everything back together.  

Step 8. Refit The Oil Filter.

• Officially it should be torqued @ 25NM.
• Because I can’t fit my torque wrench I did a Hand Tight ~ 25-30NM
• Clean all oil drips.

Step 9. Refit The Oil Drain Bolt

• By the “servicing” book you should torque it at 30NM
• By the “servicing” book you should use a new crush washer.
• In real life you can use the old crush washer and 30NM is hand tight on a 3/8″ ratchet … and a bit more but not to much :).
• Clean all oil drips.

Step 10. Refit under-tray & lower car.

Step 11. Poor 4.2 4.4 L of oil in the engine. Refit/Tighten The Oil Filler Cap

Step 12. Start engine and let it IDLE for 30 sec …1 min.

Step 13. Check for oil leaks.

Step 14. Refit Engine Cover and clean all parts that have oil on them.

Step 15. Start Engine and leave it IDLE for 1 min. Check you did not forget tools in the engine compartment.

Step 16. In the MMI go to CAR – Servicing intervals and reset your oil change.

• If you can’t do it from the MMI use the VCDS diagnostic software to reset the interval.
• I have changed mine to 6300miles (10.000km).

Here is the VCDS Procedure for Reseting the service reminder:

Good to know:

• *Because this model of Audi has a electronic oil level measuring system you might get bad readings about the level in the first hours.
• You could measure how much oil you have removed from your engine and compare it with how much you put in.
• Because I don’t know exactly how much oil I have taken out of the engine I usually poor 4.4L and wait one day for a accurate level from the MMI. After that I fill in the rest.
• The difference of level from Full to Low on the Car Information Screen is 1L.

  I hope that this post helps. Take a look at the video for more insight.