VAQ front diff service - how important?

[RUM4MO]

The running of the pump can also be achieved by running the engine, VCDS procedure to relearn the pump running pressures is probably not so important, one aspect of that is to never just run that procedure to relearn the pump pressure while the pump screen is possibly still partially clogged, for me, is one of the worst things that you could do.

It is almost a year since I just changed the fluid in the VAQ on my older daughter's Leon Cupra, I've forgotten how much junk there was in the old fluid, hopefully I did mention that in my earlier postings in another thread covering this. I suppose I'll be a bit disappointed, but in a good way, if the pump screen is near enough clear.

Edit:- I'm only repeating this fluid change as I ended up with an extra container of fluid, AND I didn't remove the pump the first time round, the first attempt was more "can I really reach up/in enough to do that job from the car being up on lowish jackstands?" . Also, the time I was given to do that job was quite short for learning if it was possible to do from below.

 

[The-Cupra]

You can hear the pump working when you do it with vcds. just running the engine wont do anything for filling the void with oil as far as im award unless you mean by running the engine driving it and trying to get the diff working. when mine was done the engine was running then we used vcds to run the pump and it made an long audible noise then quite abit more oil went back in. iv left a video below where the haldex oil is done with the second fill.

apologizes if im wrong, just dont see how the engine running will achieve this as its sat in an inactive state, regardless if engine is running?

 

[RUM4MO]

I'm sure that I read that the pump runs with the engine, as maybe it should as it needs to be in ready state - okay at low speed, but I think if it did run, it would move the fluid around - one way to find out, but once again "what exactly did I do when I did this fluid change last Autumn/Winter" ? I usually make notes etc seeing as I'm retired test engineer, that comes as second nature - or should!

Edited:- changed rear to read!!

 

[SuperV8]

I've eventually got round to stopping by my most convenient VW Group dealership of a brand that does have maybe a couple of models that have this VAQ in the front diff, it was Skoda, when I asked the question as to what was the price of the drain/fill plugs - that SEAT and probably VW say must be replaced with new items if removed, ie P/N WHT 007 168 - I got the answer £8.10 + vat, but they are not a stocked item and are sold in bags of 10. Okay maybe there is not much call at the parts department for these, and the workshop will probably have its own section within the parts department, so I failed completely to buy a couple of new plugs for when I aim to remove the pump and clean its screen on my older daughter's 2019 Leon Cupra! I had already checked on ebay, but any on there were quite expensive and the shipping from mainland Europe cost as much or more than the VAQ drain/fill plugs. So - I reverted to Googling "Haldex spares" and I could not find any suppliers offering to sell these drain/fill plugs - plenty selling new VAQ pumps, screws and pump seals kits and the correct fluid - but not one that I could find was selling these drain/fill plugs, which was not what I found a year ago - very strange! I've emailed one supplier of Haldex parts to see if they will supply my with these drain/fill plugs and if so, at what price inc carriage, I'll update this thread once I've had an answer back from that supplier.

Edit:- and now I've emailed Cox, a forum sponsor for a price to supply a couple of these drain/fill plugs.

Next Edit:- the Haldex parts supplier does not stock or supply these drain/fill plugs, confirmed that to me 14/07/24.

WHT 007 168 is sold singularly - so I call BS on coming in bags of 10!

Pity they don't sell the o-rings individually! I bet they are a propriety size as well!

 

[The-Cupra]

SEAT Front Differential Drain PlugWHT007168SEAT Direct Parts

SEAT Direct Parts - SEAT Parts - SEAT Front Differential Pump Seal Kit- Genuine SEAT Parts - WHT007168- Genuine SEAT Parts and Accessories -

seatdirectparts.co.uk

SEAT Front Differential Pump Seal Kit Front Differential Pump Seal KitSEAT Direct Parts

SEAT Direct Parts - SEAT Parts - SEAT Front Differential Pump Seal Kit- Genuine SEAT Parts - 0CQ598305- Genuine SEAT Parts and Accessories - Cheaper Than Main Dealers -

seatdirectparts.co.uk

 

[RUM4MO]

When I first looked at this maybe 18 months ago, it seemed like "every man and his dog" was selling these drain plugs in single units, then last week when I went back to the ones that I'd previously checked 18 months ago, there was now no mention of these drain plugs, plenty standard pump "bolts + O-ring seals" and even the correct Haldex fluid - but no drain plugs for the VAQ. Life is like that sometimes!
Anyway, Cox Motor Parts have sent out a couple, so that has solved my problem.

It was a bit disappointing to find that that Skoda dealership was quoting "bags of 10 only", which might actually be the case when they are dealing with VW Group for spares to buy in to stock, but still very annoying, possibly a quantity limit that would not bother the workshop when restocking. I could really understand why they didn't have it listed as a stocked item, but needing to buy a bag of 10 - no chance.

Last time that I was hit with "minimum quanties" for car spare parts, was when my wife's Fiesta 1.6 with the Zetec engine, went into a good local Ford garage to get a a water pump (and so cambelt), they basically "squeezed" that car in even although they were fully booked up, I needed it sorted out sharpish as we were going abroad on holiday and our older daughter needed to use that car to take her younger sister to work - a school holiday job, it came back with a single cambelt cover bolt missing, I just thought that all I needed to do was to get a bigger Ford dealership to order me in a single bolt or maybe 2, then I was hit with "minimum quantity of 10" so I had to just pay up, again, annoying. To be honest, I'm surprised that main dealers parts departments don't have a minimum charge for ordering in stuff.

 

[RUM4MO]

WHT 007 168 is sold singularly - so I call BS on coming in bags of 10!

Pity they don't sell the o-rings individually! I bet they are a propriety size as well!

I've measured them as being "2.5 X 15" (CS X ID)mm I don't know the highest expected temperature, but Buna -N is rated at +135C/-55C or EPMD is rated at 125C/-35C hardness 70, so standard metric sizes.

 

[SuperV8]

Great info - RUM4MO
So should be able to find a 60p o-ring!