Air & Oil Filter kit - are these any good?

[John1950]

I spotted this on E-bay this evening.
It seems over cheap - can anyone tell me if they are of good quality. Should I buy them?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-PART-FILTER ... 2c6601ebae

Oh, and one other question. I want to change the engine oil, what is recommended please (I was thinking of Castrol Magnatec).

Thanks

[Jonco]

Would not take any risks with an oil filter. There is a brand name on one of the components in the photo but you need to know the brand and spec of the one you will get. Also make sure you change any `O' rings on the filter stem.
For oil recommendations have a look at http://www.opieoils.co.uk/ and/or look at Mike Fishwick's excellent write-up in the knowledge base.

[John1950]

Would not take any risks with an oil filter. There is a brand name on one of the components in the photo but you need to know the brand and spec of the one you will get. Also make sure you change any `O' rings on the filter stem.
For oil recommendations have a look at http://www.opieoils.co.uk/ and/or look at Mike Fishwick's excellent write-up in the knowledge base.

Ah, I did wonder if there was a Knowledge Base article - let me go and have a search.

Thanks Jonco.

[Del]

The picture shown on the ebay advert John is from the front page of the MEHR catalogue. MEHR seems to be a budget filter brand from a parent company called Autolamps that seems to trade mostly on ebay.

I like a bargain myself but I tend to look for a premium brand (Mann, Hengst, Bosch etc) which you can get very reasonably via the internet trading arm of Euro Car Parts - http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/?gclid=C ... tAodpB8AEw

When it comes to engine oil, most seem to use a fully synthetic 5W-30 or 5W-40. The brand is really a matter of personal preference.

[z3steve]

Hi thought i'd just give you my two cents worth as I've just done my oil change and filter. I bought mine from Euro Car Parts and currently they are doing a deal if you buy Triple QX oil you can have the filter for free, and also 25% off the cost of the oil. I bought two 5 litre (5w 40 fully synthetic) bottles and two oil filters (Hengst) and the total came to £35.98. You have to order this via the website using the offer code 'midmonth25'. Very good deal for ten litres of decent oil and two filters.

Hope this helps!

Cheers, Steve

[Del]

Thanks for pointing out that special offer Steve. I was going to change my oil (1.9) later in the summer but have just bought that oil/filter kit now for £17.99!. That oil has the BMW approval as well!

[John1950]

Hi thought i'd just give you my two cents worth as I've just done my oil change and filter. I bought mine from Euro Car Parts and currently they are doing a deal if you buy Triple QX oil you can have the filter for free, and also 25% off the cost of the oil. I bought two 5 litre (5w 40 fully synthetic) bottles and two oil filters (Hengst) and the total came to £35.98. You have to order this via the website using the offer code 'midmonth25'. Very good deal for ten litres of decent oil and two filters.

Hope this helps!

Cheers, Steve

Hi Steve

That helped a lot. I'll be looking up Euro Car Parts tonight when I get back in.

Many thanks.

[Zedbedee]

I've used Triple QX from Euro Car Parts for some time with no problems. I don't leave it in until the service lights tell me to change but I wouldn't leave any oil in that long. Go for it.

[Devon Z]

I've used Triple QX from Euro Car Parts for some time with no problems. I don't leave it in until the service lights tell me to change but I wouldn't leave any oil in that long. Go for it.

Just picked up 7 litres of Triple QX 5w-40 fully synth with a free Hengst oil filter(made in Germany and looks better than OE) for £28 from Euro car parts, good deal

[gedo]

I've used Triple QX from Euro Car Parts for some time with no problems. I don't leave it in until the service lights tell me to change but I wouldn't leave any oil in that long. Go for it.

Just picked up 7 litres of Triple QX 5w-40 fully synth with a free Hengst oil filter(made in Germany and looks better than OE) for £28 from Euro car parts, good deal

Just order the same for my 2.8 which should be going back on the road for May. Good find !

[John1950]

Well, thanks everyone.
As it happened, Janet my partner called her 'ex' who's a mechanic over in Wales. He's coming over to visit us a week on Friday and said he would bring the right oil. Meanwhile, I'm going to buy one of these:
http://www.eurocarparts.com/oilfilter - probably the Hengst.
So, I'll have help getting the engine oil sorted (I have a back problem so can't do much work myself). The current oil/filter were changed this time last year and I've only done about 4000 miles but the car's been sat in the garage since last November so I think it might be a good idea to get it changed.
I think I'll also go to a local German car specialists garage and get them to do a few other things and ask them to be so nice as to change the service lights for me (they did last time).

[Bonzo]

Or you can do the service lights yourself John. Mike Fishwick knowledgebase tells you how. just try a search if you fancy having a go. I did it ok.

Cheers,

Bonzo.

[John1950]

Or you can do the service lights yourself John. Mike Fishwick knowledgebase tells you how. just try a search if you fancy having a go. I did it ok.

Cheers,

Bonzo.

Really? I thought it needed a computer. I'll have a look for Mike's article then.

[XVar]

Yep oil/service lights just needs a paper clip at the minimum, or you can get a tool which basically mimics a paper clip but fits in the diagnostics socket if you don't trust yourself to bridge the right pins

[stupot50]

Pin 7 to earth pin 19 for 3 seconds, did mine yesterday

[XVar]

Here's the pinout diagram, use the orientation of the pacman shape to match it up:

[John1950]

Pin 7 to earth pin 19 for 3 seconds, did mine yesterday

I'd like to have a go at this but I'm not quite clear what you mean above:

Does that mean pin 19 is the earth pin and that I simply short 7 and 19 for three secs (I'd hate to get something like this wrong).

[Jonco]

John,
This write-up may explain it a bit better for you although some of it is OTT.
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/electr ... ights.html

You do not need anything fancy - some people refer to the paperclip method as mentioned above.

If you look at the table at the bottom of the article you will see that Pin 7 is the service reset pin and pin 19 is the ground (earth) pin.

You do not have to use pin 19 - you can make the earth to the chassis which I prefer as there is less risk of touching the wrong pin.

[John1950]

John,
This write-up may explain it a bit better for you although some of it is OTT.
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/electr ... ights.html

You do not need anything fancy - some people refer to the paperclip method as mentioned above.

If you look at the table at the bottom of the article you will see that Pin 7 is the service reset pin and pin 19 is the ground (earth) pin.

You do not have to use pin 19 - you can make the earth to the chassis which I prefer as there is less risk of touching the wrong pin.

Many thanks Jonco. I've copied that and pasted into a Word doc ready for future use. I'm gradually building up quite a lot of documents like this so that when or if I sell the car, the new owner will have a whole pile of useful information for looking after the Zed

[Jonco]

........... I sell the car, the new owner will have a whole pile of useful information for looking after the Zed

Sell ?????? It should be the love of you life now - for better for worse, but never richer and always poorer.

[John1950]

........... I sell the car, the new owner will have a whole pile of useful information for looking after the Zed

Sell ?????? It should be the love of you life now - for better for worse, but never richer and always poorer.

Well, when I say 'sell' I mean't, "upon my death I bequeath......."
Mind you, I think I'd like a 3.0 instead of my 2.8.

[Pierrick]

I want to buy this one from car parts for less:
http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l/c/B ... ca8&000231

Did anyone bought it before? I want to know if it comes with all the right o-rings?

Thanks.

[Del]

Did anyone bought it before? I want to know if it comes with all the right o-rings?

Yes - I bought one (Hengst) from them a couple of weeks ago for my M44 engine and it comes with the two small o-rings, the large o-ring for the filter thread and a copper sump plug washer. Mann filters from GSF are also the same.

[Pierrick]

Thanks del! There is the copper washer for the sump plug as well!!! Very good!

[Mint]

I bought a Hengst last week from CarParts4Less for my 2.2 but it did not come with the small 'o' rings Only the big one and a copper washer for the sump plug.

[Badman gee]

Best to buy original oil filter. You need to change the small rubber seals as well.

All are included in the original part.

Not expensive either!

[bowei001]

On a non-M car, the small rubber rings are (were) not included with a BMW oil filter. Usually, I have to order them in as my dealer doesn't keep them in stock (interesting, as they should be changed at the same time as the filter - what do they do when they service a car?).

[Badman gee]

On a non-M car, the small rubber rings are (were) not included with a BMW oil filter. Usually, I have to order them in as my dealer doesn't keep them in stock (interesting, as they should be changed at the same time as the filter - what do they do when they service a car?).

They don't change them obviously!

[Mike Fishwick]

When I last bought some small 'O' rings, the parts man was sure that they were supplied in the filter kit! When I persuaded him to open a kit and see, he had to admit I was right.

His computer system told us that in the last year they had ordered 1000 filter kits, and 8 small 'O' rings - which had been ordered by me!

The BMW TIS manual calls for their replacement with every filter, but obvioulsy this does not happen, the customer having to suffer the consequences. I remember eading here of an M Roadster owner who, ten miles after an oil service at a dealer, found his engine transformed into a clanking ruin, the crankshaft bearings having siezed tothe crank and wrecked the crankcase. The dealer and BMW claimed that it was 'One of those things.'

A few years ago, the Chairman of the BMW Car Club raised this matter with BMW GB, and was fobbed off with the quick answer that they were 'Long Life' rings! If you believe such a thing (particularly from the mouth of a marketing man) you must also believe in Father Christmas . . .

[Del]

For my 1.9 (M44) I’ve bought several Mann filters from GSF and one Hengst filter from Eurocarparts/carparts4less and all have had a separate plastic packet in the box containing the 2 small o-rings, 1 large o-ring (filter thread seal) and copper sump washer. Both filter types state “Made in Germany” on the box and claim to be OE quality. They have always cost under £4 each. Strange how there’s this inconsistency for the 6 cylinder engines.

[BladeRunner919]

For my 1.9 (M44) I’ve bought several Mann filters from GSF and one Hengst filter from Eurocarparts/carparts4less and all have had a separate plastic packet in the box containing the 2 small o-rings, 1 large o-ring (filter thread seal) and copper sump washer. Both filter types state “Made in Germany” on the box and claim to be OE quality. They have always cost under £4 each. Strange how there’s this inconsistency for the 6 cylinder engines.

Just proves what everyone knows - that the M44 is the best Zed, they just won't admit it