Oil change question

[Laigo]

I inspected my car's dipstick yesterday and discovered the goldish color of the oil has now turned blackish (I check every month), which means I want to change my oil this week. The service book says the car received Castrol Synthetic (I am assuming SLX) I will now be putting in Liqui Moly Toptec 4100. Note: There are still 3 green lights left on my service indicator, which will not be reset after oil change.

Question: Apart from the mandatory copper washer for the sump plug, is it absolutely necessary to change the oil filter?

Thanx guys

 

[Coisman]

imp:
Oil filter is so cheap, might as well change it :dunno:

 

[P1000]

Don't change the filter :thumbsup:

 

[Laigo]

That's 1 vote YES, 1 vote NO

 

[Iceman007]

That's 1 vote YES, 1 vote NO

When you change the oil you change the filter
:hammerhead::hammerhead:

 

[P1000]

That's 1 vote YES, 1 vote NO

When you change the oil you change the filter
:hammerhead::hammerhead:

It's better to only change the oil filter at 15000km intervals. If you short-change the oil, you would only change the filter every second time.

 

[Iceman007]

That's 1 vote YES, 1 vote NO

When you change the oil you change the filter
:hammerhead::hammerhead:

It's better to only change the oil filter at 15000km intervals. If you short-change the oil, you would only change the filter every second time.

Ai Ai if the oil is black the filter would be black also which indicates its dirty. Why drive with a half dirty filter that will only have half its filtering potential than putting in a new one:banghead:. read the forums on e46 fanatics. No wonder most of BMW cars have to get flushed due to sludge billed up because driving 25 000k on the same oil. its not good for you but its good for BMW because the quicker the car dies the quicker BMW can sell a new one again. its good practice to service your BMW every 12,5K.

The same goes for the gearbox and Diff oil which they say is Liftime. Who ever believes that is stupid and dumb. they even say your fuel filter is lifetime. What does this tell you? they want your car to last for +/- 150k

 

[P1000]

Filters are designed to filter optimally halfway through their life cycle. IE - the wholes are too big and let too many particles through at the beginning, then they get clogged and start filtering better up to the end, when the flowrate through them starts decreasing below optimal. If you change them too quickly, too many particles get through. as proven by oil analysis soon after a service with an oil filter change. It has been discussed a lot on this forum, and others.

 

[Iceman007]

Filters are designed to filter optimally halfway through their life cycle. IE - the wholes are too big and let too many particles through at the beginning, then they get clogged and start filtering better up to the end, when the flowrate through them starts decreasing below optimal. If you change them too quickly, too many particles get through. as proven by oil analysis soon after a service with an oil filter change. It has been discussed a lot on this forum, and others.

mmm could be but 25k on one oil filter I dont think so, not good. Life time on a Fuel filter not good.

So what is the life span of an oil filter and what is its full life? did they do the test over 10k 15k 20k or 25k???

But the choice is yours. I bought my E46 on 85k from the stealers and man the oil was black. Ive got 160k on it now and I serviced it every 12.5k from the start and the oil is now a brown coulor at each service interval prooving to me that im doing something right. Also when I replaced my Vanos seals there was no sludge in them or on the cam gears or chains.

But as I say the choice is yours

 

[andrewbuch]

I would do a oil change every 7500km and a oil & filter change every 2nd time..

 

[kabal]

I would like to see manufacturer backed and independent proof that new filters filter worse than older ones

 

[akash]

I would like to see manufacturer backed and independent proof that new filters filter worse than older ones

1 up on that

 

[Laigo]

Thanx for the input guys. i think I'll change the oil now, filter when the inspection1 is due (ie No more green lights)
:thumbsup:

 

[lucian]

So what is the best oil for engine, gearbox and diff? I know it has to be different oil for each component.
I think I just about need to replace all of them.
BTW 320i e46 2000 model

 

[Raybimmer]

IMHO dirty oil is not a bad sign , just that it is carrying particles away from the engine to the filter . Gud product catalogue ( hard copy ) states change oil and oil filters together . They recommend filter change frequency of approximately 10 000 km . ( More often would be better for sales ! )

 

[StK]

Guide to oils for BM's
http://www.redlineoil.com/news_article.aspx?id=13 :thumbsup:

whats the point in doing half a job? :thinking:

Change the filter when you change the oil

---

an oil filter kit will come with oil the parts required for an oil service including the copper ring that goes on the sump plug...also torque the sump plug properly....to easy to overdo and thread the sump :nono:

 

[lucian]

Guide to oils for BM's
http://www.redlineoil.com/news_article.aspx?id=13 :thumbsup:

whats the point in doing half a job? :thinking:

Change the filter when you change the oil

---

an oil filter kit will come with oil the parts required for an oil service including the copper ring that goes on the sump plug...also torque the sump plug properly....to easy to overdo and thread the sump :nono:

---

Now where in Cape Town will a person get all of this for a reasonable price?
I mean all the oils, filters and copper ring for sump plug. I need to to this next week, during school holidays. That's about the only time the missus will lend me her car.

 

[StK]

Guide to oils for BM's
http://www.redlineoil.com/news_article.aspx?id=13 :thumbsup:

whats the point in doing half a job? :thinking:

Change the filter when you change the oil

---

an oil filter kit will come with oil the parts required for an oil service including the copper ring that goes on the sump plug...also torque the sump plug properly....to easy to overdo and thread the sump :nono:

---

Now where in Cape Town will a person get all of this for a reasonable price?
I mean all the oils, filters and copper ring for sump plug. I need to to this next week, during school holidays. That's about the only time the missus will lend me her car.

---

Ask your dealer first for an oil filter kit and how much it is and then ask your dealer if they are doing the value service kits.....or tell me what car you have and I will get the part number for the value kits :thumbsup The value service kits come with varying filters depending on what car you have,they all come with oil filter kits though :thumb:

 

[lucian]

Guide to oils for BM's
http://www.redlineoil.com/news_article.aspx?id=13 :thumbsup:

whats the point in doing half a job? :thinking:

Change the filter when you change the oil

---

an oil filter kit will come with oil the parts required for an oil service including the copper ring that goes on the sump plug...also torque the sump plug properly....to easy to overdo and thread the sump :nono:

---

Now where in Cape Town will a person get all of this for a reasonable price?
I mean all the oils, filters and copper ring for sump plug. I need to to this next week, during school holidays. That's about the only time the missus will lend me her car.

---

Ask your dealer first for an oil filter kit and how much it is and then ask your dealer if they are doing the value service kits.....or tell me what car you have and I will get the part number for the value kits :thumbsup The value service kits come with varying filters depending on what car you have,they all come with oil filter kits though :thumb:

---

The stealers are usually overpriced with everything. They will probably charge twice as much for the same oil I can buy at an autoshop.
BTW I have a 320i e46 2000 manual model. I think I should make a turn at Masterparts. I have bough some stuff from them before and it was all good quality.

 

[andrewbuch]

Oil filter from BMW is not badly priced, & you get all o-rings & copper washer with it..

Oil I am running Shell Helix Ultra 5w40 in my 2000 E46..