DIY: Let's Change the Engine Oil

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by M3 09 AND135I 11

Does anyone know if we can use Mityvac for oil change on our cars?

Look at the bottom of your used oil reservoir and that's why you don't want to do that; leave that for boats, when you have no other choice. Draining oil while HOT is the only way to avoid gunk/sludge forming at the bottom of your oil pan. Plus you couldn't do it on the M3 even if you wanted to . Good day.

[Sears]

No dipstick on our engines, so suction isn't an option. I believe on the diesel bmw engines retain a dipstick, which is pretty camouflaged (black cap and beneath air intake tubing).

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by Sears

No dipstick on our engines, so suction isn't an option. I believe on the diesel bmw engines retain a dipstick, which is pretty camouflaged (black cap and beneath air intake tubing).

I use a MityVac for sucking the small amount of oil out of the filter housing is all (turkey baster would work as well).

[Groundpilot]

Thanks guys for quick responses. My m3 oil change is coming up, so i guess i am doing it the conventional way

[WangTa]

Hey guys - this is a great thread. Couple questions for you all - where have you all been getting your oil? I read this and a couple other threads, it seems that many are buying the oil change kit from getbmwparts.com, which is around $140 shipped. Doing the quick math, isn't that expensive? Assuming 10w60 oil is $12 (price is questionable, seen prices from $9 per bottle to $20+ at dealerships), 9 quarts x $12 each + $17 filter = $125? Taxes might kill it and make it even, but was curious where everyone is getting their oil/filters from.

Also, is everybody using a jack/ramp setup? Is this absolutely necessary? I don't have either, and while I'm sure they would make the job much easier, I would prefer not to if it's not absolutely necessary. Then again, it probably makes sense to have them for future oil changes, cars, etc. I have no idea how much these cost either, so maybe it's not as bad an investment as initially thought.

Thanks guys - you rock!

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by WangTa

Hey guys - this is a great thread. Couple questions for you all - where have you all been getting your oil? I read this and a couple other threads, it seems that many are buying the oil change kit from getbmwparts.com, which is around $140 shipped. Doing the quick math, isn't that expensive? Assuming 10w60 oil is $12 (price is questionable, seen prices from $9 per bottle to $20+ at dealerships), 9 quarts x $12 each + $17 filter = $125? Taxes might kill it and make it even, but was curious where everyone is getting their oil/filters from.

Also, is everybody using a jack/ramp setup? Is this absolutely necessary? I don't have either, and while I'm sure they would make the job much easier, I would prefer not to if it's not absolutely necessary. Then again, it probably makes sense to have them for future oil changes, cars, etc. I have no idea how much these cost either, so maybe it's not as bad an investment as initially thought.
Thanks guys - you rock!

If your dealer isn't gouging, I'd get it locally. I pay $11.25/liter with 10% club discount ($12.50 list).

BillK's method (post #189 last page) of just jacking up the front, taking out the plugs and lowering it to drain is pretty simple. You may need to drive the front up on some wood blocks to get your jack under the front, though, even from the side.

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

BillK's method of just jacking up the front, taking out the plugs and lowering it to drain is pretty simple.

I can attest skipping the jacking part is not worth it. Tried it myself only on the 2x6s, and made a royal mess on my floor (yes, it's painted, but still).

NOTE: Since both drain plugs are IN FRONT of the sumps, you need to lift the rear higher than front to get A LOT more oil out of the sumps. I put the rear on ramps myself. And also suck dry the oil filter housing. After all of that, just pour exactly 9.5L and oil level will be right on the top mark . So yes, I have to buy a 10th liter every other oil change. Good luck.

[tha_good_life]

I'm curious how you guys bought your filter for less than what I paid. List price for the filter is $33.88 with 10% club price it was $30.49. Did I buy something different? Looks like the same part # op posted.

[montreal red]

Originally Posted by bapesta206

I'm curious how you guys bought your filter for less than what I paid. List price for the filter is $33.88 with 10% club price it was $30.49. Did I buy something different? Looks like the same part # op posted.

online retailers usually sell it for less. go tischer's website and see how much they are selling it for. i believe its around $20 or less.

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by montreal red

online retailers usually sell it for less. go tischer's website and see how much they are selling it for. i believe its around $20 or less.

thanks!

[M5280RCR]

Great thread.

This is my 5th M car, and I have always changed the oil every 5K (synthetic). As I am coming up on the mid-service change at 7,500 on my E90, I am curious if anyone has sent their oil in for analysis at 7,500 and 15,000, and what if any difference there has been.

PS. With 3 kids, a wife, dog and work, I have not been able to fit in a track day on this car, so if anyone has done this analysis on a spirited street driving vehicle I would be very curious what the different results are at 7,500 Vs 15,000 without track action (in which event I have always changed oil much more frequently).

[jjw2331]

Great DIY! This made my oil change today so smooth and easy.

I noticed the color of the oil wasn't too bad after 5K miles. Plus, the engine ran slightly smoother after the oil change. Even though the engine may not need an oil change every 5K, it definitely feels good and I think it's worth it. If people think it's a waste, o well.

[bblefas]

Originally Posted by bapesta206

I'm curious how you guys bought your filter for less than what I paid. List price for the filter is with 10% club price it was Did I buy something different? Looks like the same part # op posted.

i noticed on this thread that the m3 oil filter is much cheaper then i paid yesterday at the dealership! List price for the oil filter element set was$48.79!!!! but i paid net which came down to $24.55...way more expensive then what this thread has mentioned ...WTF what a rip off bmw gallery in nor well, massachusetts....way overpriced and not for get the oil...tghey charged me $12.50 a quart .....never going there again came out to be $112.50 for oil and 24.55 for filter...any suggestions where i can buy oil in the future...did the 1200 mi.service put on 1200 more ,,,I'm at 2400 doing the oil sometime today...then again at 5000 miles...and again at 10,000 miles...i thought about it and came up with that oil change set up every 5000 after the 5000 mark... but if i really drive the car like i like and wants to be driven rev-happy all the time I'm going to to change it sooner than 5000 miles AT 2500 miles so i went with 1200 --240o- 5000- 10,000 and its do for second service at bmw at 16200 but i will drop off at 15,000.....pls feel free to respond but yeah what a overpriced parts dept ....

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by bblefas

...tghey charged me $12.50 a quart .....never going there again came out to be $112.50 for oil and 24.55 for filter...any suggestions where i can buy oil in the future....

$12.50/liter (not quart) is list price. I get a 10% BMW Club discount at my dealer - worth looking into.

[bblefas]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

/liter (not quart) is list price. I get a 10% BMW Club discount at my dealer - worth looking into.

thank youhttp://www.m3post.com/forums/images/smilies/w00t.gif

[Grail05]

Ok after doing an oil change this morning and draining everythng... I end up using 9.5qtz took at least 30 minutes to drain everything.

When it was draining i removed the oil filter housing and more oil came put from the bottom, roughly another qtz... I also drained and sucked all the oil from the filter housing so maybe thats why it tooked 9.5 qtz....

Also i would like to confirm on what u guys uses to removed the oil drain plug... For some reason i had to use a t40 socket... And for some reason i cant use the 6mm hex... Can amyone confirm

[jimib]

I just finished an oil change. I sucked the excess oil out of the filter housing with a turkey baster. After putting 8.5 liters of Castrol 10w-60 it reads right in the middle of the range.

[aussiem3]

Changed oil today. Drained 9 litres of oil from the two sumps. I don't know whether this is overfill. Filled 8.8 litres of Castrol EDGE 10W-60 SN. All up it cost $200 ($160 for 10 ltrs of oil, and $40 for the filter). I did buy other stuff including a pair of ProRamps and 6mm HEX bit which are long term investments. Bit messy given the first time, but a very interesting experience. The rear sump took ever to drain. From lifting the car to finishing took under an hour.

Took for a drive around the block and the idrive oil level check showed Max with OK. Very pleased with the effort.

I didn't reset the interval and still showing 13k km till the next change.

http://castroledge.com.au/oils/

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by aussiem3

Changed oil today. Drained 9 litres of oil from the two sumps. I don't know whether this is overfill. Filled 8.8 litres of Castrol EDGE 10W-60 SN. All up it cost $200 ($160 for 10 ltrs of oil, and $40 for the filter). I did buy other stuff including a pair of ProRamps and 6mm HEX bit which are long term investments. Bit messy given the first time, but a very interesting experience. The rear sump took ever to drain. From lifting the car to finishing took under an hour.

Took for a drive around the block and the idrive oil level check showed Max with OK. Very pleased with the effort.

I didn't reset the interval and still showing 13k km till the next change.

http://castroledge.com.au/oils/

Unfortunately, Edge 10W-60 is not available in the US. But, I only pay about US$12/liter through the dealer.

[aussiem3]

The dealer charges around $20+ for a litre of Castrol TWS. The Edge is cheaper because it is available in the open consumer market and no need to go through the dealer.
TWS is no longer available in Australia and the dealers are filling up the /// cars with Edge and still charging the same. USA is a lot cheaper for a lot of things given it's a volume market, and unfortunately in Australia for everything we pay a lot. Hence the Edge is expensive compared with the US market even through a normal retailer.
We get ripped off for everything in Australia. Just imagine paying $170+ for a E92 M3 compared with what you pay. Mind the two currencies are on parity these days.

[Dannys M3]

The first set I ordered do not fit the front sump. This fits perfect.


http://www.drainplugmagnets.com/bmwautomobiles.php

[///My5UV]

Originally Posted by BillK

Why are you guys going through all this trouble tilting, jacking the back wheels, front wheels etc?
Just slide a heavy duty jack under the front jacking point (the black plastic one between drain plugs) and lift, put a safety jack under one or both front sides, then drain the oil. Lower the car back to the floor while the oil drains. Get a cooking pan to catch the oil, they have a low profile. Change the filter while the oil is draining, then jack back up and install the drain bolts. All you need is one big jack and a safety jack. No ramps or multiple jacks.

I find it hard to believe anyone has done this without making a huge mess.

What I found worked was to back up onto ramps (got everything lined up right on the third try), lift a front corner enough with a little jack to get a big jack in behind the front wheel to reach the front center jack point, raise the front up enough to get jack stands under it, leaving the front just a notch lower than the rear. I had to pull the jack out to get to the drain plugs since the jack point is smack in the middle of them. There's no freaking way to get a drain pan in place with a jack in there. Very little comes out of the front sump but I got about 9 liters from the rear in about an hour. Sadly I forgot to loosen the fill cap and oil filter before I let it drain during lunch, so it was still dripping a bit when I had to put the plugs back in.

Luckily the pan I got has a nice little grill in the top to catch the drain plugs, although one of them bounced right off of it and dripped oil across the floor

By the time I got all the oil out and swap the filter, clean up all the drips, and pour in 8.5 liters of cold oil, one at a time (because I can't find 10w60 in 5qt jugs), the engine was stone cold so I drove around the block to get it back up to temp, stopped in the garage so it'd be level, and restarted the car to kick off the measurement. It took half an hour to do with the sensor what I could have done in half a minute with a dipstick.
Then it still called for another liter, so if you get a full drain, I guess it really needs 9.5.

By the way, it's kind of a pisser that the oil filter housing is tilted on these engines... makes it a bit tougher to get the old filter out without dripping oil everywhere. I miss my E36 with an all-aluminum housing and lid