CHANGING ENGINE OIL

For any combustion engine this is one of the most essential bits of maintenance. First thing I do is remember which type of oil the car is designed to use. In this case there is a sticker just under the hood that tells me what type of oil is desired.

My X5 takes the standard weight oil. I use this full synthetic: Castrol 5W-30

EQUIPMENT, SKILL, TIME, PARTS

I use the following tools: O ring Pick, -- 16 Quart Oil Pan, -- Funnel, -- Oil Filter Socket (BMW PN# 83-30-2-455-965-BOE) 86mm 16 Flute, needed to get the oil filter cap off Drain Plug Socket 12mm, -- General Torque Wrench (3/8th drive).

Low skill is needed for this maintenance.

This task should take about 30 min or less.

Make sure your parts work for your vehicle. The parts are: Castrol 5W-30 -- Oil filter with new O rings and washer,

STEP #1:

I put the oil filter socket on and just unscrewed at this point. I do this to allow air to enter into the system when the drain plug under the car is removed. I like doing it this way because it allows me to "aim" the oil stream and make sure it is draining into the pan.

STEP #2:

Find the drain plug under the engine. Typically it is the only bolt you can see under the car.

STEP #3:

With the drain pan close at hand (I usually "eyeball it" to get the drain pan in the right spot) then use the socket wrench to undo the drain plug. I apply pressure to it so that when the bolt is completely unscrewed I can just pull away quickly and thereby avoid getting hit with the stream of hot oil. Sometimes this means that I drop the plug but that is just fine. You can allways fish it out of the oil later.

STEP #4:

While the oil is draining I then go up top and finish unscrewing the oil filter and yank out the old filter and remove the old o rings.

STEP #5:

Put the new filter in along with the new o rings. I like to rub a little of the oil around the o rings so they are easier to reassemble. Screw the filter back in (25 Nm (18 ft-lb) torque)

STEP #6:

If the oil is finished draining then put the drain plug back in (25 Nm (18 ft-lb) torque). Be sure to replace the copper washer with the one from your oil filter kit.

STEP #7:

With both the drain plug and oil filter reassembled you are ready to refill the engine with oil. Use your funnel to do this and only put 1 qrts less than your max. You don't want to over fill. My car has a max of 7 qrts so I put in 6 then check the oil level. If you don't have the sport engine then your max will be less. I then take the car off the ramps and use the car computer to check the oil level. Depending on how the oil level reads you then fill with oil until the reading is between the max and min levels.

BAVARIAN TINKER

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