BMW 328I Oil Filter

How do you change the oil filter on a BMW 328i? If you have asked yourself this question, now is the time to get an answer. You will be happy to know that the process below also works for other models in the E90 series. They include but are not limited to the 335i and the 325i. This process also works for the 128i and the 135i in the 82 series. Thus, if you know someone who needs some help with a filter change, here is a guide that could help them a great deal.

To change your oil filter, you will need an oil filter wrench, socket wrenches, and car ramps. The cost of this process should be eighty-five dollars or so, and you should not spend more than half an hour on this. In a dealership, you will part with at least one hundred dollars. Thus, if you have the time and willingness to do this on your own, you can save the cash. Else, you can get it done at that fee and save some time. It all depends on how confident you are with DIY tasks and how much time you have on your hands.

It helps to note that taking shortcuts would not be an ideal approach in this regard. For example, some people will use aftermarket oil to save money on the changes, such as the Mobil 1 oil filter for BMW 328i. However, it would be best if you went with genuine products. 

What do you need to change the 2007 BMW 328i oil filter?

When changing a BMW oil filter, you need several tools. You need rhino car ramps, 17-millimeter socket wrenches, and an oil filter wrench. Respectively, these tools should cost you forty, ten, and thirty-five dollars each. You can also add a strap wrench to the combo. However, the filter cap can be so tight that an extra tool may not be necessary. But where you have one in the store, it would not hurt to have it nearby.

How many quarts of oil does a BMW 328i take?

Next, we deal with the parts needed for this oil change. Find a part that will work for the oil filter. You will find that what can work for a 2000 BMW 328i oil filter will also work on another version. Thus, don’t worry about getting a versatile product as long as it can handle the task at hand. The Mann oil filter BMW is the best way to go in this case. You will find that aftermarket versions cost about a dollar less than it does. You can do without the dollar in this case.

How many quarts of oil does a 2013 BMW 328i take?

You also need to get seven quarts of synthetic BMW oil, which should set you back about seventy-five dollars. These quarts are equivalent to six point five liters.

The Process

After assembling all the tools you will need for this process, you can get started on changing the oil filter. Start by driving the car onto the ramps. Where you do not have ramps, you can choose to use a hydraulic jack and jack stands. If it helps you save money, then why not? Note that you will need a jack pad adapter for you to use the jack. Raise the car on the front left and front right sides to ensure that you can reach the jack spot. It is impossible to get the spot, otherwise, even when using a low jack.

Where the car has some sports accessories, note that the front bumper flap will hit the ramps before the tires do. When this happens, the ramps can slide backward, making your task hard. If this happens, you should stabilize the ramps by placing something heavy behind them.

Where do you put oil in a BMW 328i? Once you are sure the car is steady, you can proceed to remove the oil cap as well as the oil filter housing. To do this, you will need to unscrew the oil cap, and you can see where you will pour the oil.

• As you open the cap, you create an avenue for the old oil to flow out and create a space for the new. The cap lies on the top of the engine cover and should not be hard to locate. The next time you are at the garage, you can ask the mechanic to point it out to you. They can also show you how to open it, where you need some help on the same.
• You now need to find the BMW 328i oil filter location. It is in the same place for all engines, and you should not have much trouble finding it. In some cases, unscrewing the oil filter housing may prove to be difficult. It would help if you used an oil filter wrench for this. Where it is too tight to remove with the wrench, you can add a breaker bar to increase the pressure.
  At this point, you have the oil cap off and have removed the oil filter housing. You are almost there, with a few more steps left in this process. If you wish, you can start changing out the filter at this point. However, it helps to wait and begin draining the oil. In this way, you can change the filter as the oil drains, thus accomplishing two tasks simultaneously.
• Remove the oil drain plug. To do this, you will need a 17-millimeter socket wrench as well as an oil catch. The latter should have a capacity of up to six and a half liters. Locating the drain plug should be easy, and you should proceed to remove the cover using your finger. In some cases, you may need to use a screwdriver to spin the plastic at an angle of 180 degrees.
• You can now proceed to remove the bolt therein using a wrench and place the catch under the plug. The oil should start draining, and you should wait at least three to four minutes to check if all of it has drained.
• As you wait, you can now work on replacing the BMW e90 oil filter. You should note that the drain plug comes with a crush washer, which will also be present in the new one. As such, when installing the 2015 BMW 328i oil filter kit, ensure that you use the new one and discard the other one.
• The oil filter lies inside the housing with a pole sticking out its middle. Removing it should be easy as long as you pull on it upward then out. The filter has o-rings. The black ones are on the threads of the housing, while the green ones lie on the tip of the middle pole.
• You should remove these rings and replace them with those in the new kit. They may be hard to remove, and you may have to use a screwdriver. When doing so, you must exercise caution, or else you will damage the threads and incur added costs. You can now slide in the new filter and screw the housing back onto the engine. The housing should be firm to ensure that high pressure does not in the interior does not result in oil leaks.
• By now, the oil should have finished draining, and you can now replace the drain bolt. Do not forget to remove the old crush washer. You can tighten the drain bolt by hand. Using a torque wrench is not necessary, and it could end up causing more harm than good. Easy does it in this case. Finish up by replacing the drain plug cover, and your work is almost over.
• Now, you can go ahead and pour in the seven quarts of oil using a cone filter. The amount of oil put in should not be a cause for worry. Where you use too little, you will get a dash notification on the same. When you use more than is necessary, the extra will get burned through by the engine. Thus, you are safe either way.

Bottom Line

That’s all you need to know when it comes to changing an oil filter in the BMW 328i. You will not spend much time on this process, and you will save some money by avoiding the mechanic. Plus, you will work on sharpening your DIY skills. If you choose to get it done by another party, be sure to pay attention to the products that they use. All the best!