RE: My first Audi wrench job!

[raf40@oes.amdahl.com (Richard Funnell)]

One solution to drain plug problems is the drain valve sold by Impart.  No
leaks so far, and it has a very positive mechanism.  I like the idea of
protecting the pan.

>You've experienced true communion with the Audi Gods at last. Joy.
>
>Anyway, I don't know why some people think that the drain plug should be
>tightened by impact wrench. On my 200, my mechanic had to use a hammer
>and chisel to get it off. To make matters worse, somebody had just
>priced the aluminum pan at something like $500, so I was not a happy
>camper. It got off fine and the pan is OK, but no way, no how that car
>is going anywhere to have an oil change where they don't use a torque
>wrench for the plug (including my garage which is where it usually
>happens - witness the stains on the floor).
>- peter
>
>>----------
>>From:  Chris Newbold[SMTP:cnewbold@eznet.net]
>>Sent:  Monday, June 24, 1996 8:17 AM
>>To:    quattro@coimbra.ans.net
>>Subject:       My first Audi wrench job!
>>
>>Well, I took to my Audi with a wrench for the first time
>>this weekend! It was just a piddly little job--oil and filter
>>change--but I had a small taste of the "joy" every one here
>>experiences...
>>
>>Mind you, most of my "joy" stemmed from an attrocious (sp?)
>>lack of proper tools and facilities... :-)
>>
>>After fighting with a bunch of !%#!&%$@ plastic fasteners I
>>got the belly pan off and took to the crankcase plug with
>>my trust adjustable wrench (don't laugh, please). Well,
>>the last guy under here must have used the impact wrench on
>>the thing, because the best I could do was start to round
>>off the plug as I bent the jaws of my wrench. I abandoned
>>the job and went to the store (in my VW) to buy a ratchet
>>handle for my lone 17mm socket.
>>
>>In the end, I needed a 2' breaker on the end of the ratchet
>>handle to get the plug loose. I'm sure this would have been
>>easier if I'd had more than 8" of clearance under the car,
>>but I don't have a proper jack or stands...
>>
>>I completed the job without incident (save fighting with the
>>plastic fasteners again, breaking one) and topped off with
>>Valvoline, 20W/50.
>>
>>(BTW, I filled by volume, 5.3 qts, and discovered that the
>>dipstick was down 1/4 qt. Maybe that's why it's always
>>"low")
>>
>>I've decided that to do anything more serious, I'm going
>>to have to invest in a fully-equiped garage and a truck
>>load of Snap-On tools... :-)
>>
>>-Chris (I'm having fun now!)
>>

Richard Funnell,
San Jose, California
'83 urQ
'87 560 SL