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fw:Re: M3 oil change

Thanks to everyone who responded!
If anyone is interested,
Here is a fairly detailed procedure on changing oil.
Thanks to Scott for taking the time to make the procedure.

Later,
Reji

- ---forwarded-message---->

Sep 19 00:55 1996
From:      'edpm3@domain.elided' (BNR400)
Subject:   Re: M3 oil change



>1. What are the tools, and the equipment I need to do a proper oil change?
>2. What size wrench do you use to loosen the drain plug and to loosen the
filter cap.?
>3. Do I need to jack the car up to drain the oil?
>4. Do I need to buy the oil filter kit, or will just a filter do? I believe
the filter kit comes with the rubber rings that must also be changed.
>5. I probably need a oil service indicator reset tool.
Where is a good place to get one?
>6. I have seen on the digest that there is a an electric oil changer that
sucks all the oil and sludge out. Is this necessary or will just draining
the oil do. Do they use such equipment at the delearships?

>A step by step guide on changing the oil and the tools and supplies needed
>would be a great help.



Reji,

It's fairly straightforward to service the M3, but does require some extra
work and equipment because the oil drain plug is so far under the car.
Here's how I do it:

Tools required:

17mm box wrench (socket wrench can also work)
13mm socket wrench (box wrench will work)
One very tiny flat tip screwdriver
One hydraulic jack.
One jack stand
One oil drain pan

Procedure:

Start the car and let it run for at least five minutes to warm up the oil.
Turn the car off.

Put car in gear.

Put parking brake on.

Open the hood.

Remove and clean the oil filler cap.

Remove and clean the oil dipstick.

Using hydraulic floor jack under the right forward jacking point, lift the
car until a jackstand can be placed under a suspension member.

Place the oil drain pan under the oil drain plug.

With the 17mm wrench, remove the oil drain plug and let the oil drain.

Remove the crush washer from the drain plug and discard.

Remove the jack stand and let the car down with the hydraulic jack until
the car is level.

While the oil is draining, using the 13mm wrench, remove the center bolt
from the oil filter housing.

Remove the rubber o-ring from the filter housing cover and discard.

Using the tiny screwdriver, remove the small o-ring from the end of the
center bolt and discard.

Remove the washer from the center bolt and discard.

Remove the oil filter element from the filter housing and dispose of properly.

Open the plastic bag that came with the new oil filter. Place the large
washer on the oil drain plug. Place the small washer on the center filter
housing bolt. Lubricate the large o-ring with clean oil and place it in the
groove in the filter housing cover. Lubricate the small o-ring and place it
on the end of the filter housing center bolt.

Using a clean rag, soak up any remaining oil from the filter housing.

Place the new oil filter in the filter housing. Replace the cover and
center bolt. The two tabs on the cover should face front and back. Tighten
center bolt to 20-24 lb-ft.

When all the oil is drained from the oil pan,jack the car back up,
re-position the jack stand, and replace the oil drain plug. Tighten to
24-26 lb-ft.

Optional:  Making certain you do not start the car, switch on the ignition
key to position 1. Check engine light should indicate oil level is low.

Remove the oil drain pan and dispose of waste oil properly. (Around here,
Western Auto will take five gallons at a time.)

Remove the jack stand; let the car down with the jack. Remove the jack.

Install 7 quarts of the oil of your choice. Keep empty oil cans in sight so
you can keep track of how many quarts you added.

Replace oil filler cap and dipstick.

Check other fluid levels (brake, radiator, power steering); top off as
necessary.

Check condition of hoses and belts and general condition of engine compartment.

Double check that all drain plugs and bolts are in place, and that all
tools have been removed from the engine compartment and from under the car.

Start the car; let run for five minutes. Check drain plug and filter
housing for leaks.

Turn the car off. Wail five minutes. Check oil level on dipstick. Top off
as necessary.

Note the mileage, add 3,000, and when you get there, do it again.

Caution: Whenever you lift the car and work under it, use only a quality
hydraulic floor jack in good condition. Do not use the emergency jack that
came with the car. Never put any part of yourself under the car unless you
have positioned a quality jack stand such that the car cannot fall. If you
have any questions about where to jack the car or where to position a jack
stand, consult a qualified automotive technician.

For what it's worth, that's how I do it. To answer your other questions, I
always use the filter kit. I just don't like re-using crush washers. You
can get the reset tool through any one of a number of Roundel advertisers.
Or, someone in your local BMW CCA chapter (if you live near one) can
probably help you out with one.

As for the device that sucks out the oil, I would only recommend that in an
emergency (i.e. you don't have access to a drain pan, no room, no jack,
etc.) I don't know of any dealers in the U.S. that use this method, but I
have seen it done in Germany. However, I was not generally impressed with
the level of service or expertise at many BMW dealerships in Germany, so
that doesn't really mean anything. The units they used in Germany generated
a lot of suction pressure, much more, I think, that the do-it-yourself
units offered in the U.S. aftermarket. About the only way you could tell if
one of those "pump it out" jobs works would be to pull the oil pan after
using one and seeing what kind of sludge or residue is left, and then
compare it to what's left after a normal oil drain. (Pulling the oil pan on
an M3 is very, very expensive.) I might take a chance on one with my lawn
tractor, but not my M3.

Hope this helps.

Scott


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Subject: Re: M3 oil change
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