Diff oil change (DIY?)

[MattyB1]

Bear with me here...

Going to change the engine oil on the RS2, which is easy enough, but looking at changing the rear diff oil as I'm not sure when it was last done.

Can it be done easily enough on the driveway while the car is jacked up, or will the car need to be level? I assume the plugs are easy enough to access in the same instance?

Lastly, looking at using Fuchs Sintopoid (Here, unless anyone can suggest otherwise?

Ta

[Error404]

Yup the Sintopoid is good stuff

you can drain it with the wheels on the ground. You'd need to jack it up to refill though.
Make sure you get the filler plug loose before you drain it
Drain plug is often a bitch to get out - good luck!

[John B]

It's much easier on a ramp but then again, everything is!

The drain and fill plugs are slightly tapered IIRC and quite often they have been zealously tightened. I had to use some heat and a scaffolding pole on a ratchet to get enough purchase to undo mine!

The family album states 1.9 litres for the filling quantity for the AZE rear diff of the RS2 (Audi spec is G 052 145 A1 or G 052 145 S2).

Good luck!

[MattyB1]

Excellent, will get the bits ordered! Sounds like the filler plugs could be fun

[mcandmar]

Good luck with that, i tried everything to get my drain plug off the avant from six foot breaker bars, impact guns, and a blow torch. Eventually said sod it and left it alone

[simon20vq]

I second mcandmar, I got the gear box plugs out but the best I could do on the rear diff was top it up tried all sorts!!

[willg54]

i couldnt get my drain plug un-done, so just drained and filled through the filler...but my diff wasn't on the car! i dont think there is a service schedule for diff oil changes?

[Error404]

I couldn't get mine out either, so I got my local machine shop to bore it out and made a stainless plug with a 32mm hex on it

[andy10v]

i dont think there is a service schedule for diff oil changes?

I think they are specified as filled for life, like the fuel filter for life. What was the intended lifetime of the car then?

I skipped the drain/fill plugs altogether and filled it through one of the flange holes (with the flange removed), again diff off the car.

[terrybullwon]

I couldn't get mine out either, so I got my local machine shop to bore it out and made a stainless plug with a 32mm hex on it

Thats just

Mine was pretty stubborn!

[MattyB1]

Hmm...I thinking this might be tough to do, considering we won't be able to have the car jacked if it needs that kind of force to get it off, and access will be difficult when on the floor!

Heading to MRC at the end of this month all being well, worst comes to worst I'll get them to sort it for me!

[shaun5]

Its been a while since ive done one but if the drain plug is seized and the filler plug ok, you can suck it out with a syringe (a big one with some pipe on the end) or if you know anybody in the horticultural trade they will probably have a special sucking tool for removing oil from engines

[John B]

The only downside is that if there is any metallic sh** in the bottom of the case, this will likely remain in the case but IIRC the drain plug is magnetic and so any filings shouldn't be disturbed too much. BTW I would get some new plugs: they don't cost much and you may damage them getting the little boogers out!

[Error404]

The original drain plug isn't magnetic IIRC, there are magnets clipped inside the casing
If its the original oil you really want to drain it properly to flush the old stuff out, it will be FILTHY! Sucking it out won't be as effective, but as a last resort it'll work

[John B]

Thanks...i stand corrected. I agree with the you although they are supposed to be sealed for life, the sh** that came out of mine was no too healthy! I would definitely persevere, wait for a ramp to be available (MRC) and drain / flush it properly.