E30 Zone

hi ive got a 320i convertible 1990, want to do a oil change this weekend, and its my first time... just wondering if someone could tell me what the best oil to use is?

and how hard is it to change the filters and sparks?

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ervice.htm has all the3 info you need.

RE oil- the m20 is'nt too picky, I just use whatevers to hand

320Touring wrote:http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ervice.htm has all the3 info you need.

RE oil- the m20 is'nt too picky, I just use whatevers to hand

Mine was,it would reject it regardless as whether I had used Mobil1 or Tesco Value oil.

I normally use 10w40, no.1 spark plug on a 325i is hard to change

I use 10w40 semi synth without problems.

Servicing the old girl yourself is a good way to get into car mechanics. Before you know it you'll be swapping the engine out

thanks people

I did mine last night and it was the cleanest ever.

I jacked the near side and then got at the sump bolt with a universal extension and a 17mm socket, 1/2 inch drive.

caught the oil in a proper waste oil can from halfords.

then because the car was jacked the oil filter was horizontal so when i undid it only a small amount of oil ran down the side of the engine...although the engine was cold...not ideal i know...but i have no exhaust at the moment! Then i left it for several hours to drip dry. there is nothing stopping you from removing the filter once the engine is cold after 1 hour or so.

is it ok to do oil change without changing oil filter?

not ideal....

snoops wrote:I normally use 10w40, no.1 spark plug on a 325i is hard to change

Number 1 plug is a piece of piss, it's number 6 that's more difficult to get to.

Just buy a decent well known make of oil, ALWAYS change the filter at the same time. Genuine BMW filters are cheaper than Halfrauds.

Cheers,

Iain T

Templ8e30 wrote:

snoops wrote:I normally use 10w40, no.1 spark plug on a 325i is hard to change

Genuine BMW filters are cheaper than Halfrauds.

i didnt know that

well i will be doing mine soon but the engine wont be in the car.

m30 goodness

Regarding the spark plugs - don't just go at them like a crazed gorilla! Just start them undoing, then try to undo them just using the tube part of the spanner without the handle. If they go stiff, then screw them in a turn and try again. Keep going, over and back, until they unscrew completely.
This way you won't damage the fragile threads in the alloy head.

thanks people... im in coventry if the weather's ok i will being the oil change 2morro, one more thing does it matter what make the oil is aslong as its: 10w40 semi-synth???

I use Castrol Magnatec. Everywhere sells it!

whats the biggest size u can ger, cuz its £17.99 in halfords but thats 4litres and im going to need more right?

I use the vauxhall branded 10/40 semi synthetic, im lead to beleave its made by shell so its decent stuff and is usually about £12 for 5 Litres.


For an example, i serviced a 4.4 Range Rover the other day and when i rang the local dealer to ask what they used they said... 10/40 semi synthetic..... funny thing that all the genuine LandRover filters and spark plugs in LandRover boxes had BMW printed on them ... should have just asked bmw for a service kit for a 740I 4.4..... would probably have been cheaper

u sure the vauxhall stuff going to be ok?

Templ8e30 wrote:

snoops wrote:I normally use 10w40, no.1 spark plug on a 325i is hard to change

Number 1 plug is a piece of ****, it's number 6 that's more difficult to get to.

Just buy a decent well known make of oil, ALWAYS change the filter at the same time. Genuine BMW filters are cheaper than Halfrauds.

Cheers,

Iain T

number 6 is easy number 1 is the b*tch, number 1 being the one furthest away from the front of the car?

snoops wrote: number 6 is easy number 1 is the b*tch, number 1 being the one furthest away from the front of the car?

On your car, maybe! Everone else has plug number one at the front!

Minda wrote:u sure the vauxhall stuff going to be ok?

Well they use a 20K service interval on that stuff and its (i beleeve) shell oil in a GM bottle so i would not hesitate to use it in any petrol engine, my izuzu diesel seams to like it too with regular changes (diesels muck the oil up quicker than petrols)


Oh and try to use a local motorfactor rather than HalFRAUDs, they employ useless gimps up here that wouldnt know a spark plug from a bike seat, in my local factors the guys are like human encyclopedia's with car parts.

I have seen genuine BMW filters with the MANN logo on them too so dont be put off if they try to sell you MANN filters, its reasonable to say that they are origional quality

Even the cheapest supermarket rubbish is likely to be a better oil nowadays, than the oil that the M20 was originally designed to run on.

hey all, oil and oil filter change was done 2day, i got the oil and filter from place in coventry came to £16.20, i think the oil change was a success!!!

just wanted to say thanks!!!