Change the Oil on a E39 (1997-2003) BMW

Works For:
1997 BMW 5 Series
1998 BMW 5 Series
1999 BMW 5 Series
2000 BMW 5 Series
2001 BMW 5 Series
2002 BMW 5 Series
2003 BMW 5 Series

BMW 5 Series Includes: 520, 523, 525, 528, 530, 535, 540, and M5

Source: 540iSport

Equipment Needed:

BMW Synthetic Oil can be either 5w-30 or 5w-40. I have recently converted to Mobile 1 Synthetic Oil10w-30 purchased at Costco. (8 quarts are required for V-8’s and 6 quarts for I-6’s)

Oil Collecting Container (buy at Kragen or an autoparts store)

Large Socket Wrench with a 17mm bit

OEM Filter Part# 11-42-7-510-716

Craftsman Strap Wrench for the Oil Filter Canister Cap instead of using a huge socket wrench bit. ($20 at Sears)

Floor Jack

Flat and Philips Headed Screw Drivers

Hammer

Funnel

2 one gallon sized juice jugs(preferably with a screw on cap)

Plastic bags (like from the supermarket)

Paper Towels

Gloves

Jack up the car using the Floor Jackon the driver’s side. You will see this rectangular area under the side skirt. Jack up the car as much as needed.

Warning!!! Make sure the emergency brake is secure, and put the car into 1st gear or into park to prevent roll back!!! In addition, place stopping blocks behind the rear wheels as well. You can DIE if the car rolls off the jack!!!

Put on some Gloves.

Use the Philips Screw Driver to unscrew the Cover Plate.

Remove this plate to see the Oil Pan Drain Screw.

Use the Socket Wrench with the17mm bit to loosen the Oil Pan Drain Plug. You may need the Hammer to help you loosen the plug.

Make sure you open the air releasing valve and the collecting hole of the Oil Collecting Container. Make sure it is near by before unscrewing the Drain Plug all the way.

Place the Collecting Container under the Drain Plug and unscrew the Drain Plug completely.

Let the system drain for about 45 minutes to ensure as much as possible drainage to occur.

Locate the Oil Filter Canister in the engine compartment. For the V-8’s the canister is located on the driver’s side of the engine compartment.

Use the Craftsman Strap Wrench to loosen the cap.

Be careful. There is about 1 quart of oil in there.

Put some newspaper and a plastic bag nearby to catch and drips as you transfer the whole filter and cap to the plastic bag.

Place the attached filter and cap into the plastic bag.

Now away from the engine, using aFlat Head Screw Driver, remove the old rubber O-Ring from the Canister top.

Separate the Canister top from the old oil filter by simply pulling the two apart.

Do everything in the plastic bag.

Take the New Rubber O-Ring and coat it with the used oil in the plastic bag.

Slip the New Rubber O-Ring onto the Canister Top.

Take the New Oil Filter and snap it into to the Canister Top.

Go back to the Oil Filter Canister in the engine compartment.

Simply place the connected Canister Top and New Oil Filter into the Oil Filter Canister.

Screw down the Canister Top to hand tightness. Verify that the New Rubber O-Ring seal is no longer exposed.

Take the Oil Pan Screw and remove the Old Metal Ring.

Take the New Metal Ring from the New Filter’s Bag and place it onto the Oil Pan Screw.

Once the oil has had sufficient drainage, screw the Oil Pan Screw back into its receiving end.

Tighten the screw enough to ensure no leakage. Hand tightness should be sufficient with the Socket Wrench.

Replace the Cover Plate back and screw close.

Now in the engine compartment, unscrew the square Oil Cap.

Use the Funnel to begin pouring the Synthetic Oil.

After pouring in the fresh oil, it’s time for clean-up.

Take the Oil Collecting Container, full of used oil, and begin to pour the contents into a gallon container using the same Funnel.

I like to use the Minute Maid gallon containers because they have a screw on top to prevent spills. Some milk containers have pop on tops and could easily pop off if dropped.

Please be environmentally friendly. Recycle the oil through your neighborhood waste management service or take it to a local auto shop.

Do not worry about mixing used synthetic oils with conventional oils. They all get recycled.