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      04-17-2010, 12:40 PM   #38
JimD
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Drives: 128i convertible
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Lexington, SC

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I did my second oil change today at about 5500 miles. I am only driving my 128i a few days a week. I get a break on insurance for staying under 7500 miles a year which is easily possible since I have a perfectly good SUV (which is admittedly not as nice as the bimmer but better suited to some things).

Anyway, I get my 128i level this time and allowed it to drain for a really long time. I put in 6 quarts of BMW oil I got in a kit from Tischer and then just took it for a short drive around the neighborhood to see if it was full. It registers at the "Max" indicator. I will check it a few more times soon but it seems like mine really does not want 7 quarts. I thought maybe it was the fact I raised only the front last time but it does not seem to have made any difference.

A few other things I noted. First, to jack up all 4 corners, I jack at the rear jacking point on the passengers side, then put a stand under the front jacking point on the passengers side (jacking the rear raises the front too). Then I jack in the middle in the front (a little tight getting the jack in there without raising a corner, it's a harbor freight model and fairly low but not real low) and put the drivers front on stands. Then this time I jacked in the middle in the back to get all 4 corners on stands. Actually I put the stands under the back jacking points but just left the jack under it. If the jack failed I was safe but I thought it would save a little time. The release on the HF jack stuck, however, so it may have made it take longer. I just jack at the center both front and rear to remove the stands. It's a little tight in the front but the car sits slightly taller when it comes down that it does normally so I can get the jack out.

The cap of the oil filter housing says it needs 25 Nm torque. That did not cause the green dots to lineup this time but I torqued it to this value. That is the same torque as for the drain plug. It is higher than I would normally torque a drain plug but I am pretty sure this is what BMW calls for. 25Nm is 18.44 ft. lbs. My 3/8 torque wrench works well. My drain plug seemed a little tight on the first oil change which I attributed to paint but I now think it is just the BMW drain plug is tighter than I am used to.

I find it easiest to get to the drain plug from the front. That may not be true for a 135 due to the different front end.

I am going to make some short ramps out of 2x4s or 2x6s and see if that raises it enough I don't have to jack. Getting it in the air takes the most time. It will at least let me get to the center jacking point in the front. I can put a drain pan under it without anything raising it but it seems a bit tight to get the drain plug out with the drain pan in place. My stands put it much higher in the air than I need to change the oil. I could also get some floor mats to go under my ramps and use them (they slide with nothing under them).

Jim
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128i Convertible, MT, Alpine White, Black Top, Taupe Leatherette, Walnut, Sport
Ordered 5/22/09, Completed 6/4/09, At Port 6/9/09, On the Georgia Highway 6/13/09, Ship Arrived Charleston 6/24/09 at 10pm, PCD 7/21/09
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