2011 BMW 535i DIY Oil Change - With Pics!
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Nice write up. Wouldn't this make it up Rhino Ramps? I've never understood jacking for oil changes.
Nice write up.
The more I see that trap door design (twist and having the belly pan between the door and the screw's head), the more I think of quirky design. They could easily design it so that you screw a door into the belly pan (door sandwich between the pan and the screw head), and use non round shape so you don't have to watch under the car for hole alignment, and forcing you to jack the car up for a simple oil change.
The more I see that trap door design (twist and having the belly pan between the door and the screw's head), the more I think of quirky design. They could easily design it so that you screw a door into the belly pan (door sandwich between the pan and the screw head), and use non round shape so you don't have to watch under the car for hole alignment, and forcing you to jack the car up for a simple oil change.
I don't understand the "forcing to jack up" part. You have to jack the car up if you are doing an oil change like this. But I think you are right about the alignment issue. It could have been a trapezoid shape trap door that clicks in place and is then fastened with the bolt/screw (no twisting involved and trapezoid to know which way it goes very quickly).
Do me a favor and tell me the Oil part number which appears on a stick placed inside the engine pay near the hood latch?
Originally Posted By: CivicFan
I don't understand the "forcing to jack up" part. You have to jack the car up if you are doing an oil change like this. But I think you are right about the alignment issue. It could have been a trapezoid shape trap door that clicks in place and is then fastened with the bolt/screw (no twisting involved and trapezoid to know which way it goes very quickly).
I never jack a car up when doing an oil change. I can reach the drain bolt on every car I have (IS250, Corolla, Integra, Taurus, and more) when I found out where to lay down and where to reach.
I don't understand the "forcing to jack up" part. You have to jack the car up if you are doing an oil change like this. But I think you are right about the alignment issue. It could have been a trapezoid shape trap door that clicks in place and is then fastened with the bolt/screw (no twisting involved and trapezoid to know which way it goes very quickly).
I never jack a car up when doing an oil change. I can reach the drain bolt on every car I have (IS250, Corolla, Integra, Taurus, and more) when I found out where to lay down and where to reach.
On every BMW I've owned the drain bolt is waaaaaaay back there. It's definitely not like a transversly mounted engine that right up front.
Nice car, although it got slaughtered in the current Car and Driver
Nice car, although it got slaughtered in the current Car and Driver
purdy car you got there......
First, thanks to the OP for the excellent pics of his DIY OC and his equally excellent brewski reward.
Same question as another poster though, would a good set of ramps not work for the Bimmer? I believe if I had to double jack my vehicles for each OC, my enthusiasm for DIY would quickly wane. My old style metal ramps with separate extenders for low profile vehicles have worked great for years. I assume the heavy duty 12k Rhino ramps would do the same.
Nice wheels for sure!
Same question as another poster though, would a good set of ramps not work for the Bimmer? I believe if I had to double jack my vehicles for each OC, my enthusiasm for DIY would quickly wane. My old style metal ramps with separate extenders for low profile vehicles have worked great for years. I assume the heavy duty 12k Rhino ramps would do the same.
Nice wheels for sure!
I don't find ramps any faster or better for that matter.
I just jack up one side of the car enough for me to get to the drain plug, I put a jack stand under the car for safety, but I don't put any weight on it, then I lower the car to get all the oil out, then jack it up again, put the drain plug in and change the filter. I'm usually done in 20min. most of the time is spent on waiting for oil to drain. Before it would take me about 10 min just to fiddle with ramps. Using the jack and jack stands may sound complicated and troublesome on paper, but it is really fast and not much work at all.
I just jack up one side of the car enough for me to get to the drain plug, I put a jack stand under the car for safety, but I don't put any weight on it, then I lower the car to get all the oil out, then jack it up again, put the drain plug in and change the filter. I'm usually done in 20min. most of the time is spent on waiting for oil to drain. Before it would take me about 10 min just to fiddle with ramps. Using the jack and jack stands may sound complicated and troublesome on paper, but it is really fast and not much work at all.
To each their own. I find driving up on ramps to be much easier. And, many Honda oil filters are (high up) on the back side of transverse mounted engine, to reach requires getting up under the engine.
Also, as many (mine at least) oil drain plugs are at the back of the pan, and there is the added benefit of getting a little extra oil out. But, the OP was double jacking/jack standing which is why, if possible, I would think ramps would be a great solution.
Ideally, don't need either like on my truck. But, different strokes for different folks.
Also, as many (mine at least) oil drain plugs are at the back of the pan, and there is the added benefit of getting a little extra oil out. But, the OP was double jacking/jack standing which is why, if possible, I would think ramps would be a great solution.
Ideally, don't need either like on my truck. But, different strokes for different folks.
When I had my 95 Accord, I also had to use ramps,
Honda for for messing it up, but my current car, Mazda 3, has a super easy filter location and the drain plug is not that far in the back, so my method works well on that car.
Quote:
But, different strokes for different folks.
Exactly, do what works best for you
Quote:
But, different strokes for different folks.
Exactly, do what works best for you
Yep, had a 96 Accord and I bought the metal ramps, and later the extenders for low profile vehicles to keep the front from rubbing the ramps on the way up. Glad I bought the extenders too, use them all the time now.
I used the topsider on my 330ci, and wish they still had dipstick tubes. One of these F10s is likely in my future and will hate crawling under the car again.
Interestingly, my co-worker just bought an Audi S4 which doesn't have a dipstick tube (you check the oil on the computer like the BMW). However, a dipstick tube can be added as a dealer option for a few $. Yes, you read that right. I wish BMW had this option.
Interestingly, my co-worker just bought an Audi S4 which doesn't have a dipstick tube (you check the oil on the computer like the BMW). However, a dipstick tube can be added as a dealer option for a few $. Yes, you read that right. I wish BMW had this option.
Congress should pass a law requiring all engines sold in North America must have an oil dipstick tube as standard equipment.
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