S3 service parts advice, oils, filters, etc....

Az

Az

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Just looking for some advice on servicing my s3.

My car is relatively high mileage, it's a 2000 s3 with 155k miles under it's belt. The engine oil that is currently in it is Millers 0w30 fully synthetic which I'm not happy with, it's far to thin and watery for my liking and I want to change it for a thicker oil which will compliment the high mileage.

I've used Castrol Magnatec 10w40 semi synthetic many times in previous cars and have always rated it, it's always quietened engines down and made them run really smooth. I'm quite up for trying this out in the s3.

My questions are.........

- Does anyone run this in their s3 or recommend it from previous experience in an s3?

- How many litres do I need for a full oil and filter change? Opie oils website state 3.5L or my local motor factors state 4.5L?


Gearbox oil, is it a 'sealed for life' unit? I've heard that it is, but it's still possible to perform an oil change in it? If so, what gearbox oil do you recommend and how much of it? Opie oils website states 2L's for a gearbox oil change? Also what type, 75w90 as opie state? Fully or semi synthetic?

Diff oil change, is it just oil or is it a special Haldex fluid? If it's an oil is it a 1L change of 75w85 fully synthetic?

And lastly, spark plugs. I was advised by someone I know who used to work as a vag mechanic that the s3's, or vag coil packs come to think of it, don't like Bosch spark plugs as they can have a tendency to run a high resistance or something that effectively burns the coil packs out, so he strongly recommended to me that I use nothing but NGK plugs in it. Could anyone tell me the NGK part number I would need and at shat gap they should run at please? I'm assuming they would be platinum plugs?

Many thanks,
Arron :)


Oh, and if anyone has any recommendations as to where I could buy all of the parts needed (i.e engine oil, gearbox and diff oil, all filters, and plugs) at cheap and cheerful prices I'd appreciate it!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
hi AZ, i use Motul X-cess 5w-40 (mine take 4.5Ltr. 69k miles AMK engine)and yes there is a special oil for the rear haldex its 1Ltr. and get the filter too i think its around 35 pounds the whole thing as ive just did it, i was a K&N racing oil filter, as for the gear box i use Royal Purple but not sure of the gradient... personally i would also change your fuel filter as i doubt its been changed, check your air filter and thats a fully sexe service i guess... hope this helps a tad bit
 
Thanks for the replies guys, I do have a GSF fairly local to me so I'll give them a ring today.

I do intend on changing my fuel filter, I checked it and it is an OEM audi item but I'm not sure when it was last changed, so will definitely be changing that. I'm running a KnN open cone air filter so that won't be replaced but will be cleaned. I'll enquire at audi for the haldex oil then.

Any other advice anyone could give would be much appreciated.
 
GSF sell the haldex oil, filter and the spanner to do the job...

<tuffty/>
 
Speaking from experience - you can change the gearbox oil, it's as you say 75w-90. This also feeds into the transfer box.

NGK Iridiums have been in every car i owned.
 
GSF sell the haldex oil, filter and the spanner to do the job...
Click to expand...
Cheers for that mate, is the special tool needed to remove the filter then?
 
Alais DJA said:
Speaking from experience - you can change the gearbox oil, it's as you say 75w-90. This also feeds into the transfer box.

NGK Iridiums have been in every car i owned.
Click to expand...

Nice one mate. So does the gearbox/transfer box use fully or semi synthetic? And does it take a full 2 litres to do a change? As with the haldex oil, does that use a full 1 litre to do an oil change?

So the haldex uses specific oil, but with the gearbox oil I was thinking of ordering some Castrol Universal which is a semi synthetic gear oil, or some Motul Motylgear oil, but I'm not sure if that's a semi or a fully synthetic oil. Not sure whether to use a semi or fully in the gearbox, I don't suppose it matters to much.....
 
Yeah it's 2l , 1.5 for the box, then .5 for the transfer. ( + a few spillages on the way )

If memory serves, it was synthetic. Haldex stickie is in the forums, took me 1/2 hour to do on axle stands - and yes it does require a "special tool"

Check rear diff oil aswel if quattro
 
Alais DJA said:
Yeah it's 2l , 1.5 for the box, then .5 for the transfer. ( + a few spillages on the way )

If memory serves, it was synthetic. Haldex stickie is in the forums, took me 1/2 hour to do on axle stands - and yes it does require a "special tool"

Check rear diff oil aswel if quattro
Click to expand...

Top man, cheers.

Oh, now that's confused me! I thought the haldex oil was the rear diff oil??
 
Az said:
Top man, cheers.

Oh, now that's confused me! I thought the haldex oil was the rear diff oil??
Click to expand...

Haldex is effectively the center diff, its basically a clutch that transfer the power between the front and rear. You then have a rear diff to allow the rear wheels to spin at different speeds when cornering. Quantum Platinum is the oil I use in my S3. Search the forum for gearbox oil change too, I think the transfer box fills up from the gearbox so you fill it up to the filler opening, then drive the car for a few mins to let the transfer box fill up completely then topup the gear box oil again. Fuel filter change is ment to be easy but I couldnt work out how to release the fuel pipes when I tried so got my specialist to do it for me. The plugs are ment to be the Platinum version too IIRC
 
-----MY TO DO LIST ( thats now done :)-----

Haldex Filter
Haldex Oil
Haldex Opening Tool
75w-90 Gearbox Oil
Fuel Filter
NGK Iridium
Pollen Filter
Boost Gauge

Tick as you go :salute:
 
mk1chopper said:
Haldex is effectively the center diff, its basically a clutch that transfer the power between the front and rear. You then have a rear diff to allow the rear wheels to spin at different speeds when cornering. Quantum Platinum is the oil I use in my S3. Search the forum for gearbox oil change too, I think the transfer box fills up from the gearbox so you fill it up to the filler opening, then drive the car for a few mins to let the transfer box fill up completely then topup the gear box oil again. Fuel filter change is ment to be easy but I couldnt work out how to release the fuel pipes when I tried so got my specialist to do it for me. The plugs are ment to be the Platinum version too IIRC
Click to expand...

Cheers for clearing that up mate. This is my 3rd 8L S3 now and the 2 previous ones I just used to take them to APS for anything that needed doing, but since those days I now have 2 babies to feed so can no longer justify the £70+ an hour labour charges, so have to look at doing what ever I can myself now.

I would normally use the Quantum Platinum but I know it's a 5w30 which I just think is too thin for the mileage of the car, hence why I'd rather put a thicker oil in it such as Castrol Magnatec.

Any idea how much oil is needed to drain the rear diff and re-fill then?
 
Alais DJA said:
-----MY TO DO LIST ( thats now done :)-----

Haldex Filter
Haldex Oil
Haldex Opening Tool
75w-90 Gearbox Oil
Fuel Filter
NGK Iridium
Pollen Filter
Boost Gauge

Tick as you go :salute:
Click to expand...

Ah you've just reminded me that I've got a brand new boost gauge still in it's box in my cupboard that's been sat in there for about 2 1/2 - 3 years! It's a perfect match for the S3 too lighting up red and white, I'll have to get that fitted!
 
Az said:
Ah you've just reminded me that I've got a brand new boost gauge still in it's box in my cupboard that's been sat in there for about 2 1/2 - 3 years! It's a perfect match for the S3 too lighting up red and white, I'll have to get that fitted!
Click to expand...

Boost piperwork goes through the pollen filter.
 
I'll probably do a thread on "how to" this Sunday as my mechanic gave me a load of boost line to feed in ready.
 
Az said:
Thanks for the replies guys, I do have a GSF fairly local to me so I'll give them a ring today.

I do intend on changing my fuel filter, I checked it and it is an OEM audi item but I'm not sure when it was last changed, so will definitely be changing that. I'm running a KnN open cone air filter so that won't be replaced but will be cleaned. I'll enquire at audi for the haldex oil then.

Any other advice anyone could give would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...

hey Az i dont know if you've read some of the threads but i think K&N filter are too oily and you MAF wouldn't be too happy with it replacing that thing is 100 pounds i think... just a friendly heads up :p
 
Sevv said:
hey Az i dont know if you've read some of the threads but i think K&N filter are too oily and you MAF wouldn't be too happy with it replacing that thing is 100 pounds i think... just a friendly heads up :p
Click to expand...

Yeah cheers mate, I am aware of that. I think my maf could do with being replaced anyway as there seems to be a couple of very minor flat spots at random points throughout the rev range every now and then which is exactly how my old s3 behaved before replacing the maf on that, after it was replaced it was like a different car, back then which was a couple of years ago it cost me £85, dunno what they retail at now. I'm toying with the idea of changing the induction kit due to this reason and heat soak but it's a hard decision cos it sounds so damn good when the turbo is spooling!!
 
Az said:
Cheers for clearing that up mate. This is my 3rd 8L S3 now and the 2 previous ones I just used to take them to APS for anything that needed doing, but since those days I now have 2 babies to feed so can no longer justify the £70+ an hour labour charges, so have to look at doing what ever I can myself now.

I would normally use the Quantum Platinum but I know it's a 5w30 which I just think is too thin for the mileage of the car, hence why I'd rather put a thicker oil in it such as Castrol Magnatec.

Any idea how much oil is needed to drain the rear diff and re-fill then?
Click to expand...

No idea unfortunatly, not sure how close to Milton Keynes you are but these guys are very reasonable price wise and the owner is an ex vag master tech www.unit18.co.uk if you did want to pay someone to do the work instead. My last service with them cost £234 that was oil, oil filter, air filter, pollen filter, spark plugs, haldex oil and filter change (all OEM parts) and inspection.
 
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