Anyone know the location of the oil filter on an e46? I've looked around the engine but I don't think I saw it.

Its right in front of ur face when u open the hood.. is the round cylinder thats to the drivers side in front of the engine. You have to unscrew the cover on the top and pull it off. The filter is attached to the cover.

I thought that was it but I wasn't sure. Thanks.

Well, I tired to unscrew it but its on too damn tight. Don't have any tools big enough to go around it to help me untighten it. :(

You need to buy a 36mm socket with a 1/2 end. Of course you're gonna need a 1/2 drive ratchet.

First off, if you have an E46, it should still be under warranty, service warranty that is. Let the dealer change that filter for you ~

I thought they only change the oil at the time the onboard computer tells them. If i want the oil changed in between that time, they will charge me. Its been 6k miles since the last oil change and I just want to change the oil out.

I don't blame you. I'm planning on doing mine every 7k (twice per interval).

Originally posted by bungy42
I don't blame you. I'm planning on doing mine every 7k (twice per interval).

I personally dont feel safe leaving the oil in there for 15k miles!! :eek: I change mine with mobil 1 every 3-4k. And then it even comes out pretty damn black..

You wanna see black oil, do an oil change on a diesel engine sometime. It's literally black, not just dark brown. Yuk!

Originally posted by North Florida
First off, if you have an E46, it should still be under warranty, service warranty that is. Let the dealer change that filter for you ~

Dealer's probably the one that screwed the filter on too tight! Not every BMW service center has a tech like Jon Caldito. ;)

just finished changing the oil...boy it was dark :)

Also, anyone else that changed oil in their E46, how many quarts did you pour in? I had to put 6 quarts in to get it between the marks.

I always put in 7 quarts of engine oil!

Originally posted by Jon Caldito
I always put in 7 quarts of engine oil!


Me too..

7 quarts here too. Although the manual says something like 6.8 quarts or something? My friends are like WTF, 7 quarts? Since my last two cars only needed 4.5 quarts... :)

yeah 7 quarts. Although lat time I did the oil change, I put in the usual 7 quarts, but it was over the top line on the dipstick. I must not have gotten all of the old oil out. Maybe from now on I'll put in 6 quarts, check it, and then top it off...

Originally posted by Rel44 M3
7 quarts here too. Although the manual says something like 6.8 quarts or something? My friends are like WTF, 7 quarts? Since my last two cars only needed 4.5 quarts... :) Heheh...that was what I was thinking too. My last car only need like 4-5 quarts. This one, i kept pouring it in and still not between the lines. :)

Seems like it is between 6 and 7. I'll do a check later day and see fi I need to put in another 1 to half a quart.

Here's a tip that everyone should follow.

Before draining the engine oil, remove or open up the oil filter so that when you drain the oil, the oil inside the filter housing will be drained as well.

If this procedure isn't done, the old engine oil will remain in the filter housing and thats about 1/2qt or sometimes a full quart thats left inside.

Cool! I do that already. It was in the tech procedures that I got off of Suzy's M Power website to do that first.

I did that too. I usually take off the oil filter first when I change oil on my other cars. There is a lot of oil in those filters.

Here's what I do:
Pull off the drain plug and let the oil drain into the pan.
While the oil is draining, I change the filter.
Then, button everything back up and fill with clean oil.