'00 VW Jetta 2.0 Oil change question

genius wrote:
> On Jul 2, 3:51 pm, Brian Running <brunn... RemoveThis @XXameritechXX.net> wrote:
>>> I am new to this group and helped a friend change their oil in a 2000
>>> Jetta with 2.0l 4cyl, auto trans. I have changed oil on all my cars
>>> as long as I have been driving. This Jetta had no oil on the stick
>>> when I started and I suspected a bad oil change prior (supposedly Big
>>> O). When I drained the oil, I cleaned the drain plug and went to
>>> reinstall. I always torque drain plugs 20-35lbs depending on the size
>>> of the plug. I didn't even get 5lbs on this drain plug and it just
>>> spins in the oil pan. Is this some sort of VW thing or is the drain
>>> pan stripped out? The drain plug looks ok and their is no oil leak so
>>> I am suspicious.
>>> Is that normal for a VW?
>> No, it's not. Unfortunately, it's not unusual for oil-change places to
>> overtorque drain plugs and to strip out the threads. Some of them will
>> use an impact wrench to tighten them. My mother took her '99 2.0 to a
>> shop near her for a few years for oil changes, and I recently convinced
>> her to let me do it for her. I notice that when I tighten the plug, it
>> has that funny feeling of too much "give" in it -- you know what I mean,
>> you can just tell by feel when threads are about to let go. I have no
>> doubt that the shop she'd been using regularly overtorqued and those
>> threads are going to go, soon. Those pans are aluminum, you have to
>> observe the torque specs. Well, of course, no matter what the brand or
>> the pan material, you have to observe torque specs.
>>
>> No, it's not a VW thing. But you can expect to have to replace the pan.
>
> Hey Brian,
>
> Thanks for the quick response. I was afraid of that. Are there any
> ways to fix the pan, heli coil? Oversized self tapping drain plug?
> etc.? How hard is it to pull the pan on that car? I know most FWDs
> need to have the engine jacked up and/ore removed, half shafts removed
> etc.
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Derek
>

Don't be in a rush to pull the pan. In the very short term, one of
those expanding rubber plugs (the kind with two washers and a bolt) will
be secure enough while you search for an alternative.

For many cars there are self-tapping replacement oversize oil drain
plugs available. VW might even sell one, though there is no reason to
buy one from VW if, say, Autozone has one that is less expensive. Don't
just screw one in and hope for the best. Instead, be sure to grease it
well and to retrieve as many chips as possible with a rag-wrapped wire,
etc., after screwing it in the first time and then removing it.
Needless to say, clean it before reinstalling it.

In the worst case, buy a tap that matches a larger oil drain plug. It
does not need to be a VW plug--even one from a Chevy or Ford will work
fine. Make sure the new plug is at least .040-.050" larger than the old
one so there is enough thread to retain it securely (but not a lot more
than .050" or you will have to drill the hole out before retapping it).
It's helpful if the threads are close to the same, so try for a metric
one with the same thread pitch first.

I'm pretty sure Nissan still uses a significantly larger thread than VW
but nowhere near certain. Good luck...

JRE
 >> Stay informed about: '00 VW Jetta 2.0 Oil change question 

> I am new to this group and helped a friend change their oil in a 2000
> Jetta with 2.0l 4cyl, auto trans. I have changed oil on all my cars
> as long as I have been driving. This Jetta had no oil on the stick
> when I started and I suspected a bad oil change prior (supposedly Big
> O). When I drained the oil, I cleaned the drain plug and went to
> reinstall. I always torque drain plugs 20-35lbs depending on the size
> of the plug. I didn't even get 5lbs on this drain plug and it just
> spins in the oil pan. Is this some sort of VW thing or is the drain
> pan stripped out? The drain plug looks ok and their is no oil leak so
> I am suspicious.
>
> Is that normal for a VW?

No, it's not. Unfortunately, it's not unusual for oil-change places to
overtorque drain plugs and to strip out the threads. Some of them will
use an impact wrench to tighten them. My mother took her '99 2.0 to a
shop near her for a few years for oil changes, and I recently convinced
her to let me do it for her. I notice that when I tighten the plug, it
has that funny feeling of too much "give" in it -- you know what I mean,
you can just tell by feel when threads are about to let go. I have no
doubt that the shop she'd been using regularly overtorqued and those
threads are going to go, soon. Those pans are aluminum, you have to
observe the torque specs. Well, of course, no matter what the brand or
the pan material, you have to observe torque specs.

No, it's not a VW thing. But you can expect to have to replace the pan.
 >> Stay informed about: '00 VW Jetta 2.0 Oil change question 

On Jul 3, 11:28 am, Brian Running <brunn....RemoveThis@XXameritechXX.net> wrote:
> > Thanks for the quick response. I was afraid of that. Are there any
> > ways to fix the pan, heli coil? Oversized self tapping drain plug?
> > etc.? How hard is it to pull the pan on that car? I know most FWDs
> > need to have the engine jacked up and/ore removed, half shafts removed
> > etc.
>
> I don't know for sure yet, I'll have to tackle that job eventually,
> though. I asked my local independent VW mechanic about it, he said he
> just replaces the pan, he doesn't mess around with helicoil inserts.
> From the bottom of the engine, it doesn't look like there's anything to
> interfere with just dropping the pan off and replacing it, there's only
> a steel shield over it which is held in place by only two screws and a
> couple of expanding fasteners of some sort. For something as important
> as keeping the oil in the engine, my personal approach would be to go
> with the fix that would allow me not to have to worry ever minute the
> car's being driven, I'm inclined to go with the pan replacement myself.
>
> Wish I could be of more help -- good luck.

Thanks again for the advice. I think this is a classic case of pay a
little more now or pay a lot more later if that plug blows out and
empties the pan. Maybe I just need to fill the crankcase with Pro-
Long. Didn't they run engines for many miles with no oil in the pan?
I guess if I saw it on TV, it must work.

I will most likely change the pan and next time I get under there,
will try to assess how hard it will be. Thanks again.

Derek
 >> Stay informed about: '00 VW Jetta 2.0 Oil change question 

On Jul 3, 11:08 am, remov....RemoveThis@sonic.net (Timothy J. Lee) wrote:
> In article <1183412192.896321.50....RemoveThis@j4g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
>
> genius <gen....RemoveThis@socal.rr.com> wrote:
> >I am new to this group and helped a friend change their oil in a 2000
> >Jetta with 2.0l 4cyl, auto trans. I have changed oil on all my cars
> >as long as I have been driving. This Jetta had no oil on the stick
> >when I started and I suspected a bad oil change prior (supposedly Big
> >O).
>
> Some VW 2.0L engines have gotten a reputation for rapidly burning oil.
>
> --
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Timothy J. Lee
> Unsolicited bulk or commercial email is not welcome.
> No warranty of any kind is provided with this message.

That's even worse than a leaky oil pan. I am not sure how much is
being burned but it's definitley leaking at the drain plug. I figure
chase one problem at a time and start with the most obvious. Thanks
for the help.

Derek
 >> Stay informed about: '00 VW Jetta 2.0 Oil change question 

In article <1183412192.896321.50130 DeleteThis @j4g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
genius <genius DeleteThis @socal.rr.com> wrote:
>I am new to this group and helped a friend change their oil in a 2000
>Jetta with 2.0l 4cyl, auto trans. I have changed oil on all my cars
>as long as I have been driving. This Jetta had no oil on the stick
>when I started and I suspected a bad oil change prior (supposedly Big
>O).

Some VW 2.0L engines have gotten a reputation for rapidly burning oil.

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timothy J. Lee
Unsolicited bulk or commercial email is not welcome.
No warranty of any kind is provided with this message.
 >> Stay informed about: '00 VW Jetta 2.0 Oil change question 

> Thanks for the quick response. I was afraid of that. Are there any
> ways to fix the pan, heli coil? Oversized self tapping drain plug?
> etc.? How hard is it to pull the pan on that car? I know most FWDs
> need to have the engine jacked up and/ore removed, half shafts removed
> etc.

I don't know for sure yet, I'll have to tackle that job eventually,
though. I asked my local independent VW mechanic about it, he said he
just replaces the pan, he doesn't mess around with helicoil inserts.
From the bottom of the engine, it doesn't look like there's anything to
interfere with just dropping the pan off and replacing it, there's only
a steel shield over it which is held in place by only two screws and a
couple of expanding fasteners of some sort. For something as important
as keeping the oil in the engine, my personal approach would be to go
with the fix that would allow me not to have to worry ever minute the
car's being driven, I'm inclined to go with the pan replacement myself.

Wish I could be of more help -- good luck.
 >> Stay informed about: '00 VW Jetta 2.0 Oil change question 

"Timothy J. Lee" <remove22.RemoveThis@sonic.net> wrote in message
news:468a82ab$0$14128$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net...
> In article <1183412192.896321.50130.RemoveThis@j4g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
> genius <genius.RemoveThis@socal.rr.com> wrote:
>>I am new to this group and helped a friend change their oil in a 2000
>>Jetta with 2.0l 4cyl, auto trans. I have changed oil on all my cars
>>as long as I have been driving. This Jetta had no oil on the stick
>>when I started and I suspected a bad oil change prior (supposedly Big
>>O).
>
> Some VW 2.0L engines have gotten a reputation for rapidly burning oil.

Yep I've heard of this too. Can't help on the drain plug problem but 2.0s
are known for rather high oil consumption. Not a huge problem but just know
that it should be checked a lot more frequently than one might be used to
doing.
 >> Stay informed about: '00 VW Jetta 2.0 Oil change question