I don't know if mine were just not 100% dry or what, but I gave up on the OEM plugs...they are just inherently weak IMO. I switched to these (https://www.amazon.com/SMART-O-Drain-Plug-M12x1-5mm-Anti-vibration/dp/B00OZ6T3KI/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1476458833&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=e92+m3+oil+drain+plug) for the past 2 oil changes and have had zero issues so far.
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02-04-2022LAST POST
On another thread, posters were concerned about stripping the pan by the drain plugs. Seems like this would eliminate the risk:
Anybody use an oil extractor? https://www.amazon.com/Mityvac-7201-Fluid-Evacuator-Plus/dp/B0002SR7TC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1477319050&sr=8-5&keywords=oil+extractor
Seems like this would eliminate risk. Looks like capacity is only 8.8 liters on the extractor. Of course our cars have no dipstick but the extractor community suggest draining from the oil filter oil supply. Anyone have any experience using only an extractor?
Anybody use an oil extractor? https://www.amazon.com/Mityvac-7201-Fluid-Evacuator-Plus/dp/B0002SR7TC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1477319050&sr=8-5&keywords=oil+extractor
Seems like this would eliminate risk. Looks like capacity is only 8.8 liters on the extractor. Of course our cars have no dipstick but the extractor community suggest draining from the oil filter oil supply. Anyone have any experience using only an extractor?
Thanks to all previous contributors! Just did my first DIY oil change and went fine. Drain bolts were both 6mm and came loose pretty easy by "popping" the ratchet to initially loosen them. Did this on race ramps on the front so car was not flat but felt it was fine. Used turkey baster on the oil filter housing. Took out 6.25 oz from that housing. Refilled it with 200ml of new oil before putting the new filter in. Filled main oil section with 8.4L, so including the 200ml I put in a total of 8.6L of new oil. Let car idle to get a measurement. Oil level was one increment lower than max. Will keep an eye on it on future drives.
Torqued drain bolts to 18 ft lbs which I believe is ~25Nm. Didn't feel like it was excessive.
Torqued drain bolts to 18 ft lbs which I believe is ~25Nm. Didn't feel like it was excessive.
Gemcoska wroteI purchased the oil change kit, filter adapter and Castrol Edge Gold 10W-60 to change the oil myself but don't have time to do it. The local European independent I called wants to do it using Liqui Molly 10W-60, saying it's just as good.This is what i got off the website... I couldn't find a "kit" for the e92... linky?
Description Qty MSRP Price Your Price Core Price Total Cost
OEM BMW TWS Motorsport 10w60 Synthetic Motor Oil 9 $10.65 $9.75 $0.00 $87.75
Maintenance and lubrication, Engine service, Filters, Oil filter, Oil filter, m series 1 $18.12 $14.50 $0.00 $14.50
Total: $102.25
I paid $13/liter for the M3-specific Castrol, the LiquiMoly sees to be $42/5 liter (about 2/3rd the price). Great, if it just as good but the independent still wants $232 for the oil change. Seems high for a lesser oil?
TheUnscented wroteI have this extractor which I've used several times on other cars with great success but had not thought about using the oil filter supply as means for access on the M3. I'm sure you could interrupt the extraction and pour out some excess into a waste container before completing the task.On another thread, posters were concerned about stripping the pan by the drain plugs. Seems like this would eliminate the risk:
Anybody use an oil extractor? https://www.amazon.com/Mityvac-7201-Fluid-Evacuator-Plus/dp/B0002SR7TC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1477319050&sr=8-5&keywords=oil+extractor
Seems like this would eliminate risk. Looks like capacity is only 8.8 liters on the extractor. Of course our cars have no dipstick but the extractor community suggest draining from the oil filter oil supply. Anyone have any experience using only an extractor?
JonM wroteThought this was a video.Saw a request for this. I let the dealer do the 1200 mile service because of the power requirement for transmission fluid change, so I have not changed my own oil yet. I am planning on it at 5000 miles, along with a Blackstone oil analysis. The handwritten notes shown include torque values. Oil filter kit part number is 11 42 7 837 997. This includes the O-ring for the filter cover and all crush washers.
Update 8 years later:
Use 25 Nm for the drain plug. The other torque values I have handwritten in my notes are for the oil filter housing and other projects. I am tired of reading about confusion. Hopefully this helps. Also, BMW changes torque values all the time, that's why they always refer you to a torque table instead of putting the torues in the repair documents. Do your research before you take your car apart.
Purchased car in May and was going to change the oil right away, but decided to hold off until I decided which oil to use. That's another subject and will refrain from explanation in this post.
Thanks to this forum/thread my experience was relatively easy. So here are a few notes of my experience:
- Sunday afternoon: purchased low profile jack at Harbor Freight because my old school Craftsman is too tall, backed-up on ramps, but jack wasn't long enough to reach front center jack pad and still be able to pump
- pulled car up on ramps, jacked rear control arms (using pads on both jacks), and placed jack stands (with puck adapters) under each rear jack pad
- rear drain bolt broke loose no problem
- front drain bolt started to strip using 6mm allen wrench, stopped, went to Advance Auto and purchased a 6mm 3/8" drive allen bit, it was a much tighter fit, used short breaker bar while lightly tapping with small hammer and applying pressure both directions, loosening, tightening, then loosening again and the bolt broke loose (I did NOT want to drill-out due to impatience)
- removed residual oil from filter housing
- decided not to reuse these bolts and ordered new from dealer on Monday morning
- picked up new drain bolts Tuesday, installed, and while 'exercising' the torque wrench on my workbench it seemed that 25nm was going to be too much, but after trying 12nm and realizing that it wasn't nearly enough I went to 18nm, still not enough and then went to 24nm without issue. note- former aircraft tech with 30yrs of auto maintenance have 'dialed-in' my calibrated elbow lol
- here's where this thread was most helpful. I had read somewhere along the way to just put 8.5qts and go from there
- poured 8.5qts, drove until it came up to temp, received an 'at min level' warning
- after driving one more time that day and two different drives the next day it was consistent
- added .5qt, drove, and received the same min level warning
- drove two more times with the same warning, so now I'm getting concerned
- add another .5qt, bring up to temp, and reached exactly at the MAX level
- have driven two days with the same result
- checked Google for quart to liter conversion: 9.5 quarts equals 8.99 liters so I'll call that 'good'
Takeaways from this: I wasn't sure how much would be needed after letting her sit draining for two days which is why I was very cautious when filling. This very imprecise method of checking oil level is enough to cause unnecessarily high stress levels. In the end, caution and patience, combined with access to multiple cars while awaiting parts, led to a very successful 'first' oil change.
Thanks to all that have contributed to this thread. Without which, my experience would've yielded very different results.
Thanks to this forum/thread my experience was relatively easy. So here are a few notes of my experience:
- Sunday afternoon: purchased low profile jack at Harbor Freight because my old school Craftsman is too tall, backed-up on ramps, but jack wasn't long enough to reach front center jack pad and still be able to pump
- pulled car up on ramps, jacked rear control arms (using pads on both jacks), and placed jack stands (with puck adapters) under each rear jack pad
- rear drain bolt broke loose no problem
- front drain bolt started to strip using 6mm allen wrench, stopped, went to Advance Auto and purchased a 6mm 3/8" drive allen bit, it was a much tighter fit, used short breaker bar while lightly tapping with small hammer and applying pressure both directions, loosening, tightening, then loosening again and the bolt broke loose (I did NOT want to drill-out due to impatience)
- removed residual oil from filter housing
- decided not to reuse these bolts and ordered new from dealer on Monday morning
- picked up new drain bolts Tuesday, installed, and while 'exercising' the torque wrench on my workbench it seemed that 25nm was going to be too much, but after trying 12nm and realizing that it wasn't nearly enough I went to 18nm, still not enough and then went to 24nm without issue. note- former aircraft tech with 30yrs of auto maintenance have 'dialed-in' my calibrated elbow lol
- here's where this thread was most helpful. I had read somewhere along the way to just put 8.5qts and go from there
- poured 8.5qts, drove until it came up to temp, received an 'at min level' warning
- after driving one more time that day and two different drives the next day it was consistent
- added .5qt, drove, and received the same min level warning
- drove two more times with the same warning, so now I'm getting concerned
- add another .5qt, bring up to temp, and reached exactly at the MAX level
- have driven two days with the same result
- checked Google for quart to liter conversion: 9.5 quarts equals 8.99 liters so I'll call that 'good'
Takeaways from this: I wasn't sure how much would be needed after letting her sit draining for two days which is why I was very cautious when filling. This very imprecise method of checking oil level is enough to cause unnecessarily high stress levels. In the end, caution and patience, combined with access to multiple cars while awaiting parts, led to a very successful 'first' oil change.
Thanks to all that have contributed to this thread. Without which, my experience would've yielded very different results.
Oil fill according to TIS
8.8L if changing out oil filter
8.8L if changing out oil filter
msan wroteThanks! Guess it makes sense that 9L (9.5qt) was perfect since I removed the residual in the filter housing...which from what I've read is .2L.Oil fill according to TIS
8.8L if changing out oil filter
much appreciated. thanks!
roastbeef wroteStill trying to figure that out...so whats the general consensus on drain plug torque?
And seems they're so delicate and different for all.
Trying to find a 3/8" accurate torque wrench for this. Within 4% calibrated
Here's a quick DIY video I just did 2 weeks ago. I drained the oil warm for about 3 hours. Ended having to put in 9L's of oil. It's right about 3/4s to the max line. I will not be adding anymore oil to the car. Hope's this helps you all. Torque specs I used are all in the video. I'm not an expert, but this worked for me.
I always put 9 liters after an oil/filter change and it always comes up to the full mark on the display. Im puzzled as to why people put less than 9 and then waste time monitoring the level to eventually add 9 liters. If the capacity is 8.8, and I’m putting .2 liters over, which is overfilling by 2.3%, I doubt the engine will know the difference. Besides, it’s a lot easier dumping 9 straight liters in
BillK wroteThat's what I do.I always put 9 liters after an oil/filter change and it always comes up to the full mark on the display. Im puzzled as to why people put less than 9 and then waste time monitoring the level to eventually add 9 liters. If the capacity is 8.8, and I’m putting .2 liters over, which is overfilling by 2.3%, I doubt the engine will know the difference. Besides, it’s a lot easier dumping 9 straight liters in
Also, my drain bolts were a T45. Not a 6MM Hex. So my first oil change took me just over 2 and a half hours lol, but im still proud of myself for doing it at home.
Anyone else frustrated by the first post being devoid of DIY instructions now?? Just some torque values.
Anyway, I just changed my oil for the first time in my E93 M3, and here are some thoughts:
1) I wanted to practice Leave No Trace, as we say in the hiking/camping biz. I cut to size a rug pad I was going to throw out, and spread it under the engine and oil pan. This worked great in preventing a mess on the garage floor.
2) Loosen but don't remove the filter cap (the 36mm cap), until the oil has drained. This will prevent you from making a mess when you do take the filter out to dispose of it. Almost every video and DIY I've seen has us taking the filter out first and says something like 'make sure you have lots of shop towels around because this is messy." It doesn't have to be messy if you simply loosen the cap instead of removing it and then drain the oil sumps. I had some very very small leakage this way - I needed one shop towel to deal with it - and then I re-tightened it a smidgen to stop the leaking. You should be alright as long as it's loose enough to allow air in to help drain the oil under the car. I'd imagine you want to remove the filter cap to help drain the two sumps by not causing a vacuum to form as they drain.
3) I drained the warm oil for about an hour. When I measured the old oil later I had about 8.5 liters. The last 30 minutes was mostly almost-quick dripping, but that must add up over the half an hour.
4) I jacked the M3 up on to jack stands. The best method I found was to jack up the rear of the car first using a wood block on the differential - the black metal 'pad' with the hockey-puck-like indentation in it - but I don't recommend this: I found advice on-line to be unclear. In retospect I probably did it wrong.
5) After jacking up the rear, I found, oddly enough, that this gave the front some clearance. I'd had thought jacking up the back pushes the front down but that was not my experience. My front bumper hangs down a bit more than it's supposed to, maybe that had something to do with it. I used the low-profile racing jack from harbor freight.
6) if it matters, and I don't think it does, I used a few of those blue disposable shop towels to mop up the small amount (a handful of tablespoons) of oil remaining in the oil filter area. Some people have used a turkey baster, that's probably better. Either way, there's not much in there.
7) After I closed everything up and put the car back on the ground, I went for a drive. It took maybe 20 minutes for me to get an oil level reading and it said "+1 Quart" which was confusing to me - was I over by a quart??, or did it want me to add oil? Answer: Add oil. So I poured the rest of the ninth bottle into the engine, and the levels showed almost full. However: The next day I drove 60 or 70 miles and the oil level was about 3/4 - with 9 liters of oil poured in. Tomorrow I'll see if I get yet another reading. Don't know why a car that takes 8.8 liters is not full after I pour 9 liters in...
UPDATE: Although I poured 9 liters into this E93 M3 just a few days ago, the electronic dipstick is showing a little over 2/3 full. I think the electronic dipsticks are not reliable - I mean, I KNOW that I put 9 full liters into the car.
Here's some other gear I used:
Anyway, I just changed my oil for the first time in my E93 M3, and here are some thoughts:
1) I wanted to practice Leave No Trace, as we say in the hiking/camping biz. I cut to size a rug pad I was going to throw out, and spread it under the engine and oil pan. This worked great in preventing a mess on the garage floor.
2) Loosen but don't remove the filter cap (the 36mm cap), until the oil has drained. This will prevent you from making a mess when you do take the filter out to dispose of it. Almost every video and DIY I've seen has us taking the filter out first and says something like 'make sure you have lots of shop towels around because this is messy." It doesn't have to be messy if you simply loosen the cap instead of removing it and then drain the oil sumps. I had some very very small leakage this way - I needed one shop towel to deal with it - and then I re-tightened it a smidgen to stop the leaking. You should be alright as long as it's loose enough to allow air in to help drain the oil under the car. I'd imagine you want to remove the filter cap to help drain the two sumps by not causing a vacuum to form as they drain.
3) I drained the warm oil for about an hour. When I measured the old oil later I had about 8.5 liters. The last 30 minutes was mostly almost-quick dripping, but that must add up over the half an hour.
4) I jacked the M3 up on to jack stands. The best method I found was to jack up the rear of the car first using a wood block on the differential - the black metal 'pad' with the hockey-puck-like indentation in it - but I don't recommend this: I found advice on-line to be unclear. In retospect I probably did it wrong.
5) After jacking up the rear, I found, oddly enough, that this gave the front some clearance. I'd had thought jacking up the back pushes the front down but that was not my experience. My front bumper hangs down a bit more than it's supposed to, maybe that had something to do with it. I used the low-profile racing jack from harbor freight.
6) if it matters, and I don't think it does, I used a few of those blue disposable shop towels to mop up the small amount (a handful of tablespoons) of oil remaining in the oil filter area. Some people have used a turkey baster, that's probably better. Either way, there's not much in there.
7) After I closed everything up and put the car back on the ground, I went for a drive. It took maybe 20 minutes for me to get an oil level reading and it said "+1 Quart" which was confusing to me - was I over by a quart??, or did it want me to add oil? Answer: Add oil. So I poured the rest of the ninth bottle into the engine, and the levels showed almost full. However: The next day I drove 60 or 70 miles and the oil level was about 3/4 - with 9 liters of oil poured in. Tomorrow I'll see if I get yet another reading. Don't know why a car that takes 8.8 liters is not full after I pour 9 liters in...
UPDATE: Although I poured 9 liters into this E93 M3 just a few days ago, the electronic dipstick is showing a little over 2/3 full. I think the electronic dipsticks are not reliable - I mean, I KNOW that I put 9 full liters into the car.
Here's some other gear I used:
- This drain pan can hold 16 liters total and has a pouring spout. It's large enough to fit under both oil drains at the same time. For me the size was the selling point especially as our S65s hold 8.8 liters. Picking this up and pouring 8.5 liters into a funnel and into the jug, listed below, was easy.
- These 2.5 gallon jugs from amazon come to $15 each, a little pricey, but they have large openings for a funnel and are easy to carry. They also have gallon and liter measurements on the side.
Are the two drain plugs exactly the same. My reserve one was stripped when I took delivery of the vehicle and I plan on replacing next oil change.
InnerBlueSkies wroteThey were the same for meAre the two drain plugs exactly the same. My reserve one was stripped when I took delivery of the vehicle and I plan on replacing next oil change.
After changing the oil, I put 8,5 liters in it and after that it showed oil level on the minimum mark. I put in the remaining 0,5 liters in and it still show minimum level, is that even possible?
Alexand3r wroteGive it time...a day or two. Remember digital readouts are slower than the archaic dipstick reading. I don't understand all this hoopla about living in the digital ageAfter changing the oil, I put 8,5 liters in it and after that it showed oil level on the minimum mark. I put in the remaining 0,5 liters in and it still show minimum level, is that even possible?
Very informative. I think I might use ramps next time
Jeez. I daily my M3 for work as a Pharma Rep. 4000 miles a month. My BMW mechanic charges $348 for an oil change. I was going to do it myself. But, what a PITA. Hmmmmm
Do these sensors go bad pretty regularly? I had my oil changed at local indy shop a few weeks ago before heading down to Sebring. When I picked up the car oil read above max - the shop filled with 9.4 quarts. They took the car back and emptied 1 quart (still above max), they emptied a second quart (below minimum). Shop ended up emptying out all oil and topping off with 9 quarts. The car has read "below minimum +1 quart" ever since. I topped off with half a quart and it still reads below minimum. I don't want to keep adding and put over 10 quarts of oil in the car. I purchased a replacement sensor as it seems simple enough to install and worth the $200 for peace of mind. I plan on emptying oil, replacing sensor, and re-filling this weekend, hoping this fixes my problem. Anyone else have similar issues or sensor failure? The car is a 2012 with 45k miles.
