DIY: Let's Change the Engine Oil

[Dannys M3]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

Those plugs stick UNDER the protective metal shield. If anything hits the shield, you run the risk of breaking your sump and instantly oil-starving your engine. I'd NEVER use that, but to each his own.

Yes these plugs should stick under the protective shield. The rear plug does slightly protrude, however if something big enough strikes this plug you have other issues as well as a CRACKED oil pan. The front plug fits rather nice. To each his own, I got tired of fucking with the allen wrench.

[///My5UV]

Originally Posted by Dannys M3

To each his own, I got tired of fucking with the allen wrench.

I never even tried an allen wrench.
Here's the right way to do it:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942676000P

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by ///My5UV

I never even tried an allen wrench.
Here's the right way to do it:

This is the set I have:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

[EJACKS90]

GregW,what kind of syphon pump are you using and where does hose/tube get inserted?...I ran into a guy at the dealer buying oil and parts, but he was in a hurry and didn't give any specifics on the DIY oil change.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by EJACKS90

GregW,what kind of syphon pump are you using and where does hose/tube get inserted?...I ran into a guy at the dealer buying oil and parts, but he was in a hurry and didn't give any specifics on the DIY oil change.

Post #15. MityVac or turkey baster is only used to empty filter housing. Pan draining must be done via the two drain holes.

[austonwerner4]

Good write up

[averrec6262]

Does anyone know any websites that have a good step by step oil change or video for the m3? I havnt done it yet on the car and am not used to this engine setup yet and don't wannabe to screw up.

[C|3R1C]

Originally Posted by averrec6262

Does anyone know any websites that have a good step by step oil change or video for the m3? I havnt done it yet on the car and am not used to this engine setup yet and don't wannabe to screw up.

This guy posted stuff about his E92. Near the bottom is the DIY for the oil change. For specs are 25NM for the oil drain bolts and the filter cap. Oil change kit can be bought at getbmwparts.com.

http://www.billswebspace.com/bmwm3.htm

ENJOY!

[Justin(OKC)]

Took my car to the dealer today to get my 15k mile change before taking it to Heartland Park next weekend. James Clay suggested to me that I use some ZDDP at each oil change for protection on the bearings. Well, the dealer wouldn't put it in there so they left it a quart low for me to add. I added it and the level was still low. Added oil and was one notch from the top arrow. I decided to add a bit more and now it says >max. I figure I'm 1/4 quart overfilled. How to you guys suggest I fix this without draining everything and starting over?

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by Justin(OKC)

Took my car to the dealer today to get my 15k mile change before taking it to Heartland Park next weekend. James Clay suggested to me that I use some ZDDP at each oil change for protection on the bearings. Well, the dealer wouldn't put it in there so they left it a quart low for me to add. I added it and the level was still low. Added oil and was one notch from the top arrow. I decided to add a bit more and now it says >max. I figure I'm 1/4 quart overfilled. How to you guys suggest I fix this without draining everything and starting over?

Remove the filter and suck out what's left. Do it a couple times, running the engine briefly between. Electronic level reading sucks.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by Justin(OKC)

Took my car to the dealer today to get my 15k mile change before taking it to Heartland Park next weekend. James Clay suggested to me that I use some ZDDP at each oil change for protection on the bearings. Well, the dealer wouldn't put it in there so they left it a quart low for me to add. I added it and the level was still low. Added oil and was one notch from the top arrow. I decided to add a bit more and now it says >max. I figure I'm 1/4 quart overfilled. How to you guys suggest I fix this without draining everything and starting over?

Remove the filter and suck out what's left. Do it a couple times, running the engine briefly between. See my photo of the oil in the filter housing here: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showpos...3&postcount=15.

Electronic level reading sucks.

[Justin(OKC)]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

Remove the filter and suck out what's left. Do it a couple times, running the engine briefly between. See my photo of the oil in the filter housing here: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showpos...3&postcount=15.

Electronic level reading sucks.

Thanks Greg! I'll go buy a turkey baster.

[apecush]

You guys crack me up. This is far and away the easiest and cleanest car to change oil on I have experienced. NO special tools (i.e. filter wrench) are required, and BMW even designed the engine bay such that you don't need a funnel to pour bottles of oil in (there is an oil-bottle sized void!). The only part that was moderately annoying was pouring 9 quarts out of the pan back into the bottles.

For the allen wrench plugs, to avoid stripping, ensure your wrench completely bottoms in the plug.

Also, I wouldn't bother with the little bit of oil left in the filter. You are basically diluting that oil ~50-100:1 with the refill. Starting the car immediately after the oil change (with no oil in the filter) will cause far more damage than that little bit of used oil ever will.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by apecush

Also, I wouldn't bother with the little bit of oil left in the filter. You are basically diluting that oil ~50-100:1 with the refill. Starting the car immediately after the oil change (with no oil in the filter) will cause far more damage than that little bit of used oil ever will.

That is why I always "back fill" the oil filter housing with some fresh oil after sucking out the old black stuff. Then I put the new filter on and I am good to go!

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by apecush

The only part that was moderately annoying was pouring 9 quarts out of the pan back into the bottles.

I keep several gallon or large size jugs around for packaging the oil to recycle.

[rantarM3]

What's the minimum height by which the car needs to be raised to be able to access the drain bolts? Would 3" all around be enough? I know I'll need make sure the oil drain pan fits under there as well.

I was thinking about getting these (http://www.raceramps.com/trak-jax-with-stopper.aspx) so that I could just drive on and drain the oil, without the need to jack the car up.

[///My5UV]

Originally Posted by rantarM3

What's the minimum height by which the car needs to be raised to be able to access the drain bolts? Would 3" all around be enough? I know I'll need make sure the oil drain pan fits under there as well.

I was thinking about getting these (http://www.raceramps.com/trak-jax-with-stopper.aspx) so that I could just drive on and drain the oil, without the need to jack the car up.

I'm gonna say no. I backed my car onto their two-piece ramps (took a few tries to get them correctly placed), raised one side of the front with one of the four lift points on a small jack to make room to put my good jack under the front center lift point to get the car high enough to remove the small jack and put jack stands under the two front lift points and then removed the big jack so I could actually get the drain pan under the oil pan.
You want the car level or just slightly nose-down so all the oil will drain.

You need height for your 12 quart drain pain plus room for an allen wrench, preferable a torque wrench... say a minimum 9 inches, and I think the pan is normally just 4 inches off the ground, depending on your suspension.

[meyergru]

Over here, the material is ~300€ and work is almost 200€ in the BMW shop. I have full service including parts for 5 years / 100.000km, but BMW changed the condition based service interval for oil change to 25.000km. I had done ~12.000km after the run-in service and the oil was black already with still another 13.000km to go before the next due oil change.

So, I just did the oil change myself, which saved me a lot of money:
Oil, filter, service lift rental and disposal fee set me back ~140€.



Great DIY, apart from one point: BMW instructions tell to change the oil filter first after warming up the car.

Simply put: Don't! The oil filter housing will be full of oil that spills over the motor if you do not drain the oil from underneath before. Maybe everyone knows this already - I didn't. Also, in my car the was a kind of "plastic sleeve" over the oil filter housing, but that could just be pulled off.

With 8.6 liters the bar read 1/3rd over minimum, so I poured in a full 9 liters even without cleaning out the 0,2l rest in the filter housing. However, I gave it half an hour to completely stop dripping.

[john_thor]

Does anyone know of a retailer that ships oil change kits internationally? If you ask for that around here people look at you funny (I live in Switzerland).

Rrrrreally? Youw wawnt to chaaege ze oil your zelf? Yauw must be crazzzzzy..."

Drives me insane...

[rantarM3]

Originally Posted by meyergru

Great DIY, apart from one point: BMW instructions tell to change the oil filter first after warming up the car.

Simply put: Don't! The oil filter housing will be full of oil that spills over the motor if you do not drain the oil from underneath before. Maybe everyone knows this already - I didn't. Also, in my car the was a kind of "plastic sleeve" over the oil filter housing, but that could just be pulled off.

With 8.6 liters the bar read 1/3rd over minimum, so I poured in a full 9 liters even without cleaning out the 0,2l rest in the filter housing. However, I gave it half an hour to completely stop dripping.

All you have to do is wrap a rag all the way around the housing before you open it up. That will catch any oil that spills out.

I have also seen numerous posts indicating the torque for the filter cover to be 25 Nm. However, I printed out the procedure and torque specs from TIS and it states 40 Nm for the filter cover. My car is a very late 2011 so perhaps the filter housing cover was changed.

Lastly, I vacuumed out the oil in the filter housing with a 100 cc plastic syringe (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o01_s00_i00). I then measured all of the oil that I had drained and came up with right around 8.8 liters. Prior to the change the oil level indicator read at 1/8 below max. After the change, it's reading 1/4 above min (this is after ~120 miles of driving since the oil change). I recall that after my prior oil change, the indicator read low but after a week or so, popped up to 1/8 below max. But I also recall that 9 liters had been poured in. I really hate this electronic dip stick! I'll give it till next week to see where it ends up.

[checkmate]

Anyone try Liqui Moly Race Tech GT1 10w-60? The guys on m5board swear by it.

[Leonardo629]

I ran M1 0W40 Euro for almost 3k miles, here's the lab report I just posted at BITOG

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...26#Post2722326

Originally Posted by checkmate

Anyone try Liqui Moly Race Tech GT1 10w-60? The guys on m5board swear by it.