DIY: E36 Oil Change - For the new DIYer

[m3f_das borgen]

^ wait that sounds familiar - maybe it's the same story LOL.



It was a guy that called into car talk telling the guys that his wife did it... perhaps your friend was covering up his own mistake. I believe the car on the show was ALSO a Subaru forrester.

I'm an avid listener of car talk ( I get the podcast) and I remember that Subaru story. One of my favorites for a laugh. Gotta admire the strength of that subie as well as the good intent those women had



I love waiting for VW stories and seeing how well I actually my dubs



Car talk is a great hour killer on Monday mornings at work ...as well as Adam Carolla's "carcast" (one word)

[m3f_fitchesbass]

^ agree except I am too busy at work to listen to podcast so I normally hit them up in my car while I sit in DC traffic argh!


Never heard of adam carrola's podcast. I'll have to check it out.

[m3f_das borgen]

^ agree except I am too busy at work to listen to podcast so I normally hit them up in my car while I sit in DC traffic argh!



Never heard of adam carrola's podcast. I'll have to check it out.

He's not bad. He's a domestics (V8s) gearhead I see. He knocked on Hyundai 2 or 3 casts ago, which showed me just how ignorant he is of how Hyundai is good if not great now

[m3f_fitchesbass]

Yeah, well I like Car Talk - they are so comical. Half of it isn't even informational for me - more or less entertaining listening to the people that call in.


Did you hear the one from this past week with the woman from Alaska with the volcanoes? It was hilarious.

[m3f_slickfast]

I love Car Talk... such a great traffic killer. I also can't work while listening to a talkshow, there's way too much to think about it takes all 4 of my brain cells to be productive!

[m3f_BleedsBlue]

Wait. Adam Carrola is now considered knowledgable about something other than STDs? Wtf. I miss Love Line

[m3f_The Jack]

I feel bad derailing the car talk-talk, but my torque wrench done goofed, and I guess I did too by not questioning anything, but it didnt make any noise or vibration when going past the 18 ft-lb I set it to and the bolt head snapped off. Oddly, the bolt is hollow on the inside so I am going to just get a tap and screw it out tomorrow. Do you guys think that the threads were really hurt in the process, or did the plug likely snap before the threads were hurt. I'm guessing the latter....? Thanks and good writeup!

[m3f_m3onrails]

They're built hollow for that exact reason. Carefully remove the rest of it and check to make sure the threads aren't damaged, but if they are, you can chase them with a properly sized tap. Just again be careful and try not to get any metal shavings inside the pan!


Reading through this thread is a blast from the past though... I remember when Derek posted it and all of these members were regulars on here. Good times.

[m3f_hencini]

Reading through this thread is a blast from the past though... I remember when Derek posted it and all of these members were regulars on here. Good times.

Indeed. Fun bump...

[m3f_shaft9ii]

Sidenote for the oil change DIY, I usually run the car up to operating temp in order to make the oil flow easier. Watch out for burns!

[m3f_matty.]

^agreed with above to add oil drainage results are best after 20 min of regular driving. Also add that it helps to take filler cap and filter housing cap to allow gravity to do its job and prevent creating a small vacuum.



I aloe like to add fresh oil into the filter area as much as possible wo overflowing. This way you get some fresh oil back into the empty motor a little sooner.

[m3f_fitchesbass]

They're built hollow for that exact reason. Carefully remove the rest of it and check to make sure the threads aren't damaged, but if they are, you can chase them with a properly sized tap. Just again be careful and try not to get any metal shavings inside the pan!



Reading through this thread is a blast from the past though... I remember when Derek posted it and all of these members were regulars on here. Good times.

Indeed. Fun bump...

Hope all is well gents!



Miss my E36

[m3f_matty.]

Hope all is well gents!



Miss my E36

Nice to see one of the oldschoolers still checking in.



So not to pry, but what car/ or bike did you end up with and what made you decide to sell the e36??

[m3f_NolliM3]

All -



Here are some old pictures I took in an effort to create a simple instruction for DIY oil change. I know most on this forum know how to change their oil already, but I didn't spot any DIY oil change on here. (forgive me if I over looked it).



This is a good first DIY for those new to BMWs and DIYing. As most of you know, DIYing is an integral part to maintaining an E36 and this is a good first step in working on the car yourself.







1) Jack up the front of the car. For lowered cars you may be forced to use the OEM jack kit in the trunk. Place jack stands under the hockey pucks on each side of the to make sure that it is stable.











2) With an oil catch pan ready, loosen the oil drain plug. It is 17mm.







3) Let the oil drain into the pan and go put the hood on the car







4) Now on the top side of the engine bay, locate the oil filter canister







5) Undo the top of screw on the filter cap (13mm) and remove the lid. With the lid remove grab the filter out (have newspaper or a bin ready as it will probably be full of oil and start leaking)







6) Grab the OEM oil filter kit (you did buy one ahead of time, didn't you?)







7) Contents of the OEM filter kit: new filter, new gasktets for the filter lid and a small rubber gasket for the filter canister screw. Also a crush washer for the oil drain plug









8) Using a small screw driver replace the gaskets on the filter cap lid and the end of the long screw from the filter canister. To make sure they seal good and push on into the proper area use a dab of oil around each gasket.









9) At this point feel free to clean up the filter housing and lid with a clean rag. Place the new filter into the canister. Replace the lid with the new gasket and insert and tighten down the the long bolt for the filter canister with the new silver washer provided in the OEM filter kit. Tighten the bolt to 15 to 18 ft-lbs







10) By now the oil should be done draining. Put the new crush washer (copper in color) on the end of the drain plug and tighten it to the oil pan. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN!! It does not need Hercules strengthen to seal the drain plug. Roughly 25 ft-lbs if you have a torque wrench





11) With the drain plug now in place, move to the top and undo the oil filter fill cap. Using a funnel add your choice of oil to the car. I typically used 15w50 mobil gold cap in the summer months. US E36 M3s take 6.9 quarts of oil







12) Safely put the car back on the ground. Check the oil with the dip stick. I recommend checking the oil level again after the next short drive you take in the car and really is easily done at every gas fill up.



Enjoy

Awesome...just great for new owners...wished you had also touched on the final step of telling the car that its oil had been changed...possibly the most intimidating part for new BMW owners...especially if they never had a car that needed to tell the oil changed.

Nice job Derek

A few small corrections...



I think you meant "pop" the hood.



Also, technically, the hockey pucks aren't made to support the weight of the vehicle. You're supposed to remove them, put a rag or some newpaper inbetween the unibody and the jack stand, and support the car without the hockey pucks in place. I leave them in place, personally, but just an FYI. I believe the reason why many people loose their hockey pucks (i've dumped one on an autoX course actually ) is that they deform from supporting the weight of the car.



One more thing you may want to note is that the design of the oil pan prohibits it from draining the capacity of the oil if the car is only raised at the front end. Putting it up on all 4 corners will allow more to evacuate. It's splitting hairs, but I mention it because there's mention of the oil capacity. Jacking up only the front end and filling up with 6.9 quarts will likely result in overfilling.



</pain in the *** know-it-all mode>



FYI, for those who aren't yet regulars around here...Derek has long since sold his car and moved on to bigger and better things. Props to him for continuing to contribute to the E36 community even though he's not driving one anymore.

My first oil change (about six weeks ago) I tilt the car towards the passenger side by lowering the jack stand on that side. When I finished, I noticed some old oil had been trapped in the oil dip stick tube...next time I'll remove the oil dip stick...gravity should completely drain the oil.

[m3f_fitchesbass]

Nice to see one of the oldschoolers still checking in.



So not to pry, but what car/ or bike did you end up with and what made you decide to sell the e36??

I'm keeping it for the most part in the BMW family



Sold the E36 for this Z4M coupe.

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=456258



Then in the last year sold the Z4M for an E92 M

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=465412