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So I purchased an 02 BMW 330i about 3 weeks ago from the 1st and only owner. She had given me service records going back to early 2005. I noticed in those records that she stopped getting her car serviced at BMW and started going to a Exxon in VA. No big deal. I don’t frequent the dealer either.

It was due for an oil change. I would of done it either way as I’m picky about what’s in my engine. I couldn’t wait to get what ever was in there out and some good Castrol or Amsoil in. So I carve out the time yesterday. Figured I would only need 20 -30 min. WRONG!

Got the car up and found the drain plug, perfectly aligned my catch pan and let her rip. All good. Remove the oil cap under the hood and noted the grime in the crank case. Started wishing I chose Amsoil with one qt of equal weight diesel. Anyhoo. I then go to remove the filter. ISSUE #1- Why the F$!* did BMW think it was a good idea to put a directional arrow on the lid telling you the way to turn to “tighten” the cap? Once the cap is off it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which way to turn to get it back on, after all you can stop and look at the threads when its off. And you will quickly note that your turning is in vein. However, if a lid is stuck on, it helps to know your turning it in the right direction. I figured the geniuses that made this 330 was thinking along the same lines. WRONG!. So I tried removing it with a wrench. Wouldn’t budge in either direction. I keep trying for 15 min before I realized it wouldn’t go. Got in the Porsch and went to Sears. Got a 36mm socket. 30 min later I’m back at it. Even w/ socket it’s not budging. I pulled out my Dewalt Impact gun. Pop pop pop pop and the batt started dying. Shoot, it needed to be charged as did batt #2. I sit and think for a min. I dig through my cabinets and find my breaker bar. I add the socket to it, fully extended it and go at this thing again. Try # 1 resulted in it slipping off and stripping the bolt head a bit. I realize I better be careful. I plant it down and tried again in each direction with all I had. It moved about ¼ “clockwise” then stopped. I try tapping, WD40 everything and nothing. I then start reading forums and goggling E46 filter clockwise. I got my answer. SOB! After abusing a few walls with my fist I go at it in the right direction. The bolt is striping worse now as I no longer care, just want it off and Ill buy a new filter cap. Then finally POP! The filter gave way and the socket head went flying again. Thank gwad it went in the opposite direction of the Porsche, wouldda left one hell of a dent or broke a window. After the pop I could remove it by hand.

Then I saw this.
ISSUE #2



I assume that the Exxon never, ever changed her filter. She has been going to them for over 3 years. Half of the filter was at the top of the housing and the half was resting in the bottom. Many pieces had broken off as it was as brittle as a potatoe chip. They were sticking to the housing and lying at the base. When I went to pull the top half away it crumbled in my fingers. I stuffed paper down the inlet to block and pieces from dropping in. And there I sat with a long flat head screw driver digging out the pieces. Then I had to remove the top and bottom of the filter element. It was made of plastic so it was still intact. Truthfully, I didn’t even know what it was until the new filter wouldn’t seat properly. So I had to get a coat hanger and fish that out as seen in pic 6.

After all that I cleaned the housing with a rag, added my Fram filter and 6qts of Castrol edge 5w30. I also thought this car took 6.5. It was full with only 6. Making me suspect my drain down didn’t go so well.

Total job took me about 3 hours.

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img]

So you have basically had very little oil flow in that engine for 3 years or is there a bypass valve in case of filter failures? Ouch!

Dave- Oil flow had to have been low.

So I'm thinking I'll remove the new filter in there now after 100 miles and see what it caught. Then I'll do a drain and refill after about 3000. Going to get on the phone w/ Amsoil to see what they recommend and going to look into BG products as well.

You guys think Im on the right track? Car actually runs strong.

You know BMW recommends oil changes every 15,000 miles. Maybe the owner did not make their 15000 oil service yet [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]
Seriously, that really sucks [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img] BTW on my 03 330i I use a 6 point socket to remove the oil filter cover.

Kevin

scary - oil and filter maintainance is at the top of the list. hope it all works out OK

not sure this is true, I have not bothered to verify it, but I was told new Mercedes(es) - btw, wtf is the corect plural to that - " Mercedi " ? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif[/img] require no oil changes EVER ! How does one design a permanent filter which processes and discards the residue somehow [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif[/img]

Rhudeboye,

Totally OT, but I love the Craftsman 19.2V cordless line.
I recommend the air compressor and the orbital buffer.
And you need to get a couple lithium batteries.
Oh, and the chainsaw is awesome, but not much use for working on the car...

Good luck with the BMW.
Stories like this give me nightmares about buying another 968.

Jamie

OHHH is that the special 100,000 oil the stealers try to sell ya for $125 a quart [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]