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Old 12-04-2004, 10:55 PM   #1
barische
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Default oil change help

now that i own the ti, i wanna change my oil. i want to change to fully synthetic oil. most people says mobil 1 is good, so i will go wiht mobil 1, but the car is at 83,000 miles , and i really dont know what kind of oil they used before, my father took the car to some mechanic i think every 7000-8000 miles. i live in nj and it usually get around 30-35 degrees in winter and i was thinking about going with like 10w or 15w, i really dont know what kind of oil the mobil makes, so can u guys help me wiht the thickness of the oil. i also checked out the drain plug today and i saw that i dont even need to lift the car. i can get a racket and unscrew the plug.
do i have to get a special tool to remove the oil filter cap. i was thinkin of doing it with my dads wisegrip tools.
can u guys help me iwht the parts i need to change the oil. thanks any help would be awesome. also the car is 1997
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Old 12-04-2004, 11:19 PM   #2
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You can get underneath the car without lifting it? *WHEW*
I would not suggest using a racket. Maybe a ratchet or box end wrench.

There are special sockets to use. Do yourself a favor and don't use the wisegrips. Errr, vice grips.

Take a look at this page.
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/eng...il_change.html
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Old 12-05-2004, 12:10 AM   #3
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hey im trying to do the same, do u need a torque wrench to be more accurate? how else would u get the 18lbs needed?
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Old 12-05-2004, 12:13 AM   #4
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first, i don't think it's a good idea to switch to synthetic this late in the car's life. but, ask around and make your own decision.

second, just because you can slide an arm under there to reach the drain plug doesn't mean you can get an oilpan under there at the same time. i do the last part of the bolt with my fingers, so i don't get oil on my tools (but wear gloves) or drop the bolt.

you can get a generic filter cap wrench from most automotive stores. i've found them at autozone and walmart (between $2 and $4).


other than tools, your only consumables will be the oil and the filter (which includes new o rings and a crush washer).
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Old 12-05-2004, 12:40 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by devilddog88
hey im trying to do the same, do u need a torque wrench to be more accurate? how else would u get the 18lbs needed?
I suppose a torque wrench would be helpful but I don't use one.
I tighten until it is snug, then a gentle extra snug. Don't crank it down. The crush washer will keep it in place.
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Old 12-05-2004, 01:26 AM   #6
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ok thanks guys, maybe ill go search for cap tool, about the synthetic oil, so everyone thinks that it is now too late to switch to full sythetic oil. lets says its too late, what thickness regular oil do i need a 15w 40 or like 10w --??
thanks for the help
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Old 12-05-2004, 01:29 AM   #7
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thanks steven
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Old 12-05-2004, 01:47 AM   #8
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the only thing i use a torque wrench for (during normal maintenance) is checking the wheel lug bolts every so often and after i have the rubber changed.

i do what steve does. snug, then a little extra.
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Old 12-05-2004, 04:54 AM   #9
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Mobil One 10-30 in winter. 15 -50 in summer.

Great stuff.

Good luck with the Ti.
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Old 12-05-2004, 05:49 AM   #10
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Read my posting. I explain the whole process with tools necessary.

Quote:
Originally Posted by barische
now that i own the ti, i wanna change my oil. i want to change to fully synthetic oil. most people says mobil 1 is good, so i will go wiht mobil 1, but the car is at 83,000 miles , and i really dont know what kind of oil they used before, my father took the car to some mechanic i think every 7000-8000 miles. i live in nj and it usually get around 30-35 degrees in winter and i was thinking about going with like 10w or 15w, i really dont know what kind of oil the mobil makes, so can u guys help me wiht the thickness of the oil. i also checked out the drain plug today and i saw that i dont even need to lift the car. i can get a racket and unscrew the plug.
do i have to get a special tool to remove the oil filter cap. i was thinkin of doing it with my dads wisegrip tools.
can u guys help me iwht the parts i need to change the oil. thanks any help would be awesome. also the car is 1997
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Old 12-06-2004, 12:06 AM   #11
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my question is that, is it ok to switch to full sythetic oil now. the car has been using regular oil and the car is at 83,000 miles. so should use mobil 1 or get regular oil
thanks
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Old 12-06-2004, 12:25 AM   #12
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It will be fine. Go ahead and switch.
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Old 12-06-2004, 12:33 AM   #13
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Yes. Switch,

You may want to change again in say 2000 miles just in case the motor is a tad sludgy.

Then you can just change at regular intervals.
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Old 12-06-2004, 02:59 AM   #14
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In my post detailing the tools needed, I mentioned that I put in 1 quart of slick 50, and 4 quarts of Mobile 1. The car was always using regular oil up until my first oil change 2 months ago. You can always switch to a synthetic oil, just stay with it. Change the weight with the different seasons, if you have different seasons.


http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3670


Quote:
Originally Posted by barische
my question is that, is it ok to switch to full sythetic oil now. the car has been using regular oil and the car is at 83,000 miles. so should use mobil 1 or get regular oil
thanks
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Old 12-06-2004, 03:09 AM   #15
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what would be the best oil for cold temperatures?
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