The robotic seven-speed DSG7 DQ200 gearbox on the Skoda Octavia A7 once sucked the blood of owners. After 2014, engineers have perfected it, and official dealers replaced it under warranty. Today it is a quite serviceable and efficient mechanism, which is not inferior to the mechanics in terms of reliability. Provided that it is serviced in time. One of the conditions of DSG normal operation is oil change. Let’s find out how to change the oil in DSG 7 DQ200 gearbox and mechatronic control unit, what oil to use and how often to change it.
When to change the oil in DSG 7 in Skoda Octavia A7
DSG transmissions have their own specifics, but they work even faster than hydromechanical automatics. You just need to service them in time
Until 2014, the seven-speed DSG DQ 200 was a collection of engineering bugs. In order not to finally scare off the buyers, VAG engineers decided on a radical upgrade only by 2013. So, in the gearbox were changed installation dimensions for both clutches, changed the architecture of the release bearing drive lever, changed the geometry of the installation washers, completely changed the design of the release bearing, and the clutch lever drive from the DSG control unit.
It is very important that the oil was changed from synthetic to mineral, as synthetic had a bad effect on the plastic and rubber parts of the gearbox, as well as the software of the Mechatronic control unit was completely changed. Nevertheless, there was no check hole to check the level and condition of the oil, so the only way to find out when to change the oil in the DSG is to touch it by intuition.
As a rule, the oil in the robot is changed every 40-60 thousand km, if there were no prerequisites for repair.
Only original VAG G052512 A2 oil in a volume of 2 liters is suitable for replacement. For the Mechatronic block you also need only the original oil VAG G004 000 M2, one liter.
There are also alternatives. For example, the Mechatronic sometimes uses cheaper fluids:
FEBI 06161;- VAICO V600018;
- PATRON ATFWS1L ORIGINAL;
- SWAG 99906161.
There are several other options for replacing the original oil in the transmission:
- FEBI 21829;
- SWAG 10921829;
- PATRON 75W90 GL5 ORIGIN.
If you can buy the original oil, it is better to do so. Original replacements are used only in extreme cases.
More information about transmission oils for robotic and automatic gearboxes can be found here.
How to change oil in DSG and Mechatronic gearbox on Octavia A7
The procedure to change the oil in a seven-speed DSG does not take much time, if you have even the slightest experience in such works
To change the oil in the DSG 7 we only need a container for 5-6 liters, a standard set of tools, a filling syringe and a tube with a diameter of 7-8 mm. What is nice is that during the replacement we do not have to pump anything, squeeze anything out, the work is almost the same as with a regular transmission except for a few nuances.
Also, when replacing, we will not remove the starter, the battery, or the battery pad. The only thing that will have to be removed is the engine guard. But even a child can cope with that. If everything is ready, we can start replacing:
- After removing the protection, carefully clean the Mechatronic unit of dirt.
- Unscrew the drain plug with a 5 mm hexagon.
- Substitute a container (about a liter) under the Mechatronic unit.
- Drain all the fluid from the control unit.
- Tighten the drain plug in place.
- Now clean the drain plug on the gearbox.
- With a hexagon on 10 mm unscrew a stopper, having substituted a container about two liters.
- Let’s wait until all the oil drains from the gearbox.
- Measure the amount of drained oil, as no control holes are provided.
- Tighten the oil drain plug.
- Now pour the oil into the Mechatronic control unit.
- Remove the plastic breather on the control unit from under the hood. It is located near the starter.
- To do this, use the 16 mm wrench. Put the key under the breather and remove it from the hole as a lever.
- Put a hose with a diameter of 8 mm on the breather fitting, pour a liter of G004 000 M2 oil into the syringe and pump the oil into the mechatronics with smooth movements of the piston.
- If you do not have a refill syringe, you can use a 150 cc medical syringe or any other device. Put the breather in place.
- Now we fill the gearbox with oil. We will do it through the breather hole as well. To make it easier to get to it, put the gearbox control selector in the Park mode.
- Remove the plastic breather by hand.
- Put the same 8mm hose on the breather fitting, fill the syringe with exactly the same amount of oil as we drained and pump it into the gearbox. After that, we put the breather plug back in place.
This is how you can quickly change the oil in the DSG7 gearbox and the Mechatronic control unit on your Skoda Octavia A7. Good luck to all and reliable transmissions!