Who designed the 1.8t Engines... seriously...

Wizza

Wizza

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Because just the other day I klobbered by sump to put it in a better way and lost all oil. Had the car returned home.

LUCKILY I had a sump sat at home ready to fit which was rewelded a while back after I punctured it slightly.

Last I damaged my sump I had trememndous trouble trying to remove the 2 'hidden-off-centred' bolts, so much so me and my mate eneded up rounding them off. Fortuintaley I also had a cluth and flywheel at home ready to fit. Anyway, the car ended up at a garage as I had lost patience with these 3 bolts.

I have at home a flexi-tool to get to these bolts (last time it was my mates) BUT due to the 'design' of the flexi-tool it's not allowing me too get to the bolts comfortably, either with an allan piece or a 10mm socket piece and it's really frustrating me.

Is anyone in the Warrington area able to help me because I'm at my wits end with these bolts and personally who-ever designed the engine layout needs a ****ing gun putting to their head!

Anyway sorry for the rant, but I just want the sump and oil filter off so that I can get the car back on the road! Thanks :)

P.S. I have a sump, sump gasket, oil, oil-filter and ECS sump-plug all ready to fit BUT just need to get these bolts out!
 
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I know this doesn't really help you Wizza, but I think that perhaps you're going about it all wrong.....

I use a fairly standard halfords Pro socket set, and I've never had a problem with those bolts. They're tricky, but nothing I've not been able to do with basic tools.

What kind of sockets / allen keys are you using? I seem to recall I used a 10mm socket in a 1/4'' drive with a UJ at the socket end
 
audi upgrades
I had this problem when I changed my sump, as already posted you need the long flexi allen keys either on a socket like in the link or you can use allen keys, but you will need an extension bar for leverage.

As for the sump itself, bad design in my opinion as I've smashed mine no less than four times now, my car isn't even that low. Other than that the 1.8t engine is an excellent designed engine. I've done work on many different cars and by far the worst designed are the french ones :banghead:.
 
moredoor said:
This is my life saver!

Google Image Result for http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21ghw-JhwbL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Snap-on 5mm long fleix head allen key socket wins every time. As to who designed the 1.8t I can't help, the 1.8 block takes alot of it's layout from the older blocks.
Click to expand...

Smart tool!

Prawn said:
I know this doesn't really help you Wizza, but I think that perhaps you're going about it all wrong.....

I use a fairly standard halfords Pro socket set, and I've never had a problem with those bolts. They're tricky, but nothing I've not been able to do with basic tools.

What kind of sockets / allen keys are you using? I seem to recall I used a 10mm socket in a 1/4'' drive with a UJ at the socket end
Click to expand...

I'll have to give it another go tomorrow. I'm missing my 1/4inch 10mm socket piece from my set so gonna have to borrow one. The 1/2inch 10mm was too wide. I have a UJ in my Halfords Pro kit aswell for each size rachet but always find them rather flimsy and didn't trust them in such a small space having barely any room to see what you are doing.

bengal said:
I had this problem when I changed my sump, as already posted you need the long flexi allen keys either on a socket like in the link or you can use allen keys, but you will need an extension bar for leverage.

As for the sump itself, bad design in my opinion as I've smashed mine no less than four times now, my car isn't even that low. Other than that the 1.8t engine is an excellent designed engine. I've done work on many different cars and by far the worst designed are the french ones :banghead:.
Click to expand...

When I mean badly designed engines I'm referring to the sump as you say and yes the sumps sit far too low even at standard car height.

As reagrds to French engines I can say i haven't had many quarms (I had 3 106's) and infact found them relatively easy. The problem I hadf with french cars is teh fact bolts rust away far too easilt where as the ones on an A3 are a 100times better!
 
have you turned the engine at all? im sure there's a cut out in the back of the flywheel to line up with the access hole inbetween the sump/bell housing to get to the said bolts.
 
audi upgrades
It's a ball Allen key you need mate I have got one a 4/5mm if I remember really easy with one of them.
 
Prawn - just given the 1/4inch UJ and 10mm socket piece a try and had no luck; the lip of the gearbox is in the way.

murran said:
have you turned the engine at all? im sure there's a cut out in the back of the flywheel to line up with the access hole inbetween the sump/bell housing to get to the said bolts.
Click to expand...

I can't see anything that shows this. The only access I seem to have is the 'holes' on the sump.

s3joe said:
It's a ball Allen key you need mate I have got one a 4/5mm if I remember really easy with one of them.
Click to expand...

As shown in the firt reply I assume? The only thing I am worried about is the allen key screw heads are rounded off :(
 
Same on a lot of engine. Put the sump on my Lupo before the gearbox. Forgot to tighten them properly. Total ******* to get to, even with that long tool with the ball end.

Gotta work with what you got though!
 
There is a relief in tha back of the flywheel to allow greater access, so a 10mm 1/4 wobble extension or a long reach 5mm ball ended allen key.

Not failed yet..
 
you want the longer one of these 2, nothing less
DSC00971.jpg
 
Well I got the sump off finally. Managed to borrow a long necked Allen Key tool from local garage.

My next challenge is too remove the oil filter but I'm having issues with this. Tried using a chain and the screwdriver trick but just haven't got the room to manouvere. Now I admit I'm not the strongest guy in the world so when I get to my limit for undoing bolts I don't want to push to hard.

Next point is this. I haven't bought new bolts... Is this an issue or not? I also have a replacement oil pickup pipe... Do I need to purchase mew bolts for this or can I reuse. I now fresh bolts are the wiser option but thought I would ask. Thanks!
 
I've got a tool for oil filters that's served me well for years, there's not much room to get at the filter but you can get just enough to loosen it off to be undone by hand.

Using the same bolts for the pick up will be fine, I didn't change mine.

Here's a link for the tool, I got mine from halfords but it wasn't as cheap as this one, other places should do them too.

ADJUSTABLE 12" OIL FILTER WRENCH PLIER REMOVAL TOOL - CUSHION HANDLE | eBay

Edit,

The claws are pretty good too like Murran posted.
 
Pretty suprised at this sump smashing, my A3 is pretty much sat on the bottom of my coilovers with 205/40/17's and never had an issue in 30k! Not exactly urbanised round here either!
 
I normally use a 1/4" wobble bar and 10mm socket... just remembered I had done this on an earlier post...

Thin bead of sealant in the center of the flange going round the inside of the bolt holes...
IMAG0055.jpg


...when bolted up the sealant will squeeze out... if you use too much then it will be doing the same on the inside as the outside... this could break off and float around the sump so make sure not too over do it...
IMAG0056.jpg


...the two inner bolts on the gearbox side of the sump are a git to get too as they are offset from the access hole...
IMAG0057.jpg


I use a 5mm ball ended allen key (in this case a 3/8 rachet) to start the bolt in using a blob of grease on the end to prevent the bolt from falling off then do it up using a 1/4 wobble extension and 10mm socket as the 5mm allen key can round...
IMAG0059.jpg


...and there we have one 'sealed' sump :)
IMAG0060.jpg


<tuffty/>
 
I managed to succeed in removing the filter with the chain after getting somewhere with the screw-driver trick.

I have now replaced my sump and got my car up and running again with Castrol Edge 5w30 and what a difference that makes.

I may have used a bit too much sealant *oops* so may need to keep an eye on that.

Tufty - whats the idea with the sump you have fitted. Is that to replace the plastic baffle plate fitted as standard?
 
Wizza said:
I managed to succeed in removing the filter with the chain after getting somewhere with the screw-driver trick.

I have now replaced my sump and got my car up and running again with Castrol Edge 5w30 and what a difference that makes.

I may have used a bit too much sealant *oops* so may need to keep an eye on that.

Tufty - whats the idea with the sump you have fitted. Is that to replace the plastic baffle plate fitted as standard?
Click to expand...

Its a baffled sump based on the old SEAT sport ones... it was fitted to a customers car... designed to keep oil in the sump under hard braking, cornering and acceleration

You still need to plastic baffle as it serves a different purpose...

<tuffty/>
 
I'm actually looking at replacing the sump witha low-level or strenghtened sump (good idea?).

Only thing is my sump has an oil-level sensor - are these needed or can I do away with it completely? I can asume it will bring up errors on the dash due to zero reading.
 
Wizza said:
I'm actually looking at replacing the sump witha low-level or strenghtened sump (good idea?).

Only thing is my sump has an oil-level sensor - are these needed or can I do away with it completely? I can asume it will bring up errors on the dash due to zero reading.
Click to expand...

The ECU uses it as well as the dash so you need to keep it...

Not a fan of the shallow sumps with the steel bottoms tbh... skid plated std one is better or if your car is that low you can buy engine mount spacers...

<tuffty/>
 
My suggestion is to lift the car to a sensible height. If you keep hitting sumps on the UKs awesome roads, then it's too low surely
 
The car isn't THAT low. And apart from this time whereby it was done by lack of concentration, prior to this it has been done on uneven carpark during the evening so was lacking viaibility.

Cheers again Tufty. ****** car lol
 
Few Pictures first;

0000682.jpg


0000683.jpg


0000684.jpg


0000685.jpg


As you can see that's a nasty crack!




DILEMMA

I am ****ing fuming with the car. Got the sump issue sorted and now according to warning lights the oil is now at minimum level and there is no sign of any oil leak!

Anyway I pulled over on M60 and checked for leaks... nothing! So did a quick dipstick check and yes it seemed low. Since getting home and allowing car and oil to cool and settle I have checked the dipstick and it's below minimum level. The oil seems to have completely disappeared.

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm gonna have another double check in morning but I have the car on a set of low level ramps. I did put 3.5litres of oil in. Do I need to put more than this in then? And if so how much?

Surely the car can't use near enough 3litres just to lubricate the moving engine parts once dried out for a week?!
 
Last edited:
I'm pretty sure it takes more than 3.5 litres dude..... Did you fill it to max when you refilled?
 
I'm cure I read 3.5 litres somewhere... hmmm! More oil to buy it is then.

It confused me alightly more than anything because the car seems to be running near enough extremely well; no signs of burning or over-use of oil.
 
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