Oil Change Tips

Mike Fishwick · Post by **Mike Fishwick** » Tue 23 Aug, 2005 11:01

BMW Z3 OIL AND FILTER CHANGE Mike Fishwick

The usual manuals such as Haynes and Clymer give general descriptions of changing the oil and filter, but can be improved. These are the main points I have found when working on my 2.8 Zed:

FILTER REPLACEMENT: As the filter cover is unscrewed, it lifts by about 20 mm - this also lifts a rod attached to the cover, which carries two small 'O' rings around its base. Lifting these rings out of the filter compartment body opens a gallery which drains oil from around the filter, and returns it to the sump. It is therefore necessary to remove the filter before draining the sump, otherwise the new oil will be contaminated by the old filter oil. For this reason I always replace the filter first. When fitting the filter element in the filter compartment, you will find that it is a fairly tight fit around the spigot in the base of the filter compartment. Remember to lightly oil the large ‘O’ ring before fitting to its groove above the top of the cover threads, taking care not to twist it.

There are three types of oil filter cover. The aluminium type, as used on the older (not Z3) engines and also ‘M’ engines, is secured by a long bolt with a 13 mm head. The later plastic type, used on most later six cylinder engines requires a 36 mm socket to unscrew it. The smaller Z3 engines, such as the 1.9 litre M44 for example, require a special cup wrench which is available from German & Swedish outlets at about £10.

DRAINING: Obviously, first make sure that the oil is hot before starting work, so that it flows well, and any sludge is suspended within the oil - a five-mile run will be ample.

The drain plug on some cars such as the 1.9 Z3, for example, is hidden behind various pieces of plastic undershield, which can take a bit of detective work to find.

As the drain plug is on the right (ie offside for Brits) of the sump, jacking the car up at the right side will leave a bit of oil in the left side of the sump. For this reason I always jack my car on the left, which raises it sufficiently to get at the plug, and also tilts the car to the right, so completely draining the sump. I use the ring end of a combination spanner, which has very little offset, and so does not slip off the hexagon.

As a safety measure, place the drain plug on top of the new oil container - you would not be the first to refill the engine wihtout replacing the drain plug!

BMW fit the drain plug with an aluminium crush washer, but having seen the result of these fracturing and permitting the drain plaug to come loose, I prefer to fit a copper washer. After fully draining the sump, replace the drain plug, and tighten fully by hand, using about 15 cms of leverage on the spanner. Do not use a torque wrench set to the maker's figure, as this is for use when building a new engine, when the threads are dry, and not coated in oil. Use of such torque may damage the sump threads.

FILTER DRAIN SEALS: No mention is ever made of the above-mentioned small 'O' rings – although they are clearly shown on the BMW TIS (manual) and ETK (parts list) – probably because they are not included in the filter kit. As explained in the above paragraph, they play a vital role - if they leak, pressurised oil from the filter is permitted to escape into the sump, so by-passing the bearings! A failure of these rings could therefore be disastrous. The filter with a metal cover uses only one small 'O' ring. (The part number is 11.42.1.744.001)

Neither the BMW or German & Swedish filter kits include these rings, although the BMW manual (on the TIS CD) advises that they must be replaced with each filter. Even BMW dealerships do not however replace them - I checked with my local dealership, who had fitted 12,000 filters in the previous year, and ordered 8 (yes, eight!) small 'O' rings . . . and those 8 had been ordered for me!

REFILLING: Fill the sump to a point halfway between the ‘Min’ and ‘Max’ marks on the dipstick, Remember that the filter will Initially be empty, as it cannot be primed by being filled before the cover is fitted, for the drain passage to the sump will be open until the cover is fully tightened. It is therefore good practice to prime the oil system before starting, by operating the starter motor in very short bursts until the low oil pressure light is extinguished while cranking. Ideally, remove the fuel pump fuses to prevent the engine from starting, and also remove the spark plugs to reduce bearing loads. When pressure has been fully established start the engine, and allow it to idle for a couple of minutes, then stop. After a minute or so check the oil level, and adjust until the level is half-way between the ‘Max’ and ‘Min’ marks. This will prevent any risk of the oil being ‘frothed’ by contact with the crankshaft, and also reduce any tendency for oil consumption.

CHECKING OIL CONSUMPTION: If your engine tends to burn oil, do not continually top up to the ‘Max’ mark, as the initial amount is always burnt faster than the remainder of the oil. Fill accurately to a new mark, filed on the dipstick between the ‘Min’ and ‘Max’ marks. Allow the level to reach the ‘Min’ mark before refilling, then record the exact volume used to refill to the new mark. This practice which will give a clearer indication of the average consumption rate than use of the 'Max' mark.

Bodger · Post by **Bodger** » Tue 23 Aug, 2005 18:18

Anyone know the torque of the sump plug on a 51 2.2 sport.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed 24 Aug, 2005 17:04

Don't worry about torquing the drain plug, unless you insist on using a long socket bar with a piece of steel tube on the end!

IF you use a combination spanner about a foot long,your hands will pack in before the drain plug threads.

The reason for BMW quoting a torque figure for the drain plaug is due to the use at the factory of automatic tools, which do not have and 'feel' or discretion. They therefore need to be set to a particular torque figure.

I always think peopple who insist on using a torque wrench for such mundane tasks either don't know what they are doing, or have a torque wrench and just loove to be seen usng it!

SledgeHammer · Post by **SledgeHammer** » Wed 24 Aug, 2005 20:00

Bodger wrote:I didn't say I was going to torque the sump plug, just asking if you knew the figure.

M54 engine --> Oil drain plug --> The TIS gives two options:

M12x1.5 | 25Nm
M22x1.5 | 60Nm

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri 26 Aug, 2005 12:57

I should also have added that, as the factory machines are fitting new components - which means dry, oil-free threads - that applying the specified torque on oiled threads (the sump threads are always in an oiled condition) there is a danger of over-thghtening.

A friend of mine used to always use his shiney new torque wrench on ALL the fasteners of his motorcycle, and being a careful chap, he always greased the threads. He soon found that he was stripping the threads! Always put judgement before basis torque figures, and try to develop a natural 'feel' for thread tightness. Ideally get hold of an old engine, such as an old Honda 50 etc, and experiment by removing and then tightening the various bolts - it can give really valuable experience in developing this 'feel.'

As a general guide, just tighten the plug until it will not turn any more, then apply a final bit of effort to lock the threads in position. If you have doubts about the security of the plug, try unscrewing it - you will soon gain confidence in your work.

JCH · Post by **JCH** » Thu 15 Dec, 2005 11:15

Which would be the best oil to use for my 2000 2ltr. Everyday usage.

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Thu 15 Dec, 2005 16:49

JCH wrote:Which would be the best oil to use for my 2000 2ltr. Everyday usage.

Mobile 1 0w/40 should be fine in that and is easily available.

With regards primiing the oil system I'd recommend removing the spark plugs before cranking it over as this means the starter will crank over much faster but also thee is little or no loading on the crank and bearings whilst oil is circulated. Cranking over with the plugs in is little different to just starting it up and letting the oil flow round IMO.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri 16 Dec, 2005 17:03

As CH states, removal of the spark plugs is the ideal way to go, and is in fact my own preference, but how many of those who own BMWs - or any other make of car - would be able to manage such a herculean feat? There are enough messages from people asking how to remove the spark plug cover, never mind anything more major! this is why I decided against suggesting such an apparently radical operation.

In these days when very few people have any kind of technical background it's difficult enough for most people to drain the oil, never mind anything else. At least some owners will try to help themselves by performing monor tasks, if they are not too complicated, and it's better to encourage them than put them off.

At least by cranking without starting the engine is almost as kind as cranking with removal of the spark plugs - the basic compression pressure is a lot lower than the combustion pressure would be. Priming the bearings on light load by any means is a lot kinder than the usual practice found in dealerships, where the engine is started and left to lok after itself.

It's a pity no-one makes an alternative oil filter cover with a filler plug in it, so that we could prime the filter before starting the engine. Unfortunately the various BMW specialists know their public, and keep to profitable items such as shiney bits of trim and angele eyes etc!

Dave C · Post by **Dave C** » Sat 19 Aug, 2006 15:22

May I also suggest warming the engine before draining the oil, It will flow more easily from various galleries round the engine ensuring all the 'dirty' oil is removed.

JontyP · Post by **JontyP** » Fri 18 May, 2007 09:38

Just wanted to add to this that the oil filter kit (at least for the ///M) comes with a new small o-ring for the end of the housing cap fixing bolt (the small one Mike referred to at the beginning). Also comes with new sump plug washer (ally type not copper. Agree with Mike here that the copper crush type a better), new o-ring for the housing cap and a new gasket for under the head of the housing cap fixing bolt.

Gonna do an oil change this weekend as I am half way between services and doing a fair amount of shortish runs at the moment.

Thanks to Mike for another helpful article.

Jonty

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri 18 May, 2007 12:08

That seems to be a pretty comprehensive filter kit - is it a BMW part or G&S?

JontyP · Post by **JontyP** » Fri 18 May, 2007 12:22

Hi Mike

It's a genuine BM kit. I prefer OEM stuff when it comes to the oily bits. I was pleasantly surprised myself. All for a tenner aswell. Who said BM's were expensive to run

.

Jonty

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Fri 18 May, 2007 16:15

Mike Fishwick wrote:That seems to be a pretty comprehensive filter kit - is it a BMW part or G&S?

When I get my oil filter from BMW it comes with everything like the washers, o-rings etc too, about £7 I think. Part No. 11427833769 but I think this may be for M engines only (although the filter element looks the same from what I remember the 2.8 looked like).

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri 18 May, 2007 17:09

It seems incredible that everything is included for the older type of filter, but the kit used by the majority of engines does not inlcude the most vital components. Crazy!

kostverloren · Post by **kostverloren** » Sat 19 May, 2007 01:09

The Fumoto Valve eliminates jacking to change oil or ever worrying about the plug. A whole bunch of us use it here in the states and swear by it. No worries about clearance either.

http://www.lubricationspecialist.com/fr ... UAodPzC73Q

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat 19 May, 2007 08:56

These suction devices may be easy to use, but cannot be guaranteed toremove sludge deposits, or even all the old oil - they may be OK on newish engines, but not high mileage cars. What's so hard about jacking the car up and removing a drain plug? A quick look under the car is part of a proper oil change, and it's amazing what you sometimes find .

kostverloren · Post by **kostverloren** » Sat 19 May, 2007 12:34

It is not a suction device, it in fact replaces the oil plug so all oil and residue at the bottom of the pan drains. The positive points of this valve is, time savings and draining on a level surface without having to jack up the car. When I need to inspect the bottom side I drive it up on ramps which I frequently do.[/u]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat 19 May, 2007 12:49

Ah - all is clear - I have read so much in US websites of suction devices, but never of an extended drain plug, which I presume is what we are talking about.

It's a clever idea, but I really don't see the point, as oil changes are not exactly an everyday requirement. I suppose my problem is that I actually enjoy looking, cleaning, and painting the underside of my car!

Send us a picture of this device - I don't think it is sold in the UK.

Post by **Robert T** » Sat 19 May, 2007 16:15

Mike Fishwick wrote:Send us a picture of this device - I don't think it is sold in the UK.

What's wrong with the one on the link provided?

Cheers R.

Dave C · Post by **Dave C** » Sat 19 May, 2007 17:26

Don't like the idea of THAT! what would happen if god forbid, you run out of groung clearance??? normally you would end up with a dented sump, if you're lucky, but drivable non the less. I could quite easily see this device either snapping off or opening itself expelling all the oil in the engine. which wouldn't be good!! I'd rather do it the old fashioned way of warming the engine, removing filler cap and jacking up vehicle so that the drain plug is at the lowest point if possible. At least you can have a good look around whilst under there to see if anything else needs attention.

Just a thought

kostverloren · Post by **kostverloren** » Sun 20 May, 2007 02:55

This does not protrude any lower than the drain plug which is at a 90o angle to the oil pan. In order to snap it off you would really have to hit something horrific and I guarantee if that happened you would stop to assess any damage regardless if it was a plug or a valve. I do not in any way represent this company, I just thought I'd throw it out there FYI. I don't have a handle on how many BMW's here in the states use it, but I have never read of any problems.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun 20 May, 2007 07:45

I cannot open this link - how about a picture, or a decent description?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun 20 May, 2007 08:24

Mike,

That Fumoto valve is essentially a tap! - http://www.fumotovalve.com/

I am sure they are safe, but i just wouldn't feel comfortable fitting one.

I hear what you say about oil changes not being an everyday occurrence, but ironically in the states it almost is. I spend a bit of time reading the US boards and lived there for a while. Over there they change the oil a LOT more than we do. It seems to be a cultural thing and is why you see a "Jiffy lube" in every town. Maybe this is because oil used to be cheap or because the general quality of engine oil is poor. I don't know. Seriously, the thought of going 7,500 miles between oil changes would have some crawling up the walls. Weird!

Si.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun 20 May, 2007 13:26

Now I see what it is!

On a Z3 it would be fitted horizontally - unlike the picture - so there is no risk of grounding it, and the 'X' brace below the engine would protect it anyway.

I still don't really see the point, except for those who have a morbid fear of stripping their drain plug threads, which would be pretty difficult anyway, unless you were using a long bar with a piece of tube on the end! People who work like that would be better advised to have someone else do their work! A little sympathy, and a six-inch long spanner would eliminate such a risk anyway.

One criticism though - I would imagine that (particularly in the salt/sand-strewn UK) if any road grit were to enter the discharge side of the valve, it would cause wear of the seals, and promote slight leakage. Some kind of plug would be a good idea.

It just seems a lot of trouble for nothing - you still have to jack the car up, and in exchange for not having to unscrew and screw up the sump plug, you trade the risk of the valve coming loose.

I think this valve would be of more use to drain oil from a large storage drum etc, but as a drain point on a car it seems overkill.

JontyP · Post by **JontyP** » Sun 20 May, 2007 18:15

Definately wouldn't want one on the ///M. The drain plug on the S54 motor is at the bottom right in the middle (so jacking the front of the car works well in that case) and is vertical so that tap would be at increased risk of damage IMHO.

Jonty

henrycrun · Post by **henrycrun** » Wed 30 May, 2007 13:08

How important is it to retorque to 25Nm when tightening up the filter housing ?

I've been using a strap wrench (for oil can filters) for the last 25+ years and wondered if I need to get the proper oil filter tool for the Z ?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed 30 May, 2007 15:22

The main thing is to screw the filter cover down fully - I use a bar about 10 inches long, and just screw it up comfortaby tight. Once the large 'O' ring is seated into the top of the filter housing it is sealed anyway, so there are no marks forovertightening. 25 Nm is about 18 lb-ft, or about the comfortable limit for one hand.

henrycrun · Post by **henrycrun** » Thu 31 May, 2007 21:16

Cheers mdears. Picked up the proper 14 flat tool for <£5 today

Robin · Post by **Robin** » Thu 31 May, 2007 21:38

mich wrote:
Robin wrote:Be wary about using excessive torque when screwing the drain plug back in. They can be sods to undo at the next change if done up too tightly.
I had to use a cold chisel on the flange of the plug to get it undone !
A Monkey wrench, which is self tightening, would have been the way to go.

There was insufficient room for a monkey wrench. Incidently I've always let the engine crank over on tickover after oil changes. There's plenty of residual oil on the big end shells & other surfaces to lubricate the engine for those few seconds until the oil light goes out. The loading on tickover is extremely low compared to under normal use.

mich · Post by **mich** » Fri 01 Jun, 2007 05:07

I agree Robin, I really do not understand what all the fuss about empty oil filters is about, It seems all theory and no practice. I have never seen an oil filter primed in a garage, I have never primed one myself, as you say there is plenty of oil left on all surfaces providing lubrication until the oil pressure builds up

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri 01 Jun, 2007 10:41

It's the difference between what you can get away with, and what is accewpted as being good practice.

Yes - no-one has ever had an engine sieze while waiting for the air/oil mixture to be pumped through the bearings, but in the long term it does no good. Whether one is concerend by this or not really depends on the length of time the car will be kept for - in my case the Red Zed will be kept for ever (couln't afford to change it, even if ther was anything else I fancied!) so I am more concerned about such matters than most people.

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Fri 01 Jun, 2007 13:28

Regarding priming the engine; I think it's mainly due to the fact that it's expected a good engine will "last" 150,000miles and in that time the wear the extra bearings may by not priming get is an acceptable part of engine life.

One thing that does put me off doing it on the BMW is that it takes ages to do (top cover, coil parks etc) unlike my 4-pot 205 which doesn;t take that long and has been primed after every oil change since I've had it (since 1998). On the Peugeot Mi16 engine it's supposed to be hard on its bearings (particularly if tracked), mine has been tracked more than most cars would ever be and it's currently on 190,000miles and touch wood is fine (had it since 70k). This has the bonus of having an oil pressure gauge sometihing that isn't often seen on modern cars these days, one reason could be to hide any low pressure issues compared to a new engine (the standard oil pressure light is usually only about 10psi so isn't a good indicator of pressure).

Robin · Post by **Robin** » Fri 01 Jun, 2007 17:56

HELP
I'm about to put 10-60 Edge in my car in the hope the Vanos may be quieter.
Anyone know which side the drain plug is on the ///M ?
It was easy on my old 2.8.
All I can see under the engine of the ///M is a black plastic cover held on with bolts !
Do I need to remove this to reach the drain plug ?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun 03 Jun, 2007 08:38

I think it's on the bottom of the sump on the S50 engine, under the plastic shield.

Robin · Post by **Robin** » Sun 03 Jun, 2007 08:46

Mike
I discovered there's a small separate plastic cover for the drain plug on the left.
Next time I'll get one of these. The Mityvac Fluid Evacuator to suck the oil out through the dip stick hole.
http://www.uktools.com/product_info.php ... c7c3cab871
Or Topsider
http://www.amazon.com/Northern-Tool-and ... B0000AXBO5

Beaker · Post by **Beaker** » Tue 30 Oct, 2007 20:29

Hi,

I have a 1.9 1999 z3 with a lot of tappet noise, my first plan is to do an engine oil change. I'm having probs finding info on the best oil to use. Does anyone know? Any help appreciated.

Thank you,
Gilbert.

SpunkyM · Post by **SpunkyM** » Wed 31 Oct, 2007 13:23

If you want posh stuff then Mobil 1 0W-40 or Castrol Edge sport will be fine. There is no adjustment on the tappets on your car as it has self-adjusting hydraulic lifters. It's quite common that the lifters get a bit gummed up over time. This stops them filling with oil properly which causes incorrect valve clearance and a 'tappety' sound when the engine is running.

You can buy an oil additive called hydraulic valve lifter cleaner (think I have even seen it in Halfords) but I'm not convinced it works particularly well. The best course of action really is to take the rocker cover off and replace the offending Hydraulic lifter/s. They will be around £20 each.

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Wed 31 Oct, 2007 14:12

I seem to hear a fair few 4 cylinder BMWs of E36 age making top ending noises sounding like cam wear.

Beaker · Post by **Beaker** » Fri 02 Nov, 2007 08:24

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

I think it's the downside of finding a P reg with only 14,000 miles on the clock.

I don't think it'll be the cam but worth a look anyway. I had a fair idea my engine would have self-adjusting hydraulic lifters but it's good to get that confirmed, cheers.

I'll look into getting the lifters or lifter fixed.

Thanks,
These forums are excellent by the way

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Fri 02 Nov, 2007 09:35

It sounds like, with that kind of mileage, that the oil has been changed according to mileage; ie hardly ever!

You could try the cleaner stuff spunkyM suggests, but I wouldn't run the engine for a long time on that as the oil is thinned by this kind of stuff. I would also suggest changing the oil regularly in it (as in every few thousand miles assuming you're using it for average mileage), this will hopefully slowly "clean up" the engine, in particular the hydraulic followers which could be a little gummed up.

SpunkyM · Post by **SpunkyM** » Fri 02 Nov, 2007 18:19

Yeh, forgot to mention - I would only run the cleaner in the engine for a week or so before you do your oil change. Then put some nice clean stuff in minus cleaner.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat 03 Nov, 2007 09:47

Don't waste money using an expensive oil for this cleaning job - you need something with a very high detergent level - such as VW Quantum 10-40 SJ. I have used this for years in Golf GTI engines, and it's fine - made by Esso, and available quite cheaply from German & Swedish.

I once had a really sticky hydraulic tappet on a GTI in the Czech Republic, which would not let the cylinder run at low speeds, and clacked like mad. It did not improve much on the way home, when after a few days with this oil it cured itself, and I used it for many years afterwards (oil and car!)

zroadster.net

Oil Change Tips

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Torqueing

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Re: Oil

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Kit Bits

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Oil Change

Fumoto

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Re: Plug

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Link

Its a tap!

Mush Ado about Nothing?

Torque

Priming

Plug

Best oil for z3 1.9

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