These are the oil requirements for VW T2 and T3 engines and gearboxes. The list is focused on the amounts of oil needed in liters. People have always argued about what type of oil to use, so that is up to you. For engines most people use something between 5W40 and 20W40. For the air cooled engines many people use 20W50. Best advice is always to use what manufacturer says in the manual. What oil you use also depends on your climate. If you are in a hot climate, higher number oils (thicker oils) are usually better. If you are in a cold climate, thicker oils won’t lubricate good enough in the beginning, so you are better off choosing a lower number oil.
Below you can find a list with engine oil filling amounts:
| Type of engine | Including filter | Excluding filter |
| 1.6 LBX | 3.0 l | 2.5 l |
| 2.0 LBX | 3.5 l | 3.0 l |
| 1.9 & 2.1 WBX | 4.5 l | 4.0 l |
| 1.6 & 1.7 Diesel | 4.5 l | 4.0 l |
| AAZ or TDI | 4.5 l | 4.0 l |
How to replace your engine oil?
Engine oil can easily be checked, drained and filled without any technical knowledge. Find the plug to drain your oil underneath your engine and unscrew it with a wrench. Be gentle, you don’t want to damage the threads. Wait until all the oil is out. Oil goes out faster when it is a little bit warm, so you can run your engine for a bit before you drain the oil.
If you completely replace your engine oil, don’t forget to change the oil filter also. Its cheap and easy to do after you have drained the oil. You can find the oil filter underneath the engine. It has a round shape and is a little bigger than a coffee mug. You can unscrew it by hand, but be carefull it is full of oil. Put the oil plug back in, fill a new filter with new oil, oil the rubber ring and screw it back on.
Now put in your new oil from behind your numberplate. You will need a funnel for that. Wait some minutes and check your oil level, if its good then you are ready to go!
What gearbox oil to use and how much?
All the classic VW gearboxes can use a GL4 SAE 80 oil. This is not engine oil, but specific oil for gearboxes and differentials. Below you find how much oil to add to your T2 or T3 gearbox:
| Type of gearbox | Gearbox code | Filling amount |
| Petrol LBX 4 gear | 091 | 3.5 l |
| Petrol WBX 4 gear | 091/1 | 3.0 l |
| Petrol WBX 5 gear | 094 | 3.0 l |
| SDI & TDI 4 gear | 091 | 4.5 l |
| SDI & TDI 5 gear | 094 | 4.0 l |
| SDI & TDI 4 gear | 091/1 | 4.0 l |
| All Syncro 5 gear | 094 | 4.5 l |
| All Syncro front diff | — | 1.5 l |
| All automatics | — | ca 3.0 l |
| Automatic axle drive | — | 1.25 l |