Dave A
> Could someone please confirm what I suspect to be the worst?
> An oil cooler failure?

The oil filter housing is mounted to the block by THREE bolts.  I think
they're 10 or 12mm bolts.  It has a small figure 8 gasket that it uses for
sealing.  Removing the 2 bolts are easy, but the third bolt is on top of
the housing, between the two oil pressure senders.  That bolt can be
reached, but I wasn't that lucky.  You can get to that third bolt REALLY
easy if you remove your head :).  Unless it's really leaking bad, leave it
alone. If you want to curse and do battle with the machine, go right ahead.
 Machine wins most of the time though.  But the odd are turning my way
lately...

The oil cooler is the square box to the right of the filter housing.  It
has two coolant hoses attached to the top via pressure clamps.  The coolant
will have to be drained unless you want a big mess.  Those hoses are a
royal PITA also.  BUT, if you take off your head, there right there!

Jim

I received my VF charger.  I didn't get instructions with the kit.  That's right, I didn't get
instructions with the kit.  It's all pretty straightforward but I'd like some tips on removing the
oil filter housing.  That's where you tap into the oil for the charger.
There are two bolts (see this link for a pic from VF: 
http://www.geocities.com/nfe100/VF-Eng_S-C_Install_VR6/oil-filter-housing.jpg )

Just in case it goes AWOL, the above pic is also available here.

for the bottom and
one rather tough bolt to get to on the top.
I've been told you can get to it with a bit of patience but have heard it's very tough!!!
And re-installing it is even harder.
This is located right above the oil filter (of course) which is in the center and front of the
block...
Can I pull the radiator away to get to it?  Or is there no play in the coolant lines??  

Just thinking out loud.  Any help would be appreciated!!!
Later,
Nater

Hi Nate -

I did this last November when I replaced the oil pressure switches on my
car.  I don't recall the exact procedure for removing that top bolt, but
IIRC it involved the following:

1) Remove the plastic cover above the top of the radiator (three 8mm bolts)
to get more space to reach down in front of the engine between the radiator
and the intake manifold.

2) Remove the bottom allen-head bolt from the front engine mount.

3) Jack up the engine to get even more space to reach down in front.  Be
careful not to raise it so far that the power steering flex hose gets
stressed.

4) Remove the two lower 13mm bolts on the oil filter housing (relatively
easy to do from below, as you'd mentioned).

5) IIRC I used a 13mm socket with a 3/8 drive U-joint and extension (9" long
IIRC) to get the top bolt in the oil filter housing.  It's (barely)
accessible from the top, once you've made more clearance available as noted
above.  I also found indispensible a "dental miror" (small 1" circular
mirror on extendible handle - avail. at AutoZone) to view the area where the
top bolt lives.  It involves some cursing and trial-and-error, but it is
do-able without removing the radiator or intake manifold.

Good luck,
- Bob T.
  '96 GTI VR6

This may be a good one for the archives???  Since these kits are just now starting to ship.
Bob, as an addition to your post...I wanted to let you know that I called and spoke with Nik at
VF-Engineering, he said that it is "quite easy" but it takes a little bit of patience your first
time at it.
They have done this a number of times and it's become quick.  Here's what they do:
1) 1/4in drive
2) 13mm short socket
3) 6" extension
4) Lots of light (he said if you can't see then it'll take you 3X's as long.  Otherwise it'll be
easier.  So, take some good time to get "set up" with some good light there first.
5) From underneith, run rachet through to the bolt OVER the 2 A/C lines.
He also mentioned that a customer pulled the alternator out (pull out front allen key motor mount
bolt), raise the engine (he said you can safely lift the engine almost 2 feet w/o stress on the
other mounts-but you can loosen-not remove-the other mounts if you'd like).
He mentioned this way (alternator/mount) is the tougher of the two.
So, that's the way to do it..I believe them since they've been doing this quite a few times.
FYI.
Later,
Nater
"Soon to be 'charged" edition!

I replaced the oil cooler, without any problems and
removed the oil filter housing without any problems.
I dont know why  you people are loosening alternators,
engine mounts and radiators for?? There is no need to
do any of that, just causing extra work for yourself. 
Removing the 3 screws is very do-able.
One extension and a universal joint is all you need.
Also, from looking at that picture, I dont think you
even need to remove the oil fitler housing, as I
remember you have access to that oil filter switch,
remove it with a deep socket, screw the tee by hand
and tighten.

=]

Do you have a MK3 Golf GTi???
Or is it a Corrado?  
I think it's very different.
That 3rd screw is close to impossible to get to...I could not reach down to it at all.
Later,
Nater

Yes I have the Mk3 Golf GTi, from your email, you seem
to imply that your trying to removing this screw from
the top.  The way I removed it was, by sliding
underneath the car and putting just the socket on the
nut and attaching the universal and extension
afterwards.  Take the filter off, if you didnt
already.

BTW, Nik was right. It is possible to remove that top bolt without removing
the oil cooler or anything else. I'll get some photos up later, but all it took
was a 13mm U-joint socket, and 2 short extensions for my 1/4" drive handle.
There is an angle where, with enough light, you can see the bolt (from
the front, through the gap between spoiler and structural cross member.
I just wrangled it up into place at about a 30 degree angle, popped it onto the bolt
and pulled it out, slick as can be. Dealing with the various plugs when I put
it back on was actually a bigger pain, and is where having room to reach in
from the side would have been useful.

Oh, and yes the gold bolt with sensor is 14mm.

ian

Hopefully a picture really is worth a thousand words, because I'm clearly not
making myself clear here. It's *not* blind. You can see in there. You just have to
be in the right place with the right tool.

Starting with the proper tool for the job.

You simply shine some light in there (can stuff a maglight with it's
top removed behind the radiator on top of the frame member)
and then sight through the gap between the spoiler and the frame member
and between/under/around the A/C lines and it's *clearly* visible. Stuff the
socket up there poke it over the bolt and away you go... both removing and tightening.

Here was me putting it back together. Notice all 3 plugs are visible
and the oil cooler is still on.

The reason I said it'd be easy with the cooler off is the *only* problem
I had was getting my hand in there, although still did so. I could see
where the plugs were going easily.

I timed it. Pulling the housing off off, removing the sensor, putting the T fitting on,
reinstalling, hooking up plugs, and taking a dozen photos of the process
at various points while trying to get better light on it for the camera, all took a little
less than an hour.

BTW, in terms of getting oriented to see the stuff above, what helped was
I had the car's front tires up on ramps, and the rear up on stands.
Basically the car is raised level about 9 inches off the ground all the way around.
To see through that space, I had my hold body under the car and head resting on
something with forehead against the lower spoiler, looking up and back. It'd be
really easy on a lift, with a good worklight stuffed in behind the radiator, which is
probably why VF doesn't think it's any big deal.

ian

Good stuff. For those that would like to know (in case you are buying tools (just for this job) it's a 6" long extension you need.
Good pics, Ian.
It's amazing that you found a way to see in there. I was going at it from underneith, not from the front/under the car...
Didn't even think to look thru the front as I found the radiator to be in the way...guess I didn't spend too much time looking.
But, once I found that bolt it was about an hour as well. So, looks like your way is the best but thank God there are more than just one way to do this!!!!
And yes, you are probably right Ian...
It would help to have the car up on a lift. Mine was up on ramps and I can see why VF found it a bit easier.

Later,
_______

NATE
'98 GTi VF S/C 256's NEED OEM HID'S? IM ME
My Dual Round's with E46 BMW Xenon projectors/4100K HID:
http://www.geocities.com/nfe100/images/frontabovecutoff.jpg.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/nfe100/images/frontviewatcutoff.jpg.jpg