Oil Filters?

[m0bius]

I recently bought a 94 540 and was perusing bavauto.com and noticed they have two types of oil filters for the E34s. Ones with metal ends and ones with plastic ends. This is the only place I've seen the two, it seems everywhere else they all have plastic ends.
Did some E34s, or more specifically 540s come with plastic or metal, and what's the difference...and of course how do I find out other than looking at mine?

Which might not be very reliable considering it was changed before...

[Paul in NZ]

Iii always go to the dealer for oil filters...gives me an excuse to kick some tires in the used car showroom..i sense an appointment with a e39 528 5 spd and a e46 smg..........course none of them holda candle to the 5 ahem :sunnies

[Unregistered]

I have the same vehicle and ran into the same problem. I can not recall off the top of my head which one, but I believe it's the plastic one made by Fram (I'll check and get back). I realize that doesn't answer your question, but I suggest you do as I did: purchase both filters and return the unused. If you have an A&A auto store in your neighborhood, then you should be able to find the filters you need and they will gladly refund you on the one not used.

[Treebeard]

I have the same vehicle and ran into the same problem. I can not recall off the top of my head which one, but I believe it's the plastic one made by Fram (I'll check and get back). I realize that doesn't answer your question, but I suggest you do as I did: purchase both filters and return the unused. If you have an A&A auto store in your neighborhood, then you should be able to find the filters you need and they will gladly refund you on the one not used.

[632 Regal]

BMW did an upgrade to the filter housing deal, it is a plastic insert which upgrades it to the newer style filters. The old style has the metal ends, new ones have plastic that goes over the insert. Dont drain your oil before you make sure that you have the upgrade and correct filter (how do I know that)
Jeff

[callen]

my 94 530i came with plastic ends.....yea I like going to dealer as well. Course I always end up purchasing a clip, bolt or something.
Callen 94 530i 91 535i 5spds

[m0bius]

OEM is nice, but does the OEM have plastic or metal ends?
I'd rather not take my car to the dealer, because all they will do is
let some 18 year old kid in the service garage work on it...I like doing
things myself or by a very trusted person in which you clearly see a
passion for what he/she is doing unlike most mechanics...

[NoSpeedLimits]

I agree, DYI -- it help the ego and helps keep the wallet fat. If your not interested in purchasing both, then open the hood and find out. Simply unscrew the cap with a 22mm socket, lift up on the cap slowwwwly after you get her unscrewed -- you don't want to be wiping oil from everything in the area. The filter should be attached to the underside of the cap, it is on mine. Good idea: have a oil drain pan handy and slip her under when you can. Let the oil drip off and carefully pull the filter from the cap, it require a little bit of force so don't crab onto the paper part of the filter or she'll crush. Tah-dah. You now can identify your filter type or take a digital for us to see. Just follow the steps in reverse to putt her back to normal. Good Luck :)

[m0bius]

Sounds like a plan.
But what if the previous time it was replaced it was simply replaced by the wrong kind?
Maybe I'm being too paranoid, I don't know hehe.

[NoSpeedLimits]

A picture says a thousand words. I suspect that it is not possible to have the wrong type installed...but I am not sure about that. Confirmation...anyone???

[Unregistered]

I don't think anyone was suggesting you have the dealer change it for you. Just buy the filter at the dealer's parts department and do it yourself.

Chris
1989 535ia

[m0bius]

I don't think anyone was suggesting you have the dealer change it for you. Just buy the filter at the dealer's parts department and do it yourself.

Chris
1989 535ia

Which will cost about $60? :p

[albundy]

Metal end filters I have tried are from knehtc(sp?) and mann, while the non metal one is from bosch. As for pricing, the bosch is more expensive. I wonder why :) If you change you filter every 3000 miles, I don't think there will be any problems.

don

[lee]

Metal end filters I have tried are from knehtc(sp?) and mann, while the non metal one is from bosch. As for pricing, the bosch is more expensive. I wonder why :) If you change you filter every 3000 miles, I don't think there will be any problems.

don

To be more specific, if you use dino oil, changing oil every 3-4K miles is a good thing. With synthetic oil, you can extend the change period to about 7K miles, although there are some who still change the oil filter every 3K. As for price, Bosch is more expensive than Hengst here:

http://63.89.49.212/parts/quote.jsp?year=1994&product=A6002-90074&application=000341238&usemake=BM&returnurl=catalog.alloembmwparts.com

Suggest you see what BMA sells them for....

[Unregistered]

To be more specific, if you use dino oil, changing oil every 3-4K miles is a good thing. With synthetic oil, you can extend the change period to about 7K miles, although there are some who still change the oil filter every 3K. As for price, Bosch is more expensive than Hengst here:

http://63.89.49.212/parts/quote.jsp?year=1994&product=A6002-90074&application=000341238&usemake=BM&returnurl=catalog.alloembmwparts.com

Suggest you see what BMA sells them for....

Opps, wrong post, here's a comparison of Mahle, Mann, Hengst and Bosch:

http://63.89.49.212/parts/quote.jsp?year=1994&product=A6002-28345&application=000222662&usemake=BM&returnurl=catalog.alloembmwparts.com

[DueyT]

Mobius, I'm betting your 540i oil filter housing is modified, as Jeff (632 Regal) mentioned may be an option. If that's the case (highly likely if your car was ever serviced by BMW after 9/95 when the mod was first embodied) you should use the paper-ended filters.

Old (metal-ended) filter - BMW # 11 42 1 745 390

New (paper-ended) filter - BMW # 11 41 7 510 717

You should be able to cross reference with the dealer or Patrick/Yves at BMA. I think you'll really have to open the filter housing to be absolutely sure, but I can't see your filter housing not being modified. When you lift off the housing cap and slide the element up, the modified piece looks like a plastic spiralled tube in the center of the housing (#19, lower left of the attached photo), down over which the filter element slides.


Cheers

[albundy]

To be more specific, if you use dino oil, changing oil every 3-4K miles is a good thing. With synthetic oil, you can extend the change period to about 7K miles, although there are some who still change the oil filter every 3K. As for price, Bosch is more expensive than Hengst here:

http://63.89.49.212/parts/quote.jsp?year=1994&product=A6002-90074&application=000341238&usemake=BM&returnurl=catalog.alloembmwparts.com

Suggest you see what BMA sells them for....

[danzee]

OE, OE, OE - Mail order if no dealer close or local too expensive.
Dan Z,
E34, E39, E30

[NoSpeedLimits]

What's wrong with Fram's oil filter?

BTW
part number CH8213 cost $20 (plastic top)
part number CH8157 cost $?? (less than 20) (metal)

[632 Regal]

whick can cause vacuum leaks after a short amount of miles.

[Dick Schneiders]

to resurrect? Or are you just trying to bump up your number of postings? :-)


whick can cause vacuum leaks after a short amount of miles.

[632 Regal]

and trying to get them buried...dont seem to be working though.

[Dick Schneiders]

anything else in the foglights discussion, no matter how outlandish anybody's comment is. I have difficulty in shutting up when one of my pet peeves is discussed.

Please, nobody say anything about cell phone usage in public places! :-)

Dick Schneiders


and trying to get them buried...dont seem to be working though.

[Sweetwater]

Mobius, I'm betting your 540i oil filter housing is modified, as Jeff (632 Regal) mentioned may be an option. If that's the case (highly likely if your car was ever serviced by BMW after 9/95 when the mod was first embodied) you should use the paper-ended filters.

Old (metal-ended) filter - BMW # 11 42 1 745 390

New (paper-ended) filter - BMW # 11 41 7 510 717

You should be able to cross reference with the dealer or Patrick/Yves at BMA. I think you'll really have to open the filter housing to be absolutely sure, but I can't see your filter housing not being modified. When you lift off the housing cap and slide the element up, the modified piece looks like a plastic spiralled tube in the center of the housing (#19, lower left of the attached photo), down over which the filter element slides.


Cheers

So why am I resurecting this post after riding my butt off over the last 2 days on the bike? Well, you guessed it, I bought and can not return #4 of the metal ended filters. Mahle OX 103 D. My mistake can be your gain if you can use these. I think they're around $20 each, I'll part with these for $40 for all four of them. I have a confirmed PayPal that won't take credit cards, but you can still send money easily. Email me at baddabingg@yahoo.com if you're interested. Thanks for the diagram, I pulled my filter to confirm after seeing it.

[Warren N.CA]

Like BMA. OEM brands typically are Mahle and Mann.



I recently bought a 94 540 and was perusing bavauto.com and noticed they have two types of oil filters for the E34s. Ones with metal ends and ones with plastic ends. This is the only place I've seen the two, it seems everywhere else they all have plastic ends.
Did some E34s, or more specifically 540s come with plastic or metal, and what's the difference...and of course how do I find out other than looking at mine?

Which might not be very reliable considering it was changed before...

[New Owner 95 E34]

Duey- thanks for the fantastic diagram!

I've been trying to figure this one out too. Contacted the (only) previous owner of my car today, a METICULOUS maintainer of vehicles, and he said that he always changed his own oil every 3500 mi on synthetic, and used the PAPER-type filters. However, I have the same concern as Mobius- I had the oil changed once at what is supposed to be a very reputable indy in Nashville (Import Auto Maintenance at the intersection of Broadway and West End), but now I'm paranoid. I think I'll just go pull out the filter and check for myself to see what's in there now, but I'm still wondering if anyone has the definitive answer on whether or not the "metal" style filter can be inadvertently used on a car that is set up for paper filters and cause any kind of problem.

Thanks!

[632 Regal]

search for "dildo"

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=24874

[Airborne001]

I think what he meant about going to the dealer was that you should get the filter from them, not neccesarily have them change your oil.