The oil/drain filter screen plate always seems to be a source of oil leaks and I'm curious what others do to prevent leaks. Do you use a sealer on the two gaskets that are sandwiched between the plate, screen and motor? How about the studs that hold it in place, is there any reason to put some sort of sealer on those?
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I removed mine when I went with the Mainly Custom By Design sump pate with drain plug. Not sure the screen serves any purpose on a fully flowed engine with an external filter.
Troy:
Get a pair of these silicone gaskets. They're great:
http://vwparts.aircooled.net/S...Pair-VW-2-p/vw-2.htm
You can certainly use some thread sealer on the studs as they screw into the case and/or sump - certainly wouldn't hurt. As an alternative, I use locktite blue (Medium) on the studs to both seal them and lock them in place. I would not use the high strength (red) stuff on those, but medium seems to work well and keeps them from walking out on oil changes.
Also, it is IMPERATIVE that you use copper crush washers (available from most VW supply houses) under the plate nuts. They crush in X&Y directions, thereby sealing against the threads of the studs as well as between the nut and plate.
I have not run a screen since day one and never missed it. Have a o-ringed drain plug in the sump plate so I've had the plate off exactly once - a couple of months ago when I used those silicone gaskets on the case and deep sump.
Tom. If getting snot in there during an oil change is a problem, do what I do, blow your nose first. 
The 2 circular gaskets used to be made out of non-permeable gasket material; now they're all made out of porous paper or cardboard. I've heard of guys using hairspray to seal them. Don't forget guys, if you remove the screen (and one gasket) the studs have to be wound in a little farther for the cap-nuts to still work.
Don't forget guys, if you remove the screen (and one gasket) the studs have to be wound in a little farther for the cap-nuts to still work.
I found that out the hard way. I took the easy way out and went with open-ended nuts.
The purpose of the cap-nuts is they protect the studs should you bottom out the engine, and also they don't let any oil escape down the threads.
Those Germans (Probably Hans and Fritz) are so practical.
