Where to place jack stands?

[dm222]

Hi,

I need to elevate the front of my car to replace a ruber seal that is leaking oil on the back of the engine.

I have two jack stands and the car jack to elevate it.

Wonder if there is enough space to put both here? Or is there a better way?

Thanks

 

[RUM4MO]

If you look closely at your picture, you will find a round plastic - not soft rubber, bung/hole plug/cover, there is another one on the other side and 2 near the rear of the car. I removed all 4 of these round plastic hole covers and replaced them with Audi TT Jacking Point Protectors - and use all 4 of these points to use 2 trolley jacks to lift the car up, one side at a time before placing jack stands under the strong points that you have indicated - ie where the car jack is fitted under when changing a wheel/tyre.

So, I can't see any good reason why you can not place a wooden block at one of these points at a time, and jack the car up. Maybe remove the plastic hole covers first to avoid breaking them - maybe even, if you have time, make up a locating "plug" that is secured to the lifting block so that it is always in the correct position when using these 4 strong points for lifting the car - I am meaning just screw/fix a small bit of wood etc to the block of wood, the correct size to fit up into the hole left in the car frame after you have removed these plastic hole covers.

I'm guessing that it is one of the O-ring seals that are fitted to the oil separator that is the problem causing the engine oil leaking out - these oil separators do have a finite service though, I replaced the one on my wife's old 2002 VW Polo 1.4 16V, the one fitted to your car is an evolved version of that one - from memory of what I noticed on my older daughter's 2009 Ibiza 1.4 16V.

 

[dm222]

I guess the most important thing is the jack stands are in the correct place, in the jacking points because that is what will support the car when I am underneath

Wonder if I use the jack to raise the car slightly to the side of the jacking point would be strong enough to support it. It will probably bent a bit that metal protrusion as its not as reinforced as the jacking point but is just cosmetic

Im pretty sure I did this before because they are already bent in one place....


Yes it is that... It is failing buy my car has 215k kms now

 

[RUM4MO]

If I'm not too late, if I were you, I'd just use that area where the plastic hole plugs are - I do know that these 4 areas will support these cars without bending anything. I fitted Audi Jacking Point Protectors on my wife's 2002 VW Polo 1.4 16V and then fitted a set of 4 to my wife's current car which is a 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS SEL. As I suggested, just use a piece of wood to spread the load of the saddle of the trolley jack, you will be able to remove the plastic hole cover/plug using a screwdriver.

 

[dm222]

I will only do this next week but I only have the car oem jack so cant use it there as it will slip

 

[RUM4MO]

Oh, sorry I had thought that you were going to use a trolley jack.

 

[dm222]

I was checking and I think I will try to replace removing the air filter instead of under the car.

Do you know how to remove the air filter box?

 

[RUM4MO]

If you used suitable pieces of wood, just enough to stop marking/denting the underside of your car, maybe you could just use "the reverse" of what I suggested, ie use the car jack at the correct strong jacking points, and then locate stands under the strong areas where the round large plastic hole covers/plugs are located.

I have never tried to remove the air cleaner assembly on that car/engine, possible just a bolt or two and pushed down into "things" to locate it.

 

[RUM4MO]

I have just checked in a repair manual for a 2009 > 2014 VW Polo, and to remove the air cleaner from the 1.4 engine, after you have removed the top and filter element, pull off any hoses that you can see, then pull up the air cleaner box away from its fixings, once free from them, unclip a fuel hose that is fixed to its underside.

I seem to remember reading that some of the cars with that engine, needed to get their O-rings replaced while under warranty, so a known issue to VW Group.

 

[dm222]

Just removed the air box on my lunch time it was easy.

Seems like it can be done from there.

The wrost part is removing the hose, really hard and fragile but I think after removing the bolts I can do it at a better angle, regardless it would be even worse from underneath


I dont feel safe putting the stands there, they could slip

 

[dm222]

Its done, it was extremly difficult to remove the hose, but other than that it was pretty easy

 

[RUM4MO]

Good!