Basically, it's jack the car up, remove bumper, tail lights, intercoolers, push aluminum heat shield up, remove sheet metal cover, unscrew coil packs, replace plugs...

Follow the many DIYs...some say they can do it in an hour on a lift...do-able but not easy...I can't get my fat hands and fingers in those tight spaces

 

Oil Change is recommended every 2 years or 15,000miles which ever comes first...see attached...

However, I change mine every year regardless, I only put 2000 miles a year in my 996TT...cheap insurance...btw, use a BIG pan to catch oil from dry sump tank!!!

 

i think many in here are changing oil as often as every 5k miles. that may be borderline obsessive, but it sure can't hurt.

 

As you can see from those pictures, access is limited at best but increased if you take an additional 30min to remove your exhaust. It all takes some time especially the first time but well worth it and saves you a bunch of coin.

 

I have a Tubi Style Exhaust on my car and didn't seem to be in the way...but it's tight...in that 30 mins however, I would have the plugs out and re-installed already...If I remember, only one plug needed a universal swivel joint on the extension. Not really bad...

Do look at your coil packs...do a Durametric scan for codes...replace those that needs them...usually, you can see cracks or a film of powder like material on the coil pack that is damaged...sometimes a greenish powder substance...I don't know what the stuff is...

 

Best thing to do is send in oil samples to a lab (Blackstone).

I track my car and always wondered if I was changing fluids too soon or too late. Sent in my samples after 750 street and 250 track miles (4 days 90° to 100°+).

All fluids (engine, transmission, and differential) were fine. Next samples will be sent with 6 to 8 track days.

 

my cars track days are largely behind it and happened thankfully outside of my presence ( though she's not out to pasture yet.. ) so i don't really see a reason to have my oil analyzed.. but i do change at about 7k miles on average? and that s*it is duuurrty coming out. but no metal bits, thankfully

 

+1 on this. Great way to see if your change intervals are adequate and if any weird issues are going on that would otherwise go unnoticed until something bad actually happens.

 

Oil changes are pretty cheap and easy. I do the following:
GTI 5k
Bike 4k
SUV 6-7k
BMW 3k or once a year (atermarket SC)
TT 5k or once a year

Yes, it does feel like I am doing oil changes all the time LOL

 

Awesome, I'm wondering now why in the world I thought the engine had to be dropped to replace plugs.... Doesn't look so bad at all.

As far as oil changes, every 3k is overly excessive to say the least. People that are recommending that, I Har to ask if you have ever had your used oil analyzed? I run full amsoil in my cobra and the engine oil I only swap out once a year (about 6k but I would run it longer). I run it 10k in m BMW.

 

The only reason I change the oil on the bimmer at 3k was to not void the 3y warranty on the supercharger. Now I drive less than 3k a year, so it's even sooner. It all depends on the engine; BMW and Merc seem to be really good. The 2.0T FSI on the VW not so much; no way I would ever wait 10k on that car!

 

can we talk this insane little gti? this thing is killin me. eats more oil than the porsche

 

Yea, that thing does not run clean at all; ours doesn't burn too much oil but after a week, the tail pipes are back to black!

The bimmer is the best; 14y old and does not burn a drop, not even with the SC!

 

stv_troy:

I have never had my oil analyzed...If Porsche says 15K or 2 years on oil changes, I know once a year and less than 3K on Mobil One, I'm beyond safe! Maybe even an overkill...I think Mobil 1 Synthetic says their oil is good beyond 10-12K range compared to conventional motor oil...Anyway, large car companies will not say it's safe on their recommendation, if it's not...big liability exposure...lot's of lawyers out there waiting to file a lawsuit!!! to make $$$ on their own behalf...

In a study done by Consumer Reports and I can't remember the Lab, they tested the need to change oil every 3K when the manufacturer(I think it was Toyota) recommends 7500 miles...they found that the oil at 3K change was no more contaminated than at the 7500 miles tests...I think they even went to 10K test...so probably I may be throwing $$$ away, but again cheap insurance...actually, my oil comes out dirty but still relatively clear compared to the old days(1970s-1980s)...I don't know why.

 

There has been alot of research done on oil over the past recent years. Oil, especially synthetic does not need to be changed at 3k miles. I can't speak on all brands but anything decent doesn't require a 3k interval. If anyone ever has any questions about how their oil is holding up, amsoil has a $30 oil analysis kit that takes about a week total and thy will tell you everything you need to know about your sample. The important info in the results includes any irregular particles which will let you know if your engine is wearing and how worn your oil is.

With amsoil full synthetic I am confident to using it for 10k miles with zero issues and thats changing it early o be safe. Pretty much no matter how many miles i drove (if under 10k) in a year, I would still change my oil at least once.


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