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DIY DSG Fluid and Filter Change

George Ab

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Pacific NW
Warning: This is my experience and is for informational purposes. You are fully responsible for your own project, neither myself nor this website is responsible for what you do.

I have not seen a guide on this forum. There is plenty of information out there so I am just going to point to the information and provide some commentary based on my experience. Thanks to chittychittybangbang at myturbodiesl for the guide.

Read the guide: https://www.myturbodiesel.com/d2/1000q/multi/dsg-diy-fluid-change-service.htm

I did my fluid replacement at 35K miles, 40K is recommended. I purchased OEM fluid (5 liters) and filter.

This is an easy DIY.

I included a pic of tools used, note no VAS6262 (bottom fill tool).

I filled from the top a using a coat hanger to secure a funnel and tube approximately 11mm in diameter which fits nicely into the filter housing oil hole. It does take some time as DSG fluid is fairly thick at 75W. However, fill funnel and come back in a couple minutes and repeat is not that big of a deal. Probably took 30-40 minutes to fill. Most DIY show filling from the bottom and purchasing a VAS6262 tool to facilitate. I have no idea why you would chose this method, it appears just as slow and requires special tooling.

You can use the top fill technique with either the measure and fill or OEM technique of overfilling with 5L, putting plug back in, starting car up, go through gears holding at each position for a few seconds, monitor transmission oil temperature with VAGCOM and when fluid temperature is between 35°C and 45°C open plug and let excess above plastic snorkel spill out, when slows to trickle put plug back in. If your temperature is higher threshold you may be a tad low. Note OEM method has you fill with 5.5L rather than 5L which will result in approximately .8L spilling over snorkel vice .3L. With the expense of DSG fluid you may consider only purchasing 5L.

The car MUST be level. For fill and measure it is necessary for all the fluid to come out. If doing the OEM way (expand fluid and let excess above snorkel spill out) it is necessary for all fluid to come out and to get the proper amount back in.

I measured old fluid when at room temperature which was 4.6L and filled back with 4.7L to account for filter loss.

Note Deutsch Auto Parts DIY has you use 5L, but since they don’t fill from top when you remove the VAS6262 tool and replace plug you are going to likely lose .1L fluid by the time you put the plug back in. So it likely just about the same amount and a little overfill should not cause over pressurizing. Courtesy of DAP which sells kit:

Snorkel is finger tight (2.25 ft-lbs), plug is 33 ft-lbs, and filter housing is 15 ft-lbs.

Only special tool is a 14mm Allen. I happened to have one, a quality tool or auto parts store should carry. You likely could find a bolt head that was approximately that size and then tighten a couple nuts against each other and use that to remove plug.

Steps:

Make sure car is level. I used my iPhone level and placed in a position on roof and got the green 0°. Drove car on ramps, then jacked up the rear until level placed in same position read 0°.

Remove air box. Good guide on removing the air box courtesy of Deutsch Auto Parts:
Remove battery and battery holder.

Drain fluid into catch pan removing 14mm drain plug, and 8mm snorkel.

If using measure and fill technique: Measure fluid, which should be approximately 4.6L (at room temperature, if car is level, and if DSG has never been serviced before (if serviced it may be less).

Remove oil filter housing with 24mm wrench and remove filter.

If using measure and refill technique: Reinstall snorkel (finger tight) and drain plug (33 ft-lbs) and top fill with (amount removed plus .1L if using the measure and fill technique, should be 4.7L) of approved DSG fluid VW specification TL 52 182. Install filter and housing (15 ft-lbs). Reinstall battery and air box.

If using the OEM method: Reinstall snorkel (finger tight) and drain plug (you’ll torque later) and top fill with 5L. Install filter and housing (15 ft-lbs). Replace battery, using VCDS (select module, (02) Automatic Transmission, Advanced Measure Settings – select transmission fluid temperature), start car, press brake and go through gears holding for a few seconds, when temperature gets to 35°C (car is still running, so follow safety precaution of having transmission in Park and emergency brake securely on.) remove plug and let drain until it just starts to trickle, reinstall plug, turn off car, and torque plug. Note took about the same amount of time to get to 35° as it did to get to engine temperature of 200°F. You should have .2 to .3L of fluid that drained if you filled with 5L. Torque drain plug.

Drive and check for leaks.
 

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flipflp

Autocross Newbie
Location
PNW
Car(s)
'16 Golf R DSG
Hi George,

Excellent write up, like you I never understood the bottom fill method because of loss of fluid and the slow gravity feed using the OEM tool. I ended up buying the DAP kit so I have the bottom fill tool if I need.

I wanted to add that someone on another forum suggested this funnel because the tip apparently fits directly into the filter hole:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EH4V0Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For ~$8 it's a great addition to your top fill tool kit.
 

Davedough

New member
Location
Northern VA
Would you mind clearing a couple things up for me please?

In your "Measure and fill technique" does it NOT require you to go through the gears? Is that just with the advanced measure and fill?

If you do have to go through the gears, are you simply holding down the brakes with the car running and cycling the DSG up to 6 and back down? Do the wheels need to be off the ground for this? Trying to think it through has fears of crashing through the front of my garage in my head.
 

George Ab

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Pacific NW
Would you mind clearing a couple things up for me please?

In your "Measure and fill technique" does it NOT require you to go through the gears? Is that just with the advanced measure and fill?

If you do have to go through the gears, are you simply holding down the brakes with the car running and cycling the DSG up to 6 and back down? Do the wheels need to be off the ground for this? Trying to think it through has fears of crashing through the front of my garage in my head.

Measure and fill does not require going through gears as engine is off and level. For OEM method with engine level, car running, go through gears to fill any voids, when at operating temperature open plug and let overflow run out.
 

MK7Don

New member
Location
Riverside Ca
Just wanted to send a huge "THANK YOU" to you guys. This made the DIY so easy! I actually had everything I needed to do it. I usually have a least one extra trip to pick up something I didn't know I needed. lol. The funnel worked perfectly for the top fill method. I really appreciate all the info!

Don
 

Xdpker

Ready to race!
Location
USA
"You can now start the engine. Make sure the brakes are applied this whole time just in case the car moves. Have a helper, with parking brake on and foot always firmly applying the brakes, start the engine and shift through each position, pausing for at least 3 seconds at each position. You can repeat as desired. Return to park and leave the engine idling. This fills up the filter and any air pockets."

How do you shift gears if you are on the brake? Are you in P or D?
 

George Ab

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Pacific NW
"You can now start the engine. Make sure the brakes are applied this whole time just in case the car moves. Have a helper, with parking brake on and foot always firmly applying the brakes, start the engine and shift through each position, pausing for at least 3 seconds at each position. You can repeat as desired. Return to park and leave the engine idling. This fills up the filter and any air pockets."

How do you shift gears if you are on the brake? Are you in P or D?

Place gear shift in different "positions" P, R, D, N.
 

Xdpker

Ready to race!
Location
USA
Place gear shift in different "positions" P, R, D, N.

Oh gotcha. Couple more questions, why do the OEM method use the bottom fill method? Isn't top fill way easier both ways?

Also which method do you think is better? I feel like with the OEM method, the level of the DSG fluid will be perfectly at the level of the snorkel versus measure and fill you might be off a little.
 

flipflp

Autocross Newbie
Location
PNW
Car(s)
'16 Golf R DSG
Oh gotcha. Couple more questions, why do the OEM method use the bottom fill method? Isn't top fill way easier both ways?

Also which method do you think is better? I feel like with the OEM method, the level of the DSG fluid will be perfectly at the level of the snorkel versus measure and fill you might be off a little.
Top fill is sort of a combo of both.

With a bottom fill, you overfill the transmission on purpose, then have to speed fit the fluid level insert before you loose too much fluid. Then with the level insert in you plug, run through the gears, then pull the plug to drain any excess.

With a top fill, you overfill from above (or just put the capacity amount in) then go through the gears and you just pull the drain to let any excess out. No need to pull the fluid level insert piece.

Either method is massively slow to fill, but IMO a top fill has less fuss and mess.

Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk
 

imthanick_a

Autocross Champion
Location
Ohio
So no VCDS required for measure and fill method? I'm getting ready to do my DSG service in a few K miles. Great write-up and thanks for the link!
 
Just did this for the first time on my Mk7 TDI. Measured fluid out, replaced with same amount of fresh fluid and filter via top-fill method. No VCDS. Thank you for taking the time to do such a great write up.
 

Supermoto

Autocross Champion
Location
San Diego
Car(s)
2019 Autobahn DSG
I just did the DSG service. Very simple job, as easy as an oil change. Paid 150 total for it vs the 600 the dealer wanted.
 

DAS_STIG

Banned
Location
Chicago
Did this today. My car was definitely level but I only got about 4.4L out so filled with about 4.5L. My old fluid was dark brown, almost like motor oil. New stuff was clearer and yellow/caramel color.

Accidentally poured too quickly at first so had bunch spill out. Had to go and redrain and then went a lot slower. Took about 45 min to pour and wait. Still saved about $200-250 vs dealer price.
 
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