How to Change Engine Oil on a BMW E39 530i

DIY draining and refilling engine oil on 6 cylinder E39s. May apply to other models with the M54B30 or M52 engine.


Tools:

• 17 mm socket
• 35/36 mm socket 
• Ratchet(s)
• Oil drain pan
• Ramps or jack and jack stands

Parts:  

• Oil filter. O-ring and gaskets are included. 
• Mann, Mahle, Bosche, Genuine BMW filters all work well. 
• Engine oil. 
• I used Mobil 1 0W-40 for this guide. BMW approved LL01 oil will work. I have used Castrol 0W-40 and BMW's 5W-30 in the past. Mike Miller, the columnist in Roundel uses Red Line's 0W-40 for his BMWs.

Recommended:

• Any shop rag, towel, oil eater pad, kitty litter or oil absorbent to clean spills, gloves. 
• Jack point adapter to prevent damaging jack point. 
• Funnel

Steps: 

• Drive BMW for a short period to warm engine oil.

• Drive onto ramps or use a jack and jack stands to lift front end. 
• Use jack pad adapters to prevent crushing plastic jack points. 
• Place wheel chocks on rear wheels and set parking brake to prevent BMW from sliding.

Jack points in the Bentley Manual

• Open hood

• Use a 35/36 mm socket and ratchet to remove oil housing cap and filter. I use the Lisle 35/36 mm socket for its low profile and strength.
• Place rags or pigmat around filter to soak up any oil.
• Set the oil cap and filter aside after removing. 

Lisle socket on oil filter cap

• Get underneath vehicle and locate oil drain plug. The plug is right behind the front jack point.
• Your E39 may have plastic paneling or trap door that covers your oil pan, my 530i did not. I do not know if the vehicle did not come with the panels or the previous owner removed them. 

Oil drain plug highlighted in red.

• Use 17 mm socket and remove drain plug. 
• Place oil drain pan where you think the oil will come out. The plug is not facing downwards so oil will shoot out towards the passenger side. I use my Lisle Black Pan for its large capacity and spout.  
• Do not use an impact wrench to remove or install plug. 

• Remove the old filter from cap while the oil is draining.
• Pull filter straight out. This may require moderate force. 

• Replace large o-ring on oil filter cap. 
• Use a scribe or small flat head screw drive to remove old o-ring. Be careful not to damage oil filter cap.
• Check condition of two small o-rings and replace if necessary. Part # 11421744001
• Coat new o-ring with new oil and install. Please note proper location of O-ring by referencing picture below. 

• Install oil filter and filter cap. 
• Use 35/36 mm socket and torque to 18 ft-lbs
• Optional: Install filter cap after inserting oil drain plug. I put one quart of oil into the oil filter housing and the rest into the engine.

• Place new copper gasket on drain plug and install using 17 mm socket. 
• Torque to 25 ft-lbs. 
• I installed a MTC magnetic drain plug because the original plug was complete rusted and the previous owner rounded the plug head. 
• Reinstall any body paneling or trap doors if equipped. 

MTC magnetic plug

MTC magnetic plug installed

• Remove wheel chocks

• Carefully lower BMW by driving off ramps or jacking and removing jack stands. 

• Remove oil cap and fill with 6.5 liters or 6.7 quarts. 
• Use dipstick to check if oil is within limits, add more if necessary. 
• Use a funnel to prevent spills. I use the Hopkins funnel and it works fine.

Oil filler cap location and locking funnel.

• Reinstall oil cap. 

• Close hood and take a 10-15 minute drive. Check if there are any leaks. 

Notes: 

I used Mobil 1 because of their 5 quart rebates. Amazon and Walmart sell their 5 quarts for $23 and with the $12 rebate it only costs $11. 

How to Change Engine Oil on a BMW 3 Series E90

Tutorial for replacing engine oil & filter on BMW 3 Series E9X (06-12) with N51, N52, N54, N55 engines.

Tools:

• 17 mm socket and ratchet
• Lisle Oil Drain Pan
• Assenmacher Oil Filter Housing Wrench
• 21 mm socket and ratchet if using Assenmacher oil filter wrench
• RhinoRamps (Pair, 12,000lb. GVW Capacity)  

Parts:  

• Mann Oil Filter (Comes with drain plug and two O-ring gaskets) 
• Synthetic motor oil, options below:
• Genuine BMW 5W-30. Part number 83212365946
• Mike Miller from Roundel Magazine uses Red Line 0W40 Motor Oil - 12 Quarts 
• 2 x Castrol EDGE 0W-40 - 5 Quart European formula
• 2 x Mobil 1 Synthetic Motor Oil 0W-40, 5 Quart 
• Shell PurePlus synthetic oils

Recommended:  

• Rags, shop towels, jack and jack stands if you don't have ramps.
• I use Scott Shop Towels Pack of 2.
• Camco Wheel Chock - Pack of 2. If you jacking the front or using ramps, chock rear wheels to prevent your BMW from sliding. 
• Flat head screwdriver or General Tools Scriber
• Lumax Plastic Funnel

Steps:

• If engine is cool, start your car for 5-10 minutes to warm oil. If engine is hot, wait around 30 minutes to prevent being burned.  

• Lift BMW with a jack and jack stands or drive onto ramps. 
• Driving onto ramps is preferable if equipped with sports suspension and/or aerodynamic package due to low clearance.
• Jack one side and place jack stand or a ramp. Repeat on other side if  front bumper will be damaged driving up ramp or low profile jack cannot access the front jacking point. 
• Use a BMW Jack Pad Adapter to prevent destroying plastic side jack points.  

• Open hood and remove oil filter using Assenmacher Oil Filter Housing Wrench.
• The oil filter cap is shown below and the oil filter wrench goes on top. Place a 21 mm socket where the red circle is and loosen filter cap. 
• Place rags or shop towels around the oil filter to minimize spills when pulling out filter. 

• Locate oil drain plug access door. Door is located behind the front jacking point on RWD models and behind the transfer case beef up plate as shown below. Use a flat head screw drive and turn screw counter-clockwise to unlock shown in red circle below.

• Place an oil drain pan beneath door.

• Use a 17 mm socket and remove oil drain plug. Around 7 quarts (6.5 liters) of oil will drain out. 
• Drain plug is highlighted in red below. 
• I suggest wearing gloves to protect your hands.

• Remove and replace oil filter and two rubber O-rings while oil is draining. 

• Remove old filter from cap by pulling.
• I use a scribe to remove the old O-rings. Be careful not to damage the oil filter cap, especially the threads.
• Install new oil filter and two O-rings. Refer to the picture below from the Bentley BMW 3 Series Service Manual.
• Coat sealing O-rings with new oil
• Place large O-ring in correct location. Do not place in gap between cover and threads, place it in the correct gap below.

• Install new filter into oil filter housing and torque to 18 ft-lbs.

• Remove and replace copper washer on drain plug.

• Reinstall drain plug using 17 mm socket and torque to 18 ft-lbs. Do not over tighten. 

• Close access door and lock with screwdriver.

• Remove drain pan and lower BMW. 

• Remove oil fill cap and refill crankcase with 7 Quarts (6.5 liters) of oil.
• I pour 1 quart of oil into oil filter housing and 6 quarts into the engine. 
• Oil fill cap may be round or square depending on year and engine. N55 is pictured below.

• Reinstall oil fill cap and start engine. Check for any oil leaks and confirm the oil warning light is not on or goes out. 

• Check oil level in iDrive or the information center on the dash. Two conditions must be met to show oil level:
• Oil must reach normal operating temperatures 
• Start engine and idle or drive around for at least 6 minutes

Notes:

• Dear BMW, bring back the oil dipstick.
• Wipe away old oil in the oil filter housing after removing the filter.
• Many enthusiasts like Mobil 1, Castrol Edge European formula, or Shell PurePlus 0w-40 synthetic oils. As long as BMW's oil requirements are met you will be fine. Please refer to the owner's manual. 
• I recommend using wheel chocks for safety. 
• Picture below has useful information from Bentley's BMW 3 Series Service Manual   
• To reset CBS go to CBS explained

How to Change Engine Oil on a 2015 Subaru Forester

Replacing engine oil and filter on a 2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i and 2.0 turbo. Applies to most Subaru Foresters with similar engines.

Tools:

• 17 mm socket and ratchet.
• Extensions and a breaker bar may be useful.
• Oil Drain Pan. I use Lisle Black Pan for its large capacity. 

Parts:

• Oil filter. I use Mobil 1 Performance Oil Filter. Alternatively, buy OEM for less here: Subaru 6 Pack Oil filters for 2011 and up. Legacy, Outback, Forester. Part number 15208AA15A

• Subaru oil drain plug washer/gasket. Subaru 803916010 Oil Drain Plug Washer Part number 803916010

• Synthetic motor oil 0W-20 for 2.5i and 5W-30 for 2.0i turbo.
• 0W-20 OEM here: Genuine Subaru SOA427V1315 Motor Oil 
• Castrol EDGE 0W-20 Extended Performance Synthetic Motor Oil - 1 Quart Bottle, (Pack of 6) 
• 5W-30 OEM here: Subaru SOA868V9285 Synthetic Motor Oil - 1 Gallon 
• Castrol EDGE Extended Performance 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil - 5 Quart 

• Subaru's owner manual says use 0W-20 for the 2.5i, however I used 5W-30 and haven't had any issues. 

• Drain Plug if necessary. 
• Fumoto F-108N Engine Oil Drain Valve for more convenient draining.

Recommended:

• Ramps, Funnel, Rags, Jack and Jack Stands.

Steps:  

• Warm up car to normal operating temperatures. 

• Optional: Jack Forester and place jack stands or drive up on ramps. RhinoRamps Vehicle Ramps (Pair, 12,000lb. GVW Capacity) 

• Open hood and remove the oil filler cap (Yellow cap below).

• Remove the oil filter (Black cylinder below) with TEKTON 12-Inch Oil Filter Pliers.

• Clean the filter housing cup so there is a clean mating surface for the new filter.

• Apply clean oil to rubber gasket on new oil filter. 

• Install new filter by hand. The owner's manual says one full rotation past hand tight. 

• Locate oil drain plug underneath car. The picture below shows the general location, plug is located in the opening below.

• Place drain pan underneath and loosen drain plug with a 17 mm socket. Careful, the oil will be hot. Let the oil drain for 15-30 minutes.

• Reinstall drain plug with new crush washer. Torque drain plug to 32 ft/lbs. 

• Pour in new engine oil. It is perfectly fine if you overfill a little bit.
• 4.8 liters/5.1 US Quarts for non turbo 2.5i engine.
• 5.1 liters/5.4 US Quarts for turbo 2.0i engine.

• Install oil filler cap, check for leaks in drain plug area.

• Drive Subaru around for a few minutes. Recheck drain plug for leaks. The oil filter housing cup may leak a little which is fine. 

Notes:
I have heard great things about Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 Full Synthetic Motor Oil - 1 Quart, (Case of 6) so I will use that for the next oil change. So far, the Castrol EDGE 5W-30 has been doing very well.

I highly suggest WIX 57055 Oil Filter for its high bypass PSI, especially for turbo Subarus. The WIX filter is competitively priced and many enthusiasts prefer it over OEM filters.

The drain plug is at an angle and not pointed straight down. I recommend placing the pan directly where the plug is pointing.

I enjoy changing oil on the Forester because I don't have to remove any plastic panels to get to the drain plug or filter. The process is quick and straightforward.

Owners manual can be found here: 2015 Subaru Forester Manual




DIY applies to SJ Fourth Generation of Subaru Forester. 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

How to Change Engine Oil on a 2015 Subaru Forester

Replacing engine oil and filter on a 2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i and 2.0 turbo. Applies to most Subaru models with similar engines.

Tools:

• 17 mm socket and ratchet.
• Extensions and a breaker bar may be useful.
• Oil Drain Pan. I use Lisle Black Pan for its large capacity. 

Parts:

• Oil filter. I use Mobil 1 Performance Oil Filter. Alternatively, buy OEM for less here: Subaru 6 Pack Oil filters for 2011 and up. Legacy, Outback, Forester. Part number 15208AA15A

• Subaru oil drain plug washer/gasket. Subaru 803916010 Oil Drain Plug Washer Part number 803916010

• Synthetic motor oil 0W-20 for 2.5i and 5W-30 for 2.0i turbo.
• 0W-20 OEM here: Genuine Subaru SOA427V1315 Motor Oil 
• Castrol EDGE 0W-20 Extended Performance Synthetic Motor Oil - 1 Quart Bottle, (Pack of 6) 
• 5W-30 OEM here: Subaru SOA868V9285 Synthetic Motor Oil - 1 Gallon 
• Castrol EDGE Extended Performance 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil - 5 Quart 

• Subaru's owner manual says use 0W-20 for the 2.5i, however I used 5W-30 and haven't had any issues. 

• Drain Plug if necessary. 
• Fumoto F-108N Engine Oil Drain Valve for more convenient draining.

Recommended:

• Ramps, Funnel, Rags, Jack and Jack Stands.

Steps:  

• Warm up car to normal operating temperatures. 

• Optional: Jack Forester and place jack stands or drive up on ramps. RhinoRamps Vehicle Ramps (Pair, 12,000lb. GVW Capacity) 

• Open hood and remove the oil filler cap (Yellow cap below).

• Remove the oil filter (Black cylinder below) with TEKTON 12-Inch Oil Filter Pliers.

• Clean the filter housing cup so there is a clean mating surface for the new filter.

• Apply clean oil to rubber gasket on new oil filter. 

• Install new filter by hand. The owner's manual says one full rotation past hand tight. 

• Locate oil drain plug underneath car. The picture below shows the general location, plug is located in the opening below.

• Place drain pan underneath and loosen drain plug with a 17 mm socket. Careful, the oil will be hot. Let the oil drain for 15-30 minutes.

• Reinstall drain plug with new crush washer. Torque drain plug to 32 ft/lbs. 

• Pour in new engine oil. It is perfectly fine if you overfill a little bit.
• 4.8 liters/5.1 US Quarts for non turbo 2.5i engine.
• 5.1 liters/5.4 US Quarts for turbo 2.0i engine.

• Install oil filler cap, check for leaks in drain plug area.

• Drive Subaru around for a few minutes. Recheck drain plug for leaks. The oil filter housing cup may leak a little which is fine. 

Notes:
I have heard great things about Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 Full Synthetic Motor Oil - 1 Quart, (Case of 6) so I will use that for the next oil change. So far, the Castrol EDGE 5W-30 has been doing very well.

I highly suggest WIX 57055 Oil Filter for its high bypass PSI, especially for turbo Subarus. The WIX filter is competitively priced and many enthusiasts prefer it over OEM filters.

The drain plug is at an angle and not pointed straight down. I recommend placing the pan directly where the plug is pointing.

I enjoy changing oil on the Forester because I don't have to remove any plastic panels to get to the drain plug or filter. The process is quick and straightforward.

Owners manual can be found here: 2015 Subaru Forester Manual



DIY applies to SJ Fourth Generation of Subaru Forester. 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.