[Driver 33]

I always wanted to work on my cars when I was younger, but I was always scared I would mess something up. I've messed up my bicycle quite a few times when I was a kid. I got some inspiration from watching Hollywood movies such as "Rush," "Ford VS Ferrari," where Ken Miles is a mechanic and also a race car driver, which is super cool to watch. I also found motivation from "Fast and Furious," where Paul Walker prepares the Skyline for race day himself. My regular service advisor, where I give all our cars for maintenance, told me to start getting my hands dirty, saying it's fun working on cars, and he offered to help in case I messed up something. That did give me some confidence and motivation to work on cars.

I started working on my cars doing generic maintenance in June 2023. It was a long process for me, but I believe in acquiring the right tools first and then starting working on the necessary job. The things I acquired first were a ½ ratchet and socket set by Stanley. Then, I ordered a few Torx bits because European cars are known for having a lot of Torx bits.

My First DIY

One of my car's brake fluid was completely contaminated, and I wanted to flush it myself. ChrisFix on YouTube is my first go-to DIY YouTuber, but jack stands were missing from my toolset. I ordered two pairs of Amazon Basics 2-ton jack stands, and the first lesson I taught myself was about safety when working on cars. I didn't have a trolley jack then, so I learned to lift the car on all four sides with a scissor jack and put jack stands in the respective areas.

Car on 4 jack stands – Success


The brake fluid on my Škoda Octavia had never been flushed in almost 6 years, and I decided to do it myself. I borrowed my friend's parking in his apartment, and I started working on my car. I opted to use ATE Dot 4 SL6 brake fluid. I called my other friend to pump the brake pedal so that the fluid could flush out.

Step 1

The car on 4 jack stands, wheels were removed and placed under the car for safety. I gave it a solid shake to check if everything was stable.

Step 2

I opened the brake fluid reservoir and emptied all the contaminated brake fluid into a bottle with the help of a 10ml syringe. I put in new brake fluid, closed the lid, and went to the farthest wheel from the reservoir, which is the rear left of my car.

Step 3

I attached my thin pipe (which is usually available in a hardware shop) to the bleeding valve, routed it into a bottle, and cracked the bleeder valve open with a round-ended spanner. My friend kept pumping the brakes until I told him to stop. Around 6 to 10 pumps were enough for clean fluid to enter the brake lines. After each wheel brake calliper flush was done, I refilled new brake fluid in the reservoir and moved to the next farthest wheel, rear right now, did the same process and went to the front left and then front right wheel. It took me around 3 hours in total because it took time for me to open the wheels and keep the car on jack stands. I was using a scissor jack to raise the car, put the jack stand, and open the lug nuts. I was using the wrench given by Škoda.

Extremely contaminated brake fluid

Step 4

I told my friend to keep pumping the brakes, and I went around checking for leaks at all wheel bleeder valves and checked the master cylinder thoroughly.

Step 5

I put the wheels back, lowered the car onto the ground, and then went for a test drive to check if everything was performing well. The job was finished successfully, and all happy smiles for me. I treated myself to some shawarmas and went back home.

My Second DIY

Next, my car's periodic maintenance was nearing, and I wanted to perform this myself. Oil change on my Škoda Octavia at 1,16,000 km.



• Engine oil change (opted to use Liquimoly Toptec 4100 along with
Liquimoly Ceratec)
• Oil filter (Opted to use Mahle)
• Air filter (Opted to use Mann)
• Cabin filter (Opted to use Dusseldorf)

I needed a few more tools, and I ordered them from the US as my uncle was coming. I needed a breaker bar and torque wrench, which are much cheaper in the US comparatively. I got myself a Tekton ½ torque wrench and ½ 24-inch breaker bar.

My new Tekton 1/2 torque wrench. Can tighten anywhere from 13.5nm to 203.5nm of torque



Step 1

The car's 4 jack stands and wheels were removed and placed under the car for safety, and I gave it a solid shake to check if everything was stable. I don't know why I removed the wheels, but I removed them and placed them under the car.

Step 2

Removing the engine guard, which has nearly 8 to 9 bolts and Torx bits.

Step 3

I got access to the engine sump, but the problem was I couldn't cross my hands underneath because I couldn't raise the vehicle enough with those scissor jacks, and I was getting scared to work under the car. I managed to crack the oil bolt loose and opened the drain plug. As there was no space at all to work underneath, I unknowingly dropped my ratchet in the drain pan. I thought I placed it on the ground, but it fell into the drain pan. I managed to take it out and clean it with brake cleaner, and I continued putting back on the new drain bolt and torqued it down to 30 nm.

Step 4

The oil filter on this car is in a tricky place. It's located near the radiator and in between all the coolant pipes. I opened the oil filter, and when I was pulling it down, the oil started coming onto my watch. I was worried about the Gshock, and I started to remove it with my other hand, but the worst took place. The oil pan was right underneath the oil filter, and my hand was above. My other hand was greasy as well, and the watch slipped into the oil pan. It was a messy job. I didn't care about the watch; all I wanted was my car to be serviced well at that moment. I've replaced the filter with new O-rings and lubed it up. After refitting the new oil filter and tightening it to 25nm I took out my watch from the drain pan, and it was a complete mess. It's working, but the oil is in all the edges. I sprayed some brake cleaner and left it aside.

Step 5

Filled engine oil and Ceratec in the vehicle. My car takes about 5L engine oil.

Step 6

Replaced the air filter, which is held inside Torx bolts, and it was an easy replacement.

Step 7

Pulled out the dashboard and got access to the cabin filter. It has simple pull-out tabs, and I replaced it as well.

Step 8

Started the car and let it run for a while. I switched it off and then checked for leaks and engine oil level. Everything was good.

Step 9

Put the undertray, and I lowered the car onto the ground and went for a test drive. The car was much smoother on this LiquiMoly top tec 4100 combined with Ceratec. The next day I went to my usual garage, and I got the oil light reset, I didn't fit the underbody pan properly; they did it for me.
This was my experience changing engine oil and filters for the first time, which took me around 5.5 hours. Throughout the time I was under the car I was scared, the lighting was poor in my friend parking and I struggled to put the underbody pan back.

I've recently done it again with more convenient tools such as a trolley jack, through which I lifted my car higher and had much more room to work underneath. BHPian viXit was also there to help, and we did the job in just 1.5 hours. Also, I discovered that I could reset the oil change interval through the cluster itself. I did the oil change first time alone and couldn't click pictures because of my oily hands. It was easy to put the underbody pan back 2nd time for me as I got experience and this time and I also raised the car more height with the help of trolley jack.

Here are few pictures of when I replaced the oil for the second time at 1,26,000 km.

New oil filter and O rings replacement


Air filter replacement


Cabin filter replacement


Diesel filter replacement


Oil reset done

[Mrs&Mr_Shenu]

Very Interesting work @driver 33.

Though it is fairly easy to work on a machine owned by someone else; really difficult to work on own machine.

Looking forward to subsequent updates.

[AKSarkar1]

Love it! Generally people shy away from doing services themselves on their Skodas/VWs/other german brands but your thread is an example of just why one should do it by themselves.

Not only is it more pocket friendly but also a very endearing experience!

You mentioned that you changed the engine oil to LiquiMoly TopTec once, was it worth the hype? I have used Ceratec in my Volkswagen earlier and sure there was a slight difference but not enough to justify the near Rs. 3K price tag. I was hoping their engine oil might have a more noticeable difference?

[TheGearBox]

Always a joy to read DIY threads, especially on VAGs.

Interesting to see that the service interval is showing as 10,000 km or 1 year instead of 15,000 km as advised by the manufacturer.

[vivek_saha1304]

First of all, it's lovely to see that you genuinely care about your car so much. Secondly, European cars are always tricky to work on so if I were you I would prefer to have a second car at my disposal always so that if something goes wrong with your Skoda, you can rely on another car for your usual chores.
One more thing that I would like to mention is that you have used two different grades of engine oil in your car, which is not at all advisable. I don't know the recommended grade for that engine but I would advise you to strictly follow what is mentioned in the manual.
As for the brand of engine oil you are using, it's probably the best available in the market rn. Stick to a particular brand, use the correct grade, change the oil every 10k kms and I don't think you would have any engine issues.
Keep Revving!!
Vivek Saha.

[Driver 33]

Originally Posted by AKSarkar1

Love it! Generally people shy away from doing services themselves on their Skodas/VWs/other german brands but your thread is an example of just why one should do it by themselves.

Not only is it more pocket friendly but also a very endearing experience!

You mentioned that you changed the engine oil to LiquiMoly TopTec once, was it worth the hype? I have used Ceratec in my Volkswagen earlier and sure there was a slight difference but not enough to justify the near Rs. 3K price tag. I was hoping their engine oil might have a more noticeable difference?

2.0 TDI needs VW 507 00 spec oil but still Liquimoly VW 505 00 spec runs beautifully in this engine, especially with Cera Tec. It's worth the hype definitely but it's also very expensive oil in comparison. If we are changing oil every 10,000km with an average run per day around 100km I wouldn't recommend it. A 5L can cost around 4,700/- and Ceratec around 1,700/- whereas Mannol or Hengst cost around 3,500/- for 5L and they are good engine oils for the price.

The car was smooth for around 5,000 kilometres on this TopTec 4100 along with Ceratec, it started to fade away slowly, but the FE was increased and I was getting 17kmpl when I was cruising at 150kmph for 60 kilometers on ORR. On 100kmph cruising I was getting about 21-22kmpl.

If you want to use Ceratec I would recommend you to use it along with Liquimoly engine oil as per your vehicle engine oil spec recommended by manufacturer.

[ritedhawan]

Originally Posted by Driver 33

I always wanted to work on my cars when I was younger, but I was always scared I would mess something up. I've messed up my bicycle quite a few times when I was a kid. I got some inspiration from watching Hollywood movies such as "Rush," "Ford VS Ferrari," where Ken Miles is a mechanic and also a race car driver, which is super cool to watch. I also found motivation from "Fast and Furious," where Paul Walker prepares the Skyline for race day himself.

This is exactly the motivation that drove me to perform DIY jobs on my third hand 2.4 Honda Accord. However, in my case the kick start was the Covid period, that drove me to perform DIY jobs on my car. I have exactly the same Stanley tool kit which I found of good quality and works great. I dont have the Stanley Torx Bit socket set which you have, somehow I never found the need for it.

The jack stands is something I have often thought of buying however, once in a while use or for that matter once or twice use of the same, a year stopped my buying it. I so wish , if there were an online shop that would rent it on hourly basis, I would definately go for it. I use the same Liqui Moly Top Tec low-ash engine oil for a couple of years except the last service because I couldnt find a good price on amazon and more importantly they were no longer selling it when I was looking for it, now they are selling it!

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I find this engine oil the best as a matter of fact , I have once overstepped the period oil change by 1000 km and yet this oil could sustain that as well.

I use a similar Torque wrench albeit from Amazon (27.1-203.5 Nm ):

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B07...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I think another torque wrench is important , as we need a torque wrench for anything less than 25 Nm.

So I have bought this as well:

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B08...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

However, the only downside is the above torque wrench cannot accomodate the sockets of this product that you have:

https://www.amazon.in/Stanley-STMT72...it&sr=8-2&th=1

So I bought seperate sockets for the less than 25 Nm torque wrench for number 9,10,11 ..etc.

I suggest you use protective gloves while working on the car as that is most important.

I have performed the following DIY on my Honda Accord:

(1) Air-filter replacement.
(2) Cabin-Filter replacement.
(3) Spark plug replacement.
(4) Ignition-coil replacement.

I intend to perform a head-cover gasket removal, and brake pad replacement and my go to point is YouTube as well when it comes to performing a DIY.

[Driver 33]

Originally Posted by TheGearBox

Always a joy to read DIY threads, especially on VAGs.

Interesting to see that the service interval is showing as 10,000 km or 1 year instead of 15,000 km as advised by the manufacturer.

Yes, I change oil on my car every 10,000km which I started from 67,000km. My service advisor recommended me to change oil every 10,000km because the filters gets clogged for these TDI engines in our climate when replaced at 15,000km. I've seen this particular engine has EGR and throttle body carbon deposit clogging issues if driven too subtly or changing oil at 15,000km, that's why I stick to 10,000km mark and I make sure I'm giving it enough high revs on a frequent basis. One of the other reasons for EGR clogging up is lot of city driving in bumper to bumper traffic.

[Driver 33]

Originally Posted by ritedhawan

I dont have the Stanley Torx Bit socket set which you have, somehow I never found the need for it.

I suggest you use protective gloves while working on the car as that is most important.

I have performed the following DIY on my Honda Accord:

(1) Air-filter replacement.
(2) Cabin-Filter replacement.
(3) Spark plug replacement.
(4) Ignition-coil replacement.

I intend to perform a head-cover gasket removal, and brake pad replacement and my go to point is YouTube as well when it comes to performing a DIY.

Yes, I started to use nitrile gloves from last oil change and it's comfortable to work with gloves on. Feels cleaner and less messy.

European cars do have a lot of torx bits, that's why I had to get it.

I wish you the best in performing a head gasket replacement and brake pad replacement. I would love to join hands with you to work on your car if you were in Hyderabad or me in Noida.

[ankitsharma]

Originally Posted by Driver 33

The car was smooth for around 5,000 kilometres on this TopTec 4100 along with Ceratec, it started to fade away slowly, but the FE was increased and I was getting 17kmpl when I was cruising at 150kmph for 60 kilometers on ORR. On 100kmph cruising I was getting about 21-22kmpl.

Kudos on changing the oil yourself. It is always a delight to read fellow VW/Skoda owners doing DIY things.
I also own a Skoda, albeit a junior one (Rapid) and right now located in Hyderabad. I also change my oil myself, well right now with Skoda SMP doing this myself at every ~7500 Km mark. Later will move to 10K mark.

One thing I wanted to know from you was that from where do you procure the Hengst/Mann/Mahle filters ? I have tried multiple online places but was not able to procure them.

Also while working out in the parking lots I feel that people do give you that look of disgust while doing things with your vehicle. How do you deal with that here ?
I am trying to find out an open place/ground where I can work on my car without any disturbance.

[bigbearddriver]

I'm delighted after reading this post. DIY culture in India is far from reality, but such baby steps towards achieving it are highly appreciated.

I source my own parts, but still rely upon FNGs to do the labour work for me, except for a few plug & play fittings. You have motivated me to try something on my own.

Keep up the good work

[SS-Traveller]

While it is a pleasure to see folks doing routine maintenance work on their cars and saving lots of ₹₹₹, I am curious to know how you dispose of the used oils and other fluids.