GTI Engine cover removal

[Calais]

Thought I might post this question in here, seeing as there is a heap of GTI information floating around, and my car has the same engine that I need help with.

I want to remove my engine cover off my Skoda Octavia vRS FSI, to fit a new air filter, and cant for the life of work out how to get it off without cracking or damaging it. I can see where the rubber grommets are, but when I try and loosen the cover, I get nowhere and the cover just flexes. I dont want to break it, so might anyone be able to provide a solution?

Cheers in advance!

[Umai Naa!!]

Careful persistance, mate. Nearly every second one I've seen is broken. It's a very comprimised design, which I'm glad they've done away with now.

There's four grommets all up. You have to release the front two first. Get a grip on the housing as close as you can to to each grommet, and lift upwards in one good heave. Once you've popped the front ones off, some sideways shimmying towards the front of the car will release the rear ones. Also, don't forget to unplug the Mass Air flow sensor, and unclip it. Don't bother trying to remove the spring clamp at the intake hose over near the battery. You can remove the whole thing by unclipping the top of the feed to it near the left headlight. Once you've removed the whole thing, undernieth there's a series of screws that hold it all together. Once you've separated the two halves, you'll have access to the air filter.

Hope this helps.

[Tim]

The trick to doing this is warm the engine up first which makes the rubber grommets softer. Only problem is if you want to work on the engine then its a bit hot.
If the engine cover is bending too much as u try and get it off be careful. I have seen a few cracked ones before.

[Calais]

Cheers guys for the help!

I'm about to take the car for a spin and warm things up, then i'll have a another go at removing the cover.

If all else fails, I'll leave it........ screw paying $540 for a new one if I mess it up!!

[Big Yellow]

just be careful you dont break the top of the fuel pump when you take it off!!!

[FIR-26T]

screw paying $540 for a new one if I mess it up!!

ARE you serious, $540 for a new engine cover.....

Will think twice, next time i take the engine cover off.....

[Rob Burns]

The easiest way I have found is to remove the battery cover and then use the handle of a hammer to pry up the cover using the battery as a pivot point. Make sure you're only using the handle to pry with and not the head. Once the retainer near the battery comes off the rest should be able to be removed w/o too much trouble. Well except the driver's side front one, the plastic there is at it's thinnest and is the most prone to breaking.

[adzy]

Hellllllllllllllp!!!!!

How the fuk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do i get the front right gromit to pop back in?? Been trying for a *****g hour!!
It is lined up dead straight but the gromit just goes in way too easy and cant go that extra bit which will lock it in. This is the most tedious ridiculous bullsiht I have ever gone through to clean an F'ing air filter!!!!! Hopefully someone gives me an answer before I put my tools away
Cant get it in for the life of me!! If i get no response I guess its off to Volkswagen

[9 iron]

engine cover

Adzy,

the trick with your particular problem has an easy fix.... take it off and give it to your dog (avatar pic)!!

He'll sort it right out for you!

[doink]

How the fuk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do i get the front right gromit to pop back in?? Been trying for a *****g hour!!
It is lined up dead straight but the gromit just goes in way too easy and cant go that extra bit which will lock it in. This is the most tedious ridiculous bullsiht I have ever gone through to clean an F'ing air filter!!!!! Hopefully someone gives me an answer before I put my tools away
Cant get it in for the life of me!! If i get no response I guess its off to Volkswagen

remove the rubber grommets from the engine pegs and install them back into the bottom of the cover first. Then take and align the grommets on the cover with the engine pegs and give the whole cover a push in each corner to engage.

[adzy]

Adzy,

the trick with your particular problem has an easy fix.... take it off and give it to your dog (avatar pic)!!

He'll sort it right out for you!

LOL You have no idea how much my dogs would love chewing it up and how much I would love watching them do it!!

remove the rubber grommets from the engine pegs and install them back into the bottom of the cover first. Then take and align the grommets on the cover with the engine pegs and give the whole cover a push in each corner to engage.

You know what! This makes perfect sense I did not even think of doing this because the last thing I wanted to do was take it back off but now that you mention it....... sounds like the way to go.
Cheers mate your a legend! You have no idea how much of a priority it is to me now to bin this whole VW intake setup!

[Transporter]

LOL You have no idea how much my dogs would love chewing it up and how much I would love watching them do it!!



You know what! This makes perfect sense I did not even think of doing this because the last thing I wanted to do was take it back off but now that you mention it....... sounds like the way to go.
Cheers mate your a legend! You have no idea how much of a priority it is to me now to bin this whole VW intake setup!

I always put some rubber grease on the pegs and onto the rubber in the cover, it makes removing and refitting cover next time a breeze.

[adzy]

I always put some rubber grease on the pegs and onto the rubber in the cover, it makes removing and refitting cover next time a breeze.

Mann!! Grease, KY, Olive oil, silicon spray, butter and baby oil..... just to be sure for this stubborn sucker

[JY086]

i just cracked mine the other day....but installed CAI now its alright.....there is one used engine cover floating on ebay atm if anyone is looking for one....

[maca]

Be careful about how you replace it. I removed/replaced my engine cover off my Mk4 back in 2008 only to come home to the sound of it being eaten by me engine.

Did away with it (in 4 pieces), but kept the VW/V5 placard