Just turned 5k on my e85. How do I change the oil? Looking briefly underneath everything seems sealed from my view.

Just turned 5k on my e85. How do I change the oil? Looking briefly underneath everything seems sealed from my view.

Do what many DIY BMW owners do:
MityVac oil extractor.

Since the Oil filter is up top, there is no need to have to climb under.
BMW oil changes are the easiest & mess free around.

(ps, materials is costly tho:rolleyes )

I've never used an oil extractor before. Would you please explain a bit more how they work? Do the Z4s not have an oil drain plug?
Thanks,
George

I've never used an oil extractor before. Would you please explain a bit more how they work? Do the Z4s not have an oil drain plug?
Thanks,
George

Yes all cars have a drain plug.

An oil extractor is just a vacuum pump that sucks out the oil thru the dipstick entry. You usually pump about 10 times, then sit back & watch the oil come out & into a container about 2 ft high. No mess. No jacking up the car. & Just bring the container to a local service station & pour it into their collection container.

Everything is done under the hood NOT under the car AND you save $75+ for a dealership oil change.

Your oil change should take about 30 minutes & that's because of cleanup & disposal.

Do what many DIY BMW owners do:
MityVac oil extractor.

Any info on where to get one?

Here you go:
http://www.bmw325i.net/maint_oil_extractor.shtml

However, I would advise yoou against doing this all the time. There is "sludge" and particles that will settle in the bottom and the extractor may not get them. The BMW techs I've talked about strongly advise against it.
I own one, but I have stopped using it.
It's really easy to do yourself, you just need to open up the door in the plastic cover. Have not seen the Z4 Coupe underneed, but you should see this door with some sort of hinges right underneath the engine.

Here you go:
http://www.bmw325i.net/maint_oil_extractor.shtml

However, I would advise yoou against doing this all the time. There is "sludge" and particles that will settle in the bottom and the extractor may not get them. The BMW techs I've talked about strongly advise against it.
I own one, but I have stopped using it.
It's really easy to do yourself, you just need to open up the door in the plastic cover. Have not seen the Z4 Coupe underneed, but you should see this door with some sort of hinges right underneath the engine.

Considering the source...that is a myth that is perpetrated by the dealership.

If you have that much sludge & particle buildup, then I would be more worried about what's wrong with my engine rather than just worried about getting everything out of the drain plug! That's what a UOA is for.

It has been discussed here & over @ bf ad nauseum that the mityvac drains as much as the drain plug drips out.
With a S54, you can't get all the oil out using the drain plug since about 1 liter remains in the sump (a truly empty S54, after the pan comes off, takes 6.5 liters, while an ordinary oil change takes about 5.5 liters).
For the S54 engines, you need to have the oil at operating temperature before doing an oil change. In this case, most metal particulates are suspended by the warm oil and consequently would be removed by the Mityvac or similar vacuum extractor before they settle down to the bottom.

If u go thru the drain plug, how do you really know you are getting all the metal particulates out. Even if they cannot be removed by an oil extractor because they are not suspended in the circulating oil means they cannot cause damage to the engine.

The only benefit to draining from the pan would be to physically check for increased wear from the engine by seeing the metal particulates.
But that is why a Blackstone analysis is more accurately used to check for this.
I did over 10 Mityvac oil change with my S52 & all my UOA's came back with "your engine still looks new" type comments.

Some of the community's most respected members use the mityvac, I respect their opinions more so than a BMW tech @ a dealership.

Any info on where to get one?

www.Mityvac.com
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/MIT-7201.html

You can access the oil drain plug underneath very easily. Jack up the car and look under the engine for a small hatch with a simple twist lock holding it up. Drop this hatch and the oil drain plug is right there. Your oil filter is on top front of the engine. You need a large socket to remove it... 26mm I believe. And replace the rubber gasket that comes with the filter.
Good luck.

I think it is the "jacking up" part of things that has me so nervous. I want to do my own oil changes, but do not own a jack. I have also read that it is quite easy to damage your Z4 when using jacks. Is this true or a misnomer?

Any tips on doing my own oil changes? What parts (jacks, jack stands, etc) do you guys recommend besides the oil extractor?

I think it is the "jacking up" part of things that has me so nervous. I want to do my own oil changes, but do not own a jack. I have also read that it is quite easy to damage your Z4 when using jacks. Is this true or a misnomer?

Any tips on doing my own oil changes? What parts (jacks, jack stands, etc) do you guys recommend besides the oil extractor?

If you know what you're doing, it's not likely to do any "damage" to the Z4 while jacking up the car. You do need quality floor hydraulic jack though, none of the Sears $20 special.

If you are using the Extractor, then you don't need jacks and jack stands. You will need a 36mm socket with a torque wrench capable of measureing 25Nm (about 18.5 ft-lbs) to remove and install the filter cartridge, if you have an M54 engine. If you have an S54, you'll need a 13mm socket instead. If you have any of the later Z4s with N52 engines, you will need floor jacks and jack stands, and a special filter adapter because you won't have a dipstick to stick the MityVac into.

But if you have an '03 then you have one of the M54 engines. DIY steps are pretty well documented here and on the intarweb.

Thanks a lot for the reply.