... I'm going to be having my first 'regular maintenance' done on my car (oil change, oil filter, fuel filter(?)) That's regular maintenance right? I'm going to do the airfilter.. just so I did something ... hehe :D I can't afford an intake right now, and I can't find any good guides to building one (I'm stupid and need pics with detail :P)

What oil should I be using? I looked in the owners manual and there was a receipt from where the previous owner took it somewhere and they used "Cast 20x50" oil. Is this because it can get really cold down here? I see you guys talking about using 5x40 or something like that...

and my Dad wants me to check my coolant to make sure it can go to -30 below (F). Shouldn't that be standard? Will it cost me to ask?

I'm full of questions :D Hah I just ran out to the car to make sure it said 20x50 oil and I looked at the NC Inspection Paper... I'm glad they do such a good job there it says "Six Cylinder"

*shakes head*
Hey! Maybe someone dropped in an M3 engine... *runs out to car* :capfalg1:

You know that asking a motor oil question will cause a big discussion. Since your car has over 100K it probably has run non-synthetics for most of its life so you should just keep it that way. I run 15W40 in mine with a quart of synthetic to give it a Semi-blend.
As for the intake, suck it up and buy the ECIS Intake, you'll love it and it is worth the cash, don't waste money on a new factory one.
If you car is manual you should also change the tranny fluid so that your running some new stuff, try RedLine they make some quality oils.
Really the coolant shouldn't be a problem, if its green then you should be fine. The factory says to use a 50/50 blend, (Coolant/Water) the coolant will keep the water from freezing and the water is the best way to remove heat from the engine.
Hope that this has answered some of your questions. Have fun with your new ride.

Just do it all your self...

air filter is like 11 bucks
interior air filter is like 16 bucks
fuel filter is about 16
oil filter runs about 5 bucks...

check your belts
consider flushing your brake system
tranny fluid drain/refill or flush if its an automatic
change differential fluid
flush your coolant also...
check power steering fluid...
check tires pressures
check brake/headlights
oil your sunroof assy


I use mobile 1 5-30? I think... synthetic...

I am sure other people can add to the list... most of its just checking stuff... and the rest is filters that should be done every year or two at least

Originally posted by SSJ_Chris

As for the intake, suck it up and buy the ECIS Intake, you'll love it and it is worth the cash, don't waste money on a new factory one.


I was going to get one... two problems. A.) $240 is -- a lot -- of cash on a high school budget making about $100 a week, with a $94 car payment every month, and $300 insurance every three months!
B.) They don't make one for my 318is, I asked this in a different thread, it supposedly won't fit.

If you have different information I'd love to see it as I really want an ECIS intake

I'd love to do all this stuff, but remember I'm a newb! Haha I hadn't even thought about the interior air filter! I've got some friends that are into cars in general (one guy has a kick ass F-250 he uses to haul horses around n stuff and he's added a bunch of shit to it)... so I might ask them, but other than that. I dunno how to do any of this. I belong on the newb forum :D

Originally posted by Stockman
Just do it all your self...

air filter is like 11 bucks
interior air filter is like 16 bucks
fuel filter is about 16
oil filter runs about 5 bucks...

check your belts
consider flushing your brake system
tranny fluid drain/refill or flush if its an automatic
change differential fluid
flush your coolant also...
check power steering fluid...
check tires pressures
check brake/headlights
oil your sunroof assy


I use mobile 1 5-30? I think... synthetic...

I am sure other people can add to the list... most of its just checking stuff... and the rest is filters that should be done every year or two at least

its really... pretty easy...

if you have a manual... it says step by step what to do

First thing you should buy is the manual. It sounds like a waste of money - but it will pay for itself the first time you avoid a mechanic.

IMO:

For oil - if you live in a place with extreme climates (like me). Try changing the oil viscosity with the season.

I use 5/30 in the winter (Mobil 1 synthetic) and a 20/50 in the summer. This makes the most sense. From what I understand, using a 5/50 all year is not as effective as using a 5/30 and a 20/50.

As for your coolant. You can purchase an inexpensive test kit that looks like a turkey baster. It sucks up a little coolant and tells you how cold it's good for. But if you havn't change your coolant in a while - it's good to do a flush and get all the particals out of there.

This reminds me - do you guys use BMW coolant? or regular stuff like Prestone. Is there really a difference?

Thanks,

If you cant aford a new intake, check out this method for modding the standard airbox, I think you have the same engine!


http://www.mz3.net/articles/149.html

I just use Prestone Coolant and bottled water, I have no info to back up the bottled water idea, I'm just weird like that.

Just dropped by Autozone to get air and oil filters (forgot about fuel didn't have the $ anyways), a couple wash mits and a chamois. They didn't have my air filter so ordered one, be here tomorrow (Sweet).

Now, a couple stupid questions.
A.) I don't have a Bentley manual, and won't until about Christmas rolls around. How do you exactly change the oil filter? Any help is appreciated... (coughcoughimanewbcoughcough)


B.) Is it a bad idea to change the oil filter without having changed the oil recently? The next weekend I have free to go get an oil change is going to be like the 15th or the 22nd :( I don't think I have the resources to do it at home. Unless you guys wanna prove me wrong ;)

Man! The air filter was the only thing I knew how to change too :D ruin my afternoon fun...

oh well, they only had one mit too, I guess I'll do the rims with a rag again. And I couldn't afford the chamois by $2! Bah! I need $! :D Autozone needs its own ATM hehe.

Thanks guys/gals

dont change your filter w/o changing your fluid

More then likely you just paid more at autozone then the dealer charges.. avoid them for filters/parts

for an oil change you only need 2 ramps.. a wrench... a funnel and whatever it takes to get off your filter cover...

search for *oil change
there have been alot of threads about changing the oil about 350 miles ago.. however long that was in real time I dont know

Originally posted by Stockman
dont change your filter w/o changing your fluid

More then likely you just paid more at autozone then the dealer charges.. avoid them for filters/parts

for an oil change you only need 2 ramps.. a wrench... a funnel and whatever it takes to get off your filter cover...

search for *oil change
there have been alot of threads about changing the oil about 350 miles ago.. however long that was in real time I dont know

I'll talk with my friend who his suped up F-250 that he bought himself (! $20,000! he detailed cars for dealers for 4 years to buy it when he was 16). With the ramps, do you mean like the small yellow (the ones ive seen) ramps that you put under the car once you jack it up? Or can you drive onto them?

And yea, I paid maybe $3 more for the air filter, and about $1.50 for the oil filter, prolly the same for fuel filter. However, my 'local' dealer is about 20-30 minutes away (depending on how fast you go on the interstate ;)) so with the waste of time getting over there, dealing with some of the jerks over there, and gas money, it made more sense to go to Autozone which is about 3 minutes from my house :D

you can do jackstands if you want...

ramps are easier/less time consuming...

oil change = in this order

jack car up
figure out how to get that damn oil filter cap off
check new oil filter to make sure it looks right
take out old filter.. discard
get under car... take out the drainplug for the oil... when it starts to drip realise you need something to catch the oil... when you take the plug out all the way watch it fall into the burning hot oil... because you did remember to warm your car up first didnt you?
put on the new o-rings in the oil filter assy...
put some oil on the o-rings and filter
put new filter in... secure cap on it.. tighten it...
wait 10 minutes watching the oil slowly drip out of hole...
figure out way to get drain plug out of hot oil
clean drainplug.. put new copper washer on it.. put it back.. make it tight...
go start your car... nah j/k... go put in the new oil.. make sure you dont overfill it or underfill it...
replace oil fill cap... start car.. make sure it doesnt blow up or engine light comes on... unjack your car... and go take a shower - you stink

Haha that warming the car up was a joke right :D

And how will I get the service lights to all green again? Short it? I don't exactly wanna short anything ... :)

no

seriously do warm up your cars engine


and you short 2 pins or something for 5 seconds to do it... I didnt bother to do it... I go by mileage instead... I let the guy who checked my check engine light reset it since he was with the computer

If your interested I've done a write-up on my page about doing a DIY oil change, it also covers how to DIY reset the service lights.

Incidently you dont have to put the car on ramps to change the oil unless you've lowered it, normally I just jack up one side of the car and open the sump drain plug, then lower it back to the ground and leave it to drain.

As a precaution I would buy a spare sump drain plug bolt+washer as they are hollow bolts that are designed to snap if overtightened, that way if you do snap it you can take the old one out and put in the spare one.

Check out http://www.bmwe36tips.20m.com/diyoilchange.htm

Thanks for all the help everyone.. now, which oil should I be using for winter? aaron mentioned 5/30 Synthetic... and 20/50 for summer, so I'm assuming the lower numbers are better. Last oil change they used 20/50 I believe (guy left receipt in glovebox from last owner). So I guess it's been running 20/50 the whole time.

What brand, and synthetic or not? SSJ_Chris said if it's been running non-synthetic its better to keep it that way... is this everyone's opinion?

Thanks again guys, and we'll try not to over-torque the drainplug :)

Originally posted by aaron
This reminds me - do you guys use BMW coolant? or regular stuff like Prestone. Is there really a difference?

Thanks,

I use the Prestone pet-friendly stuff mixed 50/50 with distilled water. The distilled water prevents deposits in the coolant system (like iron and calcium) that you'd get if you use tap water. The pet-friendly stuff prevents me from killing the neigbors cat if I spill any. :)

TheBestCow - send me an e-mail sometime (jason@steptechinc.com). I have a *really* anal writeup on how to do an oil change, but no web site to post it on unfortunately...

One thought.... if you're that much of a newbie..... make sure that you hand tighten the drain bolt before putting a wrench to it. Why? So you don't cross thread your oil pan. That's about an $800 mistake.

Engine must be warm. Gets all the contaminants suspended in the oil and then they drain into the pan. I bought an oil recycling pan for $8. Just dump the oil in there, seal it up, and take it to the recycling center. It also has a screen to catch your oil pan bolt before it goes into the scalding oil.

If you don't have a ramp, but have a curb in front of your house, just drive up (off the driveway apron) onto the curb. Plenty of room to work under the car and there's no way it can fall on you. Just remember to leave it in gear and set the handbrake.

I have read that using an oil with a viscosity spread of more than 20 (ie., 10w30 vs 10w40 or 20w50) is unhealthy for your engine as the binders in the wider spreads tend to make your engine dirtier by leaving deposits behind.

When you remove your oil filter, the oil spills easily. I usually put some cardboard underneath the car to catch the oil. Kitty litter is sweet for absorbing wayward oil if you should miss some. Make sure you watch the way the filter comes apart. It is made up of several pieces and there are some rubber o-rings that are critical to eliminating leaks.

Good luck.

Here's another write-up just for another point of reference:

1. Jack up the driver front side of car (this make the oil drain toward the plug in the oil pan, which is on the passenger side).

2. Open the hood. Slide an oil drain pan under the oil pan.

3. Loosen the 13mm bolt in the center of the oil filter canister housing (it's aluminum -- near front/top of engine), remove the bolt, and remove the cover to the canister.

4. Remove the old oil filter.

5. Remove the oil drain plug from the oil pan (I think it's 17mm but I'm not sure) and drain the oil.

6. Replace the small O-ring at the bottom of the oil canister bolt. Replace the washer at the top of the oil canister bolt. Replace the rubber O-ring on the oil canister cover. (All parts are in the Mahle filter box - Mahle filter is part number OX68D).

7. Install the new oil filter. Install the canister cover and canister bolt. Tighten the bolt to 15-18 ft. lbs of torque..

8. Replace the washer on the drain plug (new washer comes with Mahle filter). Reinstall drain plug and tighten to 25 ft. lbs.

9. Remove oil fill cap on top of engine and add 7 qts. of oil to engine.

10. Lower car off jack and run engine to check for leaks. The red oil light on the dash will stay on for a few seconds until the new oil gets to the canister and repressurizes the system.