'03 325i engine oil & filter

[Jedi_5ive_11ven]

Hello everyone,

I'm new here, and found this wonderful forum during my searching for some information on oil changes on a 2003 BMW 325i.

I found an oil filter (STP oil filter part# S8081) for $10.19. Is that a reasonable price? From these forums, correct me if I'm wrong, I believe Castrol is the preferred oil for BMW. But I do not know what oil weight I need or how many quarts you are supposed to use? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Jedi

 

[4Charlie]

Hey I just did my own oil change this weekend and it went good. I also have an 03 325I but its almost hitting 60k. Okay i used castrol syntec and i used 6.5 quarts at 5w 30 as for the filter I bought one at the dealership for about 12 bucks. As for the computor reset follow the Do it yourself site at the genral chat room. Read it to the T because i did it wrong till i read it slowly. only thing now is the inspection light is out so time to fork over some money to do the type two inspection.

 

[Jedi_5ive_11ven]

I started last night..

I picked up a NAPA ProSelect filter for $7.49 & 6 quarts of Mobil 1 Full Synthetic at wal-mart for $25. So sounds good so far?

Well I go to drain the oil unscrew the oil drain plug (17mm?) and its just a stub probably less than 1/2 inch long.. Something aint right? The oil seem to drain fine though, so I didnt think the bolt was broke off in there. However, since the plug seemed short and I couldn't get it to screw back in I used a flash light and it looks like part of the plug broke off in there.

So now I need to get a easy out and get that plug removed, but I dont know the dimensions on the bolt to get the right size easy out.. And I'm now tasked with finding a new oil drain plug. Which no one seems to carry.. I tried napa, autozone, advance auto parts, walmart, sears..

Any advice?

Also, I didn't know you have to do a computer reset? I found a good tutorial on www.bmw325i.net for changing oil and it didn't mention any computer resets?..

Thank you.

 

[Jedi_5ive_11ven]

I went ahead and ordered a MityVac 7201
Fluid Evacuator Plus ($67) so I don't have to mess with getting dirty or under my car or that darn drain plug next time. Sounds good to me.

I still need to find a place that has that drain plug.. I see places online, but I need it asap. The dealer said $3.00 but he has to order it.. I found it for $2.62 online and some places wanted up to $5.79 or so..

Plus I still don't know what size easy out I need to remove the other half of the plug stuck in there... hmmm.

 

[4Charlie]

this is where you go to read about DIY http://www.bmwboard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19177 read the 330I nothe M3. Sorry about the drain plug

 

[epj3]

I went ahead and ordered a MityVac 7201
Fluid Evacuator Plus ($67) so I don't have to mess with getting dirty or under my car or that darn drain plug next time. Sounds good to me.

I still need to find a place that has that drain plug.. I see places online, but I need it asap. The dealer said $3.00 but he has to order it.. I found it for $2.62 online and some places wanted up to $5.79 or so..

Plus I still don't know what size easy out I need to remove the other half of the plug stuck in there... hmmm.

Honestly, you should have spent $20 on a very good set of ramps, $10 on a blanket or something to lay down on the ground, and $10 for a good oil drain pan... those evacuation systems are fine but you still never get every last bit of oil and any possible piece of metal out of the bottom of the pan. But the evacuators work, so if you can live knowing you might not have drained some bad stuff out - you'll sure be a lot cleaner than me when I get done with an oil change

About the plug - go to your dealer and tell them you need it asap and you will pay for rush shipping - but chances are if you went tomorrow to order it, they could have it by either friday or monday. FWIW, when you buy an oil filter at the dealer (the only place I'd buy them personally), the new filter includes new o-rings and washers for the drain plug and oil filter canister.

 

[Jedi_5ive_11ven]

The dealer wanted $11 for a filter, I got a filter from NAPA for $7 and it came with a new oil drain plug washer and a new filter gasket, just like an OEM.

I cancelled the order for the oil extractor. I do own a set of good ramps. However my car is very low and I have to drive it onto a set of 2 x 4's to raise the car to get it up on the ramps.

Anyways, I found an easy out and removed the broke off plug. I also found another BMW dealer that had the plug ($4.65). So I finished the oil change yesterday. I put 5.5 quarts in and it still looked low. So I put all 6 quarts in. I reset the oil service & inspection interval, and nothing leaked and car drove around the block fine.

However this morning on the way to work the yellow/gold oil light came on? I glanced through the manual and didn't see what this means? I'm assuming yellow means low on oil? or is it low oil pressure?

 

[Jedi_5ive_11ven]

Okay, so I confirmed my thoughts. The yellow oil light is normally indicating that you are low on oil. It turns out, contrary to many DIY's on the net, the 325i holds about 7 quarts of oil. But yuhp, my beauty is back up and running at full force.

Oh oh oh, side note. I had to get a 36mm socket from autozone. I rented it (you give them $15, and you get your $15 back when you return the socket. To buy one off the shelf... { drum roll } .... $15?!?!? So I went down to Sears, and they happen to have 36mm Craftsman sockets on sale, I got one for $4 (incl tax). Happy days folks. =)


Thanks for the help.

 

[330i and like it]

I use an evacuators everytime, it suck more out than if I drain it. The reason is because if you drain it you need to wait a long time to get the last drops.
I have 95,000 on my 330i 2001 so the evacuators must be working just fine.