» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | | 02-05-2009, 11:01 PM | #1 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Houston TX Posts: 309 | Help Cant remove oil filter cap on 1996 318ti Im New to BMW's and i have a 1996 318ti i bought my oil and the oil filter. But i cant find a way to remove the oil filter cap. It looks like a twist off cap. Can anyone give me some advice to removing this cap. | | | 02-05-2009, 11:11 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norcal - 94590 Posts: 3,186 | The oil filler cap (on top of the valve cover) is a twist off. Counter clockwise about 1/4 turn should do it. The oil filter cover has a bolt that holds it on directly through the top of the cover (10mm, I think). Unscrew the bolt, pull it all the way out, and the cover should lift off... Edit... Sorry, that's one of the differences between the M42 (my car) and the M44 engine (your car). Yes, the M44 has the screw off oil filter cover... See this diagram: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...68&hg=11&fg=30 If you are changing the oil, it's best to remove the cover while the oil is draining, so any oil in the filter chamber will drain out as well... __________________ James 95 active w/leather interior and sport interior conversion, Vaders, full M-Tech exterior conversion. Now m50 swapped* Eibach sway bars, D2 Coilovers, Depo's w/AE's, blacked-out sides and grills, LeatherZ console and door armrests, 1 series starter button mod, and custom finished Style 5's <--- in this color! Named "Roddy": *M50 6 cyl. swap with fan delete, S50 cams and chip, AFE stage 2 intake, M3 clutch and 11.5 lb Fidanza flywheel, 3.15LSD, battery relocated to rear and complete custom exhaust. Sweet! 97 318ti sport, Alaska Blue, Contours, coilovers, Dove Vaders and custom black/grey interior named "Max" 95 318ti Active in Cosmos, S50 swap in progress... named "Pit" SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | 02-05-2009, 11:21 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norcal - 94590 Posts: 3,186 | As for getting that unscrewed, I would use something like a strap wrench or maybe some type of kitchen tool designed for large jars... __________________ James 95 active w/leather interior and sport interior conversion, Vaders, full M-Tech exterior conversion. Now m50 swapped* Eibach sway bars, D2 Coilovers, Depo's w/AE's, blacked-out sides and grills, LeatherZ console and door armrests, 1 series starter button mod, and custom finished Style 5's <--- in this color! Named "Roddy": *M50 6 cyl. swap with fan delete, S50 cams and chip, AFE stage 2 intake, M3 clutch and 11.5 lb Fidanza flywheel, 3.15LSD, battery relocated to rear and complete custom exhaust. Sweet! 97 318ti sport, Alaska Blue, Contours, coilovers, Dove Vaders and custom black/grey interior named "Max" 95 318ti Active in Cosmos, S50 swap in progress... named "Pit" SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | 02-05-2009, 11:24 PM | #4 | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 | I actually have the factory tool, but a strap wrench will work. Sears has then quite cheap. Be careful! The cap is plastic, and could be damaged if you get too crazy with it. yes, earlier 4-cylinders and the sixes have the 13mm (wrench size) bolt in the center to get it off... Much easier! | | | 02-05-2009, 11:24 PM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Houston TX Posts: 309 | On my TI it doesnt have a bolt on the top center of the cap. It looks like a twist off. | | | 02-05-2009, 11:26 PM | #6 | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 | Yes, a big, black plastic thing. The factory tool is like 40+ dollars, so you should get to Sears for a strap wrench... | | | 02-05-2009, 11:28 PM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Houston TX Posts: 309 | I tried the strap wrench...but it just doesnt seem to work. it just slides off the cap is on their really tight. Im guessing because the last service was done at the dealership. | | | 02-05-2009, 11:29 PM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Long Beach area Posts: 1,189 | You can also go to your local auto parts store (Autozone, Kragen, etc etc) and they should have oil filter wrenches. Looks kinda like this... I went to my local autozone and i asked them if I can get one and see if it fits in my car. If I remember correctly it costs me less than $10. Hopefully you'll find what you need! -Randy __________________ 97 Jet Black 318ti Sport. Not so stock anymore!.... Now Featuring:318ti.org sticker Now featuring: Hartge exhaust|Blacked out Grilles|Front Clear Corners or Ambers depending on how I feel|325is vented front brakes|Bilstein Sports|H&R Sports|E46 RSMs w/ Z3 reinforcment plates|16" Style 45s|17" E46 M68 rims|18" Authentic Hartge Classics C|OEM M135 ZHP wheels and 99 Titan Silver 323is Dinan S1+few more mods Coming sometime in the future:...SCed 2.1...new (to me) car mod maybe?...all in one car | | | 02-05-2009, 11:34 PM | #9 | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 | That's cool; the factory one comes with a metal filter cap that has a pressue port on top for oil pressuire testing. I never used the special top, but that was the only way it came- you couldn't buy just the wrench! | | | 02-05-2009, 11:43 PM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,895 | Quote: Originally Posted by lkwd318ti You can also go to your local auto parts store (Autozone, Kragen, etc etc) and they should have oil filter wrenches. | Yeah, that's what I did. They let me take a couple out to the car to see which one would fit good. __________________ ... ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐן ǝɥʇ sı sıɥʇ | | | 02-05-2009, 11:43 PM | #11 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Long Beach area Posts: 1,189 | Quote: Originally Posted by J!m That's cool; the factory one comes with a metal filter cap that has a pressue port on top for oil pressuire testing. I never used the special top, but that was the only way it came- you couldn't buy just the wrench! | Hey that sounds cool too hahah...you can make sure the pressure can be fine. Too bad it's so expensive. But anyways, to the original poster: That wrench I posted works nicely on my car and I can also use it on my dad's E30 325e when I do an oil change on his car. __________________ 97 Jet Black 318ti Sport. Not so stock anymore!.... Now Featuring:318ti.org sticker Now featuring: Hartge exhaust|Blacked out Grilles|Front Clear Corners or Ambers depending on how I feel|325is vented front brakes|Bilstein Sports|H&R Sports|E46 RSMs w/ Z3 reinforcment plates|16" Style 45s|17" E46 M68 rims|18" Authentic Hartge Classics C|OEM M135 ZHP wheels and 99 Titan Silver 323is Dinan S1+few more mods Coming sometime in the future:...SCed 2.1...new (to me) car mod maybe?...all in one car | | | 02-05-2009, 11:43 PM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Elizabeth City, NC Posts: 3,877 | Quote: Originally Posted by lkwd318ti You can also go to your local auto parts store (Autozone, Kragen, etc etc) and they should have oil filter wrenches. Looks kinda like this... I went to my local autozone and i asked them if I can get one and see if it fits in my car. If I remember correctly it costs me less than $10. Hopefully you'll find what you need! -Randy | That's what I have, works like a charm. I believe the one I bought was a "type B". __________________ ~Dave~ 98 328ti Morea Grun slicktop 11 128i space gray slicktop 13 JGC WK2 Deep Cherry Search | RealOEM | | | 02-06-2009, 12:22 AM | #13 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Houston TX Posts: 309 | Alright i bought the same thing Type B now which way should i turn the cap left or right. Because the cap has an arrow that is pointing to the right...thats why i am asking. | | | 02-06-2009, 12:34 AM | #14 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 1,587 | I had a plastic one for a parts store but it stripped out after a couple uses. Soon after I bought a metal Mercedes filter wrench which I've been using for many years now. It works perfectly. It has two little set screws/bolts that keeps the tool on tight. The Mercedes part number is #103 589 0209 00. Mine was only about $8 at a Mercedes dealer in Memphis, but I've heard they are more expensive now. | | | 02-06-2009, 12:47 AM | #15 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Houston TX Posts: 309 | It didnt work. the cap is on their to tight and the cap remover just slides off..it feels like it fits but it moves just a little its not getting a really tight grip onto it. | | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |