GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Mk7 Manual Transmission Oil change howto

cbenjes

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Bel Air, MD
Just did a manual transmission oil change in my 2016 Mk7 GTI. Yeah, it only has 13K miles on it, but I know from experience that MTL prevents tranny problems that I experienced in previous VWs. The procedures are the same as the Mk6. Here you go:

My 2016 GTI manual transmission fluid change. Easy as an oil change! Thanks to Barische from the Mk6 forums for the basis of this updated howto.

1) Take a short drive to warm the vehicle, as warm oil will drain better than cold oil. Raise vehicle at all 4 corners so the vehicle is level. To ensure proper fill, the car must be level, so you can't just raise the front end. You can use 4 jack stands, or ramps on the front and jack stands on the rear, or a lift if you have access to one, but make sure you don't support either end of the car with just a widow-maker jack.

2) Remove the black, plastic splash guard under the front of the car, held by 8-12 or so T-25 torx screws.

3) Place a 5 quart drain pan under the fill and drain plugs located on the the transmission housing. Using a 10mm hex socket, remove the fill plug before you remove the drain plug (so you know you can refill it). The fill plug is on the front of the transmission and faces forward. Make sure you have the drain pan under the fill and drain plugs, as some of the fluid will drain when you remove the fill plug.

4) Once you know you can remove the fill plug, remove the drain plug using the 10mm hex socket. Obviously. it is located on the bottom of the transmission. Let it flow until it stops dripping, then replace and tighten the drain plug to 18 ft lbs. Keep the drain pan in place until after you have filled the transmission with new oil.

5) I used a funnel that has a 3' plastic extender tube to fill the transmission. Some folks have used manual fluid transfer pumps to fill the tranny, but gravity works just as well. Feed the plastic tube down from the top near the radiator and insert slightly into the fill hole. Have an assistant pour 2 quarts of MT fluid into the funnel while you watch the oil flow through the tube and into the transmission. You don't want the tube to fall out of the hole while you are pouring. Good MT fluid isn't cheap.

6) Once two quarts have been added, slowly add the oil from the 3rd quart-bottle until the fluid starts to overflow out of the fill hole and into the drain pan. When it overflows, you have filled it to the proper level if the vehicle itself is level (see step 1). It will take about 1/3 to 1/2 of a quart before it starts to overflow.

I used and recommend Redline MTL. MTL has been used in my Jeeps, both New Beetles, an '06 Civic and now both GTIs, and all shift very smoothly in all Maryland temperatures. I have found MTL to effectively soothe the cranky synchronizers in the 1991 and 2013 Jeeps and both my 1998 and 1999 New Beetles. Refilling with MTL eliminated some minor "crunching" we were experiencing as the transmissions aged. In the case of my '99 TDI NB, I had syncro problems at 105K miles on OEM fluid. After an $800 tranny repair, refilled with MTL and had no further problems through 265K miles when the car ultimately met an untimely demise.

7) Remove the funnel/tube, replace and tighten the fill plug to 18 ft lbs, replace the splash shield, clean up the area, lower the vehicle and revel in the fact that you just saved yourself the labor costs of a manual transmission drain/refill. And, you know you did it right! See you again in 50,000 miles.
 
Last edited:

flip7

Ready to race!
Location
Austin TX
Just did a manual transmission oil change in my 2016 Mk7 GTI. Yeah, it only has 13K miles on it, but I know form experience that MTL prevents tranny problems that I experienced in previous VWs. The procedures are the same as the Mk6. Here you go:

...

I used and recommend Redline MTL. MTL has been used in my Jeeps, both New Beetles, an '06 Civic and now both GTIs, and all shift very smoothly in all Maryland temperatures. I have found MTL to effectively soothe the cranky synchronizers in the 1991 and 2013 Jeeps and both my 1998 and 1999 New Beetles. Refilling with MTL eliminated some minor "crunching" we were experiencing as the transmissions aged. In the case of my '99 TDI NB, I had syncro problems at 105K miles on OEM fluid. After an $800 tranny repair, refilled with MTL and had no further problems through 265K miles when the car ultimately met an untimely demise.

I am also looking to find a good alternative (slightly more viscous) MT OEM fluid, and it looks there are a ton of variables and opinions out there.
(I am trying to get rid of some slight chatter from Sachs SRE clutch)

Based on my checking on redline oil website, they do not have one suitable for our 6MT transmissions - according to their compatibility tool.

https://www.redlineoil.com/mtl-75w80-gl-4-gear-oil

I am curious if anyone had a 6MT non OEM Oil Analysis done by Blackstone?
 

Mrc5z

Ready to race!
Location
Brick, NJ
I recommend Motul Gear 300. It is pricey, but much better than MTL that I previously used.

So I just drained the OEM gear fluid at 43K and used 2 qts of the Motul Gear 300, and OMG! The shifts are no longer notchy, even when cold, though its only been in the low 30's a couple times (car is garaged overnight). Going into reverse from a stop with OE fluid, would result in extreme difficulty many times, haven't felt that with the Motul yet. Who woulda thought the Frenchies can make a good gear oil :D
 

cbenjes

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Bel Air, MD
That's the same reaction I got when I switched out OEM tranny oil to MTL years ago. Quick story. My '99 TDI New Beetle lost a syncro at 105K miles on OEM fluid. It just plain wore out. Had it repaired and replaced tranny oil with MTL. No problems through 265,000 miles after that. If you can tell the difference and I can tell the difference and my DAUGHTER could tell a difference when I swapped out her tranny fluid, maybe OEM isn't as good as it can be. Just saying....
 

PRRGG1

Drag Racing Champion
Location
USA
Thank you for the manual transmission fluid change DIY cbenjes. Do you know if the procedure is the same for our '17 Golf's 5-Speed manual?
 

cbenjes

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Bel Air, MD
So I just drained the OEM gear fluid at 43K and used 2 qts of the Motul Gear 300, and OMG! The shifts are no longer notchy, even when cold, though its only been in the low 30's a couple times (car is garaged overnight). Going into reverse from a stop with OE fluid, would result in extreme difficulty many times, haven't felt that with the Motul yet. Who woulda thought the Frenchies can make a good gear oil :D




I may have to try Motul 300 next time, should be in about 12K miles, or 6 months. Having run MTL for the past 15 years or so, if I switch to Motul 300, I'll report my findings here... If there's an improvement, I'll feel it.
 

PRRGG1

Drag Racing Champion
Location
USA
I would imagine so. Never had to work on one, though but I can't imagine it being much different.

Cool. Thanks again! :)
 

Proxima2

Ready to race!
I just changed my tranny fluid in my 2019 SE. I used Motul Gear 300 and am very pleased with this oil. Shifting is very easy and smooth (as it was before the oil change) and I think the power is more direct....I know that sounds dumb but I can feel a difference in the way power is sent to the wheels.
Motul is a quality product and well worth the money, especially considering that tranny oil is changed so infrequently.
 

golfare

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
CT
My 2016 6MT Golf R has 29k on it. Seeing that OP changed his manual trans oil at 13k got me thinking that I should do mine or at least inspect the oil. Thank you for the detailed procedure.
 
Top