Drain plug on n52 changed

[JimD]

I changed the oil on a 2013 128i convertible today for a friend. She wanted to do an early change as recommended in the old school maintenance guide. I was surprised that the drain plug was not on the bottom of the pan as it is on mine. The drain plug is on the side of the pan and the oil comes out sideways like the n54.

Anybody know when this changed?

Jim

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by JimD

I changed the oil on a 2013 128i convertible today for a friend. She wanted to do an early change as recommended in the old school maintenance guide. I was surprised that the drain plug was not on the bottom of the pan as it is on mine. The drain plug is on the side of the pan and the oil comes out sideways like the n54.

Anybody know when this changed?

Jim

It must've been very recently: My 2012 was built in May and the drain plug points straight down.

[Dackelone]

Maybe it was because her car was an automatic and yours is a manual>?

RealOEM.com lists two oil pans(and drain plugs) for the N52N engine. The automatic oil pan has a cheaper drain plug listed.

#11137535106 listed for autos $3.68
#11137553918 listed for manuals $7.88

I would bet money that the $7.88 drain plug is the hex/allen one, which is alloy and costs more to make.

[JimD]

Her car is an automatic and mine is a manual. So I guess that is it. It was also a very simple drain plug. I don't remember anything very special about mine but it's been a couple years since I changed it's oil. Both drain plugs have 17mm hex heads. She bought the BMW filter cap wrench, I got the Bavarian wrench. We both liked the 17mm head on mine better. Her's worked fine, however, but it has a large hex head cast in, something over an inch.

Fortunately I had read about n54 owners making a deflector out of cardboard. I did that and it worked great. I just cut 1/2 of a flap from the Tischer box her oil came in and pushed it up into the opening in the plastic under the engine pan. So it wasn't as bad as I first thought when I saw the plug orientation.

Jim

[Dackelone]

Ok, yea.. I thought that might be it Jim. Maybe its time to by a UUC magnetic drain plug for her and your car!


Here is mine...


first time changing the UUC with it in for only 5K milles... lots of metalic dust...

[Gray_Panther]

^ THat is genius....I wonder if they make it for my MKIV GTI too! Definitely gotta get this.

Thank you!