X5 4.8i: Is it possible to remove oil filter without draining oil?

[Baby Unicorn Taco]

Originally Posted by heatmizr

Haha all kinds of side tracks here...
ARD - Unicorn meant if a brand new plastic "drain pan" was used, it could have plastic shavings in it, which could contaminate oil to be re-used, so be careful.

Yes. That is what I was referring to. I remember buying a brand new plastic oil drain pan and when I poured it out after an oil change I saw a bunch of black, curled pieces of plastic floating in the oil. It was the plastic shavings from where the holes in the plastic were drilled.

[BMTouring]

So the question here is: is the oil level in the oil pan so high that removing the oil filter will cause a lot of it to flow out because some engineer thought it smart to put the oil filter on the bottom of the engine.



My thoughts: great opportunity to do an engine flush! Oil isn't that expensive. An early oil change never a lost investment.



And oil stains on the driveway tend to leave a bad feeling.