How To Change BMW Engine Oil

A car engine’s health is closely tied to regular oil replacement. Changing your BMW engine oil will ensure your engine runs smoothly and the best part? It’s simple even if you do it yourself! Here at Competition BMW of Smithtown, we offer guidance on engine oil care and how you can change your BMW engine quickly and correctly.

When Do You Change Your BMW Engine Oil?

A good gauge is to replace your BMW engine oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles, depending on the engine, using the authorized BMW synthetic oil and filter. Some BMWs only require an oil change after 15,000 miles so it depends on which BMW model you are driving. You can confirm this with the owner’s manual. The older BMW models usually need the oil changed every 3,000 miles.

What Do You Need?

These are some of the things you will need to change your BMW engine oil:

  • Engine Oil: A good capacity will be approximately seven quarts. For ardent BMW fans, a common go-to is the Liqui-moly 0w-40. The type of oil needed depends on your BMW engine.
  • BMW Oil Filter Tool: A good dimension is 86mm.
  • BMW Oil Filter: Replacement filters should be tailored for a minimum of 7500-mile oil change intervals.
  • Ratchet Wrench
  • Jack Stands
  • Car Jacks
  • Wheel Chocks
  • Metric Sockets

What are the Steps to Change Your BMW Engine Oil?

Changing your BMW engine oil should be easy enough, with the right tools. These are the steps to change your engine oil:

  • Cool down your BMW engine.
  • Jack up your vehicle using jack stands and car ramps, with parking brakes and wheel chocks set.
  • Assess the BMW’S access panel and remove engine splash shield beneath the BMW engine. Should an access panel be absent, remove the plastic shield beneath your BMW’s engine.
  • Remove the 17mm drain bolt and ensure the BMW engine oil is drained. The draining process should take approximately 15 minutes.
  • Swap the washer on the drain bolt and use a new washer with the engine oil filter.
  • Remove oil filter using a BMW oil filter wrench. BMW oil filter tools will be preferred but should you to have them, oil filter pliers are an option too.
  • Swap out O rings on the oil filter. These O rings must be replaced whenever you replace the oil filter. New O rings are typically included with a brand-new oil filter too.
  • Put up the oil filter and torque it to 25Nm.
  • Install the drain plug and torque it to approximately 25Nm. Take note to not put up the drain bolt without a crush washer. This can result in leaks if a drain bolt is put up in the absence of a washer.
  • Fill up the engine oil by finding the oil fill cap and turning it counterclockwise direction, then pour in 6 quarts.
  • Check the engine oil level every five minutes. As some BMWs don’t come with an oil dipstick, you may need to use a instrument cluster to assess the oil level.
  • When the oil level is up to the desired specification, start the engine.

Shop for New and Used BMW Vehicles at Competition BMW of Smithtown

At Competition BMW of Smithtown, we provide the best car services for a wide range of new and used BMW vehicles. Contact us to find out more!