E30 newby, oil change hell

[flipwils11]

Alright, no stranger to BMW's and I generally know what the F I'm doing, but this is the first E30 I've owned. Decided to change the oil in the 1987 325is.

rant on>

What the FUCK, I hate god damn spin-on filters. Having enjoyed the totally logical location of oil filter INSERTS (no spin can crap) in my E39 540i, E34 M5 3.8 euro, M30 E34 Touring, E46 325ci and X3 3.0 (E46-based), and other M30 BMW's, I was in for a rude shock doing the E30. To be honest, I felt like a dumbass because I couldn't even find the oil filter and had to google it. I never f'ing imagined it would be right by the exhaust manifolds. Great design BMW. Plus you can't change it without crawling on your back, which I've been spoiled by the later cars and filter element that is easily accessible.

rant off>

So I get the spin on crap at the dealer, and go to do this yesterday. Also while I'm at it, even though there was no leak, decided to attempt this repair.

http://e30.bmwdiy.info/oil-leak/index.html

also referenced here:

http://r3vlimited.net/board/showthread.php?t=129899&

What a cluster. Compressing that spring and getting the circlip back in turned out to be a nightmare of swearing and bitching, so I took the whole filter mounting assembly off the block, disconnecting the oil cooler lines, and put the thing back together on my work bench in 5 minutes (wasted over an hour under the car trying to compress the spring and get the circlip back in).

Had to dig out my oil filter can wrench (that thing that squeezes as you turn) and it just isn't getting the filter on there tight enough. Now I have a drip drip leak from the spin-on can POS, and I can't get it any tighter. I think that I need an oil filter wrench that works for smaller diameters so I can grip it tighter.

But generally, the job just sucks. Burning knuckles on the manifolds, burning fingertips on the spin-on filter. And now the mother-fer leaks so I gotta figure out if I can tighten it more.

Oil filter element in easy to reach location under the hood = WIN

Spin-on can filter located by hot exhaust manifolds = FAIL

Thanks for listening to me bitch.

[mattdk318i]

You sir are correct. thats why i smile when i change oil in both of my E30s.....both are canister style DOHC engines. On top of the motor lol

[nickpdx]

I never have too much trouble changing the filter, but it is a pretty annoying location. I let the engine cool enough to where I can brush my arm against the manifolds without burning myself, then just reach right through them and spin the filter on/off while wearing one of those blue, rubberized garden gloves that has a lot of grip.

But, this oil leak just started recently on my m20 I guess I'll wait until my next oil change and all of the oil is drained to fix it.

[mitch500]

meh not so bad on my eta i would just reach from the top of the motor carefully not burning my forarms on the manifold, unscrewing it in no time at all.. never tried on a e30 with the oil cooler tho.

[eek142]

Replacing the oil thermostat gasket is absolutely one of the biggest pains in the ass ever if you are doing it on your back. Getting the snap ring back in the groove will tire you out. I was lucky enough to finally get it in after an hour of repositioning the c-clamp over and over as it kept slipping.

[e30trooper]

did up put oil on oil filter gasket befor putting it on? if you didnt thats your leak. :D , i change oil on cars all day. 325's are very easy. m10 and m3 e30's lil harder becuase its a top side spin on under the air filter box. canister filters are much easier i must add lol

[thereisnoyun]

wierd, when I put it back on, I just hand tighten it. then turn it with any wrench for a quarter turn. The large oil filter wrench that looks like an adjustable wrench works alot better than the thing that hooks on to the back.

[flipwils11]

did up put oil on oil filter gasket befor putting it on? if you didnt thats your leak. :D , i change oil on cars all day. 325's are very easy. m10 and m3 e30's lil harder becuase its a top side spin on under the air filter box. canister filters are much easier i must add lol

yep, I always coat the rubber seal gasket with fresh oil before installing it.

[Knockenwelle]

There is a proper cup-style filter socket(?) available for the Mahle OC-49 filter. 13 flats vs. more common 14-flat domestic one. Obtain from local Vatozone and add to your collection. And K+N filters have that handy 1" nut, too...

[flipwils11]

There is a proper cup-style filter socket(?) available for the Mahle OC-49 filter. 13 flats vs. more common 14-flat domestic one. Obtain from local Vatozone and add to your collection. And K+N filters have that handy 1" nut, too...

Great info, thanks. I prefer using some kind of socket to the squeeze type of wrench. The E46's and other cars that use the plastic 36mm lid on the filter housing are actually satisfying to change the oil on (with a paper towel wrapped around it below the filter lid to catch any that spills).

Sorry my post came across as :hitler: . I was a little bit annoyed though!

[nando]

you have no idea how much better the E30 is compared to some other cars. First off, I've never crawled under the car to change the filter.. I always do it from the top. Just put on an old long sleeve t-shirt, use an oil filter wrench to break it free, and pull it out from the top. I have huge hands and they still fit between the manifolds just fine.

my wifes car is awful. You can't even see the filter if you are under the car, and it's between the header and CV shaft. You have to reach around behind the motor quite far up, try to find the filter with your hand while you keep burning yourself on the exhaust, and then hopefully it's not on there too tight because there's no way you're getting an oil filter wrench on there. Putting a new one on is just as much of a pain in the ass. Oh, and the filter on her car is tiny. At least E30s have a high capacity filter.

[flipwils11]

True, that does sound awful. But I still prefer this (BMW M30 in an E34). Note filter location circled in orange.

[Alkasquawlik]

I can't even get my oil filter off.
I've tried numerous times, last time I changed my oil I bought one of those oil filter wrenches that look like a socket type thing that go on the end of the oil filter. I ended up stripping the brand new oil filter wrench and had to pry the thing off the filter with a screwdriver since it was stuck.
I'm at a loss at what to do now.

[bmws50b30]

I can't even get my oil filter off.
I've tried numerous times, last time I changed my oil I bought one of those oil filter wrenches that look like a socket type thing that go on the end of the oil filter. I ended up stripping the brand new oil filter wrench and had to pry the thing off the filter with a screwdriver since it was stuck.
I'm at a loss at what to do now.

get the pliers type tool and just crush that filter. don't over tighten next time.

[nando]

I'd stab it with a flathead screwdriver, and turn it with that. don't crush it that will make it harder to get off.

you must have way overtightened it :(

I once tried to change the filter on a car I had just bought - the previous owners had overtightened the filter so far that the filter was actually threaded past the threads on the nipple. I had to cut that one off, ended up slicing the shit out of my thumb too.