» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | ![](http://www.318ti.org/forum/clear.gif) | ![Reply](http://www.318ti.org/forum/images/buttons/reply.gif) | ![Share/Bookmark](http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_171_16.png) | 09-29-2004, 03:39 AM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 5 | oil change confusion Hi there, College student here, just bought a 318ti and am so confused on maintenance lights under the speedometer. I do not have the owners manual, is there a place I can located a diagram that explains what they mean and how they work? I am unsure if I need an oil change or not..... Confused Tyler | | | 09-29-2004, 04:48 AM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Tyler, TX Posts: 1,022 | There is a little bar that shows the status of your oil. If it is green then you're fine, orange means that the oil change is due, and red means that it's past due. | | | 09-29-2004, 02:25 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 107 | Change the oil and filter anyway. You then know when it was changed and that you used a quality oil. You are using Mobil 1, right? | | | 09-29-2004, 04:59 PM | #4 | Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Santa Clara Posts: 97 | Like Brucelee said change the oil and the oil filter and make a note of the milage. The lights go off 1 by 1 as the milage increases, BUT the thing to notice is that BMW recommends changing the oil at 8000 miles interval, so the lights go off slowly. You should change the oil at 3000 miles. Try to get a reset tool as well so that you can easily reset the lights when you change the oil. Make sure that you put 90+ octane gas. Good Luck! and welcome to the board!!! __________________ ***SOLD***The Ultimate Dying Machine!!! '97 318Ti, Active. 17" wheels ***SOLD*** 137k Hard driven miles. | | | 09-29-2004, 07:46 PM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 290 | I think the lights go out depending on how you drive actually. For me they usually go out around 5k miles. I'd recommend changing the oil sooner than 5k miles, no matter what the oil can withstand. Sure, alot of synthetics can last 8k-10k miles or maybe MORE. But your oil filter still loads up at the same rate. Just my suggestion. __________________ Vince Carknard 1995 318ti Active Hellrot, 16" 5 spoke, "Fogged" airbox mod, Stromung exhaust, Bilstein Sports, BMW sport springs, 3.73lsd, others... | | | 09-30-2004, 03:50 PM | #6 | Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: MA Posts: 30 | | | | 10-01-2004, 01:15 PM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 107 | I use Mobil 1 and change oil and filter every 5 thousand miles. Seems like that will work fine unless you are always hammering the car or don't drive it much. | | | 10-01-2004, 01:25 PM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | My regiment is now oil (Mobil 1) every oil service and filter only at 1/2 intervals. If I was noting the mileage it would be ~9000 miles for oil, ~4500 miles for oil filter. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 10-09-2004, 11:57 PM | #9 | Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 5 | Thanks for all the information! I appreciate it very much. Don't know what oil I use because I just bought it and have not had an oil change, however I will take everyone's input! | | | 10-11-2004, 09:26 AM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: state college, pa Posts: 3,431 | you can also reset the lights yourself (if you're doing your own oil changes) with $0.05 of wire: http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/ele...ce_lights.html remember that every other oil change requires an inspection, which is all stuff you can do yourself as well. Steve -- do you notice a difference in the oil coming out? i.e. darker than normal, thick or runny? that would make my life so much easier if i didn't have to put it on the ramps every other month. | | | 10-11-2004, 12:10 PM | #11 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | I don't find the oil any different. Synthetic is designed to run longer. If the engine was warm it comes out pretty quick. I changed the oil in the Mini and the engine was cold. The oil came out slower. The important this is to change the filter. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 10-12-2004, 07:47 AM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: state college, pa Posts: 3,431 | i'm gonna give it a shot then. | | | ![Reply](http://www.318ti.org/forum/images/buttons/reply.gif) | 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 | | | |