Originally Posted By: BayouTodd
I just finished my first DIY oil change on our Jetta and it will be done by me from now on. The dealership will not be getting it back ever for an oil change, the tech was kind enough to leave the "drain valve" cap off on the filter housing. The WIX filter we bought appears to be just an O/E re-boxed filter cartridge as it said made in Germany on one end? Anyone have any tips on using a tool to re-torque the filter housing? Or, just hand tight is kewl? I was able to get it off with the old school style filter "band" wrench but when putting it back on it would not tighten too much so best I could do was my brute strength and a lil extra with some giant channel locks.
Yeah. You need to use the correct filter wrench, which will correctly hold the housing by the bottom flats. A good one costs about $30, but pressed steel wrenches are available cheaper. Using band wrenches and channel locks on these composite housings is major league hacking . . . something no dealer would ever use. Use the right tool. Also remember on the 2.5 housing, you can release the drain valve with a small screwdriver, and you don't need the $75 tool.
As far as tightening, the spec is 25nm - not that heavy. This is not so much to torque up the threads but to know when the housing has bottomed out and the gasket fully seats. You can tighten it by hand if you know what you're doing. I'd use a torque wrench the first couple times until you get a better feel of when the threads bottom out. Brute strength with a pair of channel locks is excessive. Take a close look at the housing next time for damage.
A Wix made in Germany is fine. The OEM is a Mann.
do to their engines from late 80's to mid 90's to make their engines require all the special oils? 