What tools (and size) do I need for changing oil DIY?
 

I've got a 3.0 NA gasoline engine.
I have searched and the consensus is that I need:

17mm socket
32mm socket
Socket wrench size??
Ratchet size??
Torque wrench size??
Some sort of extender??

What sized tools above should I buy? Do I need some sort of an extender? What else do I need?

Thanks!

It might help if you said what engine you have...

Oops, corrected.

its very easy. 17mm for the drain nut. a special tool for the oil filter cap (find it on ebay, same size as the E90/E92 tool). torque wrench. torque both drain nut and filter cap to 25.5 NM when tightening.

you dont even need to lift the car, x5 is high enough you can crawl under. use pilers to pull out the two plastic expanding pins that lock the air intake tube so you can remove it to get to the filter cap. everything else should be pretty easy. the 30i engine takes around 6.5 L of oil. although i always fill 6.7L just to be safe.

3/8 ratchet should give you enough leverage. or you can use 1/2 ratchet. buy oil filter kit from the dealer. should come with filter, 2 o rings (1 large 1 small), and one copper drain nut washer.

always replace with new o rings and washer. before re-installing the oil filter cap, make sure to lube the o-rings with fresh oil with your finger.

also, soak new filter with fresh oil before installing it. and fill 1L of new oil in the oil filter housing before putting the cap on. this will minimize oil starvation on first startup. fill the rest of the oil via the engine fill hole.

Hey, Thanks a bunch!

So I don't really need a 32mm socket or a socket adapter or expansion? I hear that 32mm is the same length as 1 1/4".

I'm very unfamiliar with the names and sizes of the tools. Honestly, I don't even know how a ratchet looks like.

You mean something like this?
http://c1552172.cdn.cloudfiles.racks...18653_x300.jpg

yeah...

in this case maybe it's a good idea you DO NOT DIY this and find a shop to do it.

Then I'll have to depend on a shop for the rest of... and I'm still young!:D I gotta learn this sooner or later. Help me much? Thanks.

ok if you insist on doing it yourself. make sure you do it VERY SLOW, and double check everything!!!

read this E90 DIY, even though its for E90 the steps are pretty much the same as for the X5

DIY - E90 Oil Change (with Pics! - 56K Beware) - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum - E90Post.com.

also read the E53 oil change DIY on this board. this will give you a better idea on how oil changes are done.

Yup yup, I'll study them. I'm saving them in my Favorites folder in IE so I can look back on them. Thanks!

I can almost see myself definitely having trouble in the middle of it, getting stuck, not having the right tools, air intake tube not coming off too well or end up calling for towing when it doesn't fit back in:rofl:.

I guess first time's always tough but learning this will benefit me so much in so many ways me thinks. And better now than later.

oh yeah speaking of the intake tube, for me it was very difficult to remove for the first time. since i didn't want to scratch the plastic. there're these tabs on one end where the tube meets the intake box. it was stuck there so snug it took me forever lol. i had to use lube and gentle pry it out with a flat screwdriver. afterwards i sanded down the tabs a little with a dremel and everything is easy to put on and off.

and also with the two plastic expanding pins, there are two pins for each side and the pin goes through the expanding "thingys" so total 4 pieces. DONT LOSE THEM! lol

Wonder how the techs do it. Can't imagine them going through all the trouble to save it from scratches.

maybe they know some tips or tricks i didn't or got another tech to help out. but yeah, pls keep us updated on your oil change diy. eventually u will be able to do it so fast it's quicker to DIY then to drive it a shop lol.

kinda off topic, when you look at the 30i intake tube it kinda makes you wonder, if the bmw engineers angled it a little differently there would've been no need to remove the tube at all. sighhh LOL

Sure thing. I'll do a complete diy guide for beginners, specific to the 3.0 engine. I'm just getting all the tools ready. I don't want to find out in the middle of the oil change that I'm missing a tool and I can't even drive to buy it.

I'm currently looking at ramps. Rhino ramps's width restriction of up to 9 1/2" (~240mm) tire width limits my option of ramps, since my tires are 255mm of width. So I'm looking at these steel ramps that are supposed to be wider.
I can't possibly use the jack stands becasue there's no front center jacking point (at least not officially) to lift up and put the stands under.

I agree about building a more "ergonomical" under-hood design for diy-ers. Then again, I don't think BMW engineers ever wanted owners servicing their own cars.

Why? There is nothing wrong with wanting to learn how to do it, but why would you want to practice on your new X5? Take a night-school course, and work on someone else's car together with them. That is a far safer way to learn than risking damaging your car or hurting yourself.

Buying the correct tools is the simplest part of the job. As an example, you certainly can use jack stands, and they are easier to store than ramps. Ramps don't help you when you want to take a wheel off, so you will need jackstands anyway if you want to work on your car. In any case, learning how to work safely and properly is far more important, and internet DIY guides are no substitute for teachers that can show you how to do it.

Just my $0.02.

You could also have someone do the job on your vehicle.
Hand him or her the tools and take notes.

seriously you don't need to lift the car at all. for the last two oil changes i just crawled under LOL.

Thanks for all the comments!

I know. My biggest fear is safety related. I don't want to be burned by the gushing hot oil draining or I don't really wanna trust a piece of steel to support it. Norge, you must be very lean. I'll probably need to go on a diet and reduce my waist size to be fit under there without any aids. And IF I can get under without any aids, I would feel much safer than having some piece of steel, stands or ramps, supporting it. Do you have enough room for your elbow and good enough visibility?

I decided to diy since it sounded easy enough at first just by reading through, and everybody does it, so why not try. But the more I look at it, the more I'm intimidated. I would honestly just pay the dealer to do it for me if I was 100% sure they would do the work with the supplies I provide them with, rather than skipping to replace the filter o ring, crush washer (or even the entire oil filter for that matter) or using the stock dealer oil than the premium ones that I buy and supply them with. But then I would look sort of weird if I insisted that I actually stand beside and watch them change the oil. The dealer might be like, "what you really wanna do that? you don't trust us? we haven't seen anyone like that. we are offended".

I'm actually having a second thought about this diy project. You guys scared me enough.:)

There's nothing wrong with the stock BMW synthetic oil. If you've done oil changes on other cars, go for it. There's no obscure science about changing oil on BMWs. In fact it's usually a lot easier than on most other cars I have owned.

My X5 has a front jack point in an opening on the bottom cover. I've jacked it up using that many times and use jack stands at the side jack points. Even if the car were to fall off of the jack stands, there's plenty of room under the car to keep you from getting crushed.

Having said that, I recognize that some people shouldn't be working on cars at all and you should decide for yourself if you are capable of doing this on your own.

I'm 6' 2" 225 lbs and I change the X5 oil without ramps or jack stands. If you're going to work on vehicles, one of the skills you have to develop is working and handling wrenches in confined spaces.

That said, ramps would be much easier than jack stands for changing engine oil, as long as the oil drain location is such that the tilt of the vehicle from the ramps doesn't trap old oil in the engine.

As Penguin posted, you do not need ramps or jack stands to change the oil in an X5. But it helps a bit to raise the X5 even 3 inches to give you a little more shoulder room. IOW the thickness of 2 - scraps of 2x10-12s screwed together. You can see my fancy set of custom crafted oil change "ramps" in my DIY 35d Oil Change thread

FWIW I find raising an X5 more than 3-4 inches actually makes replacing the oil filter and filling the engine with oil MORE difficult. Unless, of course, you play pro basketball or have a lift :)

Funf Dreisig

No, never done a single oil change in my life.:wow:That's why I'm so hesitant.

FunfDreisig, I read your step-by-step guide of changing oil on a 35d.
You didn't use the filter cap wrench Norge said I'd need. Is it just a diesel thing?

Maybe I'll first try changing the oil filter and if I'm successful, then I'll continue on to draining the oil out. Since everyone says I don't need the ramps, I'll just crawl under:D. If I'm just stuck on taking out the air intake tube, I'll just stop and pay the dealer to do it.

Couple of questions;

Does an oil drain pan fit under the vehicle even without lifting the car up?

If (that's a big if) I get to the stage where I have to unplug the oil drain plug, should I expect a sudden gush of oil coming out even before I have a chance to fully remove and retrieve the plug/ring?

Thanks for all the comments!:thumbup:

The more questions asked here, the more I return to my thought that you shouldn't do it, at least not yourself the first time. Repairing vehicles requires skills. Changing oil is easy, but it has little to do with what size wrench to use and more to do with you knowing what you are looking at, and if there is a problem there or not. An oil change is an opportunity to check over the vehicle. If you change the oil and filter without doing those checks, there is little point IMO. When you take the filter out, do you know what it should look like? If the oil check valve has broken up in the filter housing, can you see it? Do you know to check the drain plug for leaks after refilling and running the engine? Do you know to lubricate the o-ring on the filter housing? When you are underneath, do you know to check your CV boots for splits, since you are right there? Not trying to scare you, but those are normal things to do. DIY guides are written for people who know how to change oil and filter, not for those that haven't done it before. No, everyone doesn't do it themselves. These forums are populated by a higher percentage of DIY'ers, but there are also people on here who have stripped their oil drain plugs (oops, $$), have gotten air in their ABS controller (oops, $$$), have had problems refilling their differentials after draining them and had to replace a differential (oops, $$$$), and so on.

You can't learn at the dealership, they won't allow you in the shop. An independent may, but not likely. A mechanic friend who is working at home with you would be more appropriate.

Now, if you still want to....

I am 6'4"/225 lbs. I lifted the X5 the first time, so that I could see where everything is. A quick oil change after that didn't require lifting it at all, I could reach from the front, but I knew where everything was then. First time it is easier to lift it. It will also allow you to inspect other components beneath the vehicle, which you should be doing anyway.

Hot oil won't gush out until you remove the plug. When the plus is hand tight and you are spinning it out, it will drip. At the last thread, it can drop, and gush. Don't be beneath it.

A wide shallow drain pan fits beneath the vehicle without ramps.

Buy a torque wrench, and use it for the drain plug and filter cap. You can tighten the filter cap without the special tool, but you need that tool to be able to use a torque wrench, and you should use a torque wrench. Did I remember to say that you should use a torque wrench?

Good luck, and let us know what you decide.

Hi, JCL.

I completely agree. And even if my vehicle was not covered by the "pre-paid" or free maintenance plan, I'd still take it in when the computer tells me to, because of all those reasons you mentioned. I wouldn't know what to look for.

But what I'm trying to do is changing the oil/filter in between the computer maintenance reminder, because I do a lot of short and frequent trips and most of the time, I don't give the engine a chance to fully warm up. I heard that's bad. So I'm just adding an off-the-record(?) oil change between the maintenance reminders. So I thought it might be cost-effective and if done well, it should be good for the vehicle as well right? I mean it's not like I skipped a maintenance reminder warning and did it myself.
But maybe, in my case, it's just better to leave it to the professional for this oil change as well.
It wouldn't be too easy to find someone who would show me in person what to do. So I thought I'd learn it by trial and error:bustingupalso through internet guides. But I don't really like that error part so much when it comes to something as delicate as a BMW.:D

BTW, here's an interesting article about oil change intervals for low mileage vehicles.;
That High Mileage Car May Not be That Bad a Deal

"Change oil at least twice a year on low mileage vehicles rather than at the typical 3000 mile intervals to assure water doesn‘t accumulate. On seldom driven cars, 3000 miles could represent years. Also, check, or have checked, periodically belts, hoses, PCV valves and other items for age deterioration."

I'm with JCL, that the OP might want to go find a mechanically inclined friend, and watch him do it, and learn...

And, unless one has done some oil changes over the years, nothing quite prepares one for the ~8 qts of hot oil gushing out, when you drop that drain plug for the first time. A wide layer of thick newspapers, a rigged cardboard 'funnel' to aim that torrent, a deep 10 qt pan, etc. All this is taking place while one is slud in/under, on their back, and concentrating on stuff they have never done, in a low ceiling situ.

Anyone can do it, and I applaud the OP's initiative, but while the X is fairly easy, the quantity of used oil is remarkable, the first time...
GL, mD

I agree it's the best way to go!

Wah.. I need a funnel for draining oil?:wow:This is just getting better and better.

I think what I'm gonna do is take the car to the dealer and ask if I can watch and make sure that the technician uses the parts that I supplied with. I know it's a slim chance at the dealer and I'm gonna get looks but worth a try imo.

Actually, I have done that once with my previous car at an independent shop. Couldn't get too close to examine how it's done though.:D

Yes.

But be sure you also remove the oil fill cap before you remove the drain plug. If you do not, the oil coming out will not only "gush," but it will "glug" in spurts, like if you turned a full pop bottle upside down, rather than flow smoothly. This glug/spurting tends to make the oil splash much more. With the oil fill cap off, air can easily come in to replace the oil flowing out and the flow will be strong and smooth.

No, not really, and I have not done an oil change on an E70, so I may be way off base: in the several oil changes I've done on our '01 E53, I found that a bent/folded piece of cardboard, from a wine case end, et al, helped me to aim the oil draining flow toward my big catch pan. In the 3.0 E53 it tends to gush out, collect up on the access panel shields, etc.

None of us are trying to make this DIY Oil/filter change sound like a backyard valve job on my old Harley,(did it once, don't wanna do it again), but you seemed curious but very tentative; thus, the info, and cautionary tale overload, imo. :D
GL, mD

I think I know what you mean! I see that with big plastic bottles of liquid detergents. There are two openings, one for air going in one for the detergent coming out.:D

I've never used an oil filter cap 'wrench'. I always use a correct size socket and just go gently, since the oil filter cap is plastic.

I would NOT try to change the filter without draining the oil. The canister containing the filter would stay full of oil and make this a messier job.

As to your questions...

Yes a normal drain pan will fit without lifting an X5 a mm. In fact a normal drain pan will fit under a 911 engine... but you would need to able to remove the drain plug by feel :)

I always lay out a cut open garbage bag, a layer of newspaper/cardboard and slide a normal oil drain pan (the old style that looks like a huge galvanized layer cake pan). If the drain plug faces straight down, I center the drain pan under the drain plug. If it is angled, I shift the drain pan in the direction the oil will flow BUT make sure the closest edge is still under the drain plug opening to catch the last dribbles. FWIW I've changed the oil in every vehicle I've ever owned (5 decades and counting) using the same oil drain pan. And I have never used any type of funnel. The trick is simply placing the pan in the right location and making sure the oil filler cap is open (ala Penguin's post) to assure a smooth stream.

After loosening the drain plug I unscrew it with my fingers wearing exam gloves. I hold my index finger on the end of the drain plug the whole time I'm unscrewing it. I stop a couple of times to let my fingers cool off (there is nearly a inch of threads). As I get close to the end, the drain plug gets a bit wobbly. I just keep the pressure on my index finger, which can hold back the flow even after the drain plug is completely unscrewed. I just shift my fingers to grab the end of the plug as I pull it away. If I drop the plug or washer in the drain pan, it is no big deal. I'll be dumping the oil into a laundry soap container anyway (to take it to recycling) and can use a small piece of window screen to filter out the drain plug or washer at that time. Or I just let the oil cool down enough to feel for it with a gloved hand. I'm going to let the oil drain a little more while I'm changing the filter anyway.

Getting a shop to show you how they do it won't help much. They will have the X5 on a lift, roll an oil drain pan funnel combo unit under it and just let the plug and washer fall into the pan since it has a screen built into the funnel.

Changing your own oil is a right of passage for gear heads. If I were you, I'd get an experienced friend to show me the ropes the first time. It's amazing what some guys* will do for "free" beer and chance to show off their skills while getting dirty crawling around under an X5 :)

Funf Dreisig

* you know who you are, and I suspect most forum members know too :yikes:

And if they feel that you are doing it because you don't trust them to use the right parts, they are even less likely to let you in the shop. They will quote you their insurance liabilty clauses.

If you want to watch it done, you have to find somebody that is willing to teach you as part of doing the job.

FunfDreisig, thanks a lot for the answers. They are clear as daylight. I'm sure all that comes from decades of experience.

Maybe I'll do it myself, maybe I'll find someone to teach me, or just pay the dealer to do it. In any case, the oil change's gotta be done and I'll get back and update you on the progress!
And thanks to every one of you who posted in this thread!:thumbup:

Once again let me just say (as others already have)
You could also have someone do the job on your vehicle.
Hand him or her the tools and take notes.

I don't personally know anyone who changes his own but I'll search alright.:)

If you updated your profile information to show your location (Canada is pretty broad, something over 6000 km IIRC) you may even get someone close by offering to do it with you.

Alternatively, you can still take a course. Nightschool autoshop at a high school typically includes courses such as basic maintenance, run over several weeks.

Nah, I don't wanna impose on people here for their time. I'd rather pay an independent shop to teach me.

Nightschool? Sometimes when I'm sleeping I have a nightmare about being back in school:)

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/h/u/239.png
I did it alone and it was a success. Sort of. I dropped one of the two expanding rivets(14) in the engine room and there was no way I could find it. So I just installed one that's left and it looks secure enough for now but would want to get another one screwed in there. I'm worried about the expanding rivet I dropped in the engine room though. Should I go to the dealer and ask them to find it or is it ok to just leave it be?

Anyways, thanks so much everyone for your help! Lubed the filter gasket and soaked the filter in new oil, just like everyone said to. I feel great after the oil change. The old oil was extremely dark, and thick that it was gelatinous, especially at the bottom of the oil drain pan. I still can't forget about the lost rivet in the engine room though.