Oil filter change on e46 330d - complex. doubts about garage

[torqueofthedevil]

I have no reason to doubt my local garage (not a bmw indy) who have been servicing my BMW's for 100's of thousand miles and many many years.

However, I had a quick look at an online guide on how to replace the oil filter on a 330d and i couldnt believe how involved it was. Not a simple screw on / off filter on the front of the engine (like on my old 306!)

Now maybe to an old hand in a garage it is nothing but it looked like you needed a fair bit of specialist knowledge?!?! Unclipping various covers, panels, disconnecting the battery, etc etc.

Just got me worried about whether they might just sack it off!

Proabably doing them a massive injustice but just thought I'd say!

[Patrick Bateman]

What kind of guide was this like??

It might not be at the front but it's easy enough to access I believe.

[blondini]

Are you not getting confused with the air filter change?

[torqueofthedevil]

blondini said:

Are you not getting confused with the air filter change?

it was th oil filter. He had to get past the air filter to get to it!?!!?

[Neil.D]

I think you may be getting confused with the oil breather/seperator.

The oil filter is at the front of the engine, easy to access.

To remove the breather you need to remove the acoustic cover blah blah...thats a 30 min to hour job if taking care.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

That's the oil breather (bog roll) you talking about. Stops the turbo from being shafted.

The oil filter is straight forward.

If you haven't changed yours, do it soon, it's important. Just spent £1,500 buying and having a recon turbo fitted because I didn't know about the oil breather. You need the new vortex one.

[torqueofthedevil]

Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

That's the oil breather (bog roll) you talking about. Stops the turbo from being shafted.

The oil filter is straight forward.

If you haven't changed yours, do it soon, it's important. Just spent £1,500 buying and having a recon turbo fitted because I didn't know about the oil breather. You need the new vortex one.

I will do! Cheers for that.

I mustve been mistaken about the oil filter

[MattOz]

The oil separator is a 30 minute job once you've done it a couple of times. It's certainly worth doing if it's not been done before. Change the air filter whilst you're at it, because invariably they're filthy.

The oil filter is on the right hand side of the engine as you look at it, and is readily accessible. An oil change on a 330d should take about 15 mins. I used an oil extractor (tube down the dipstick) to save mess and time.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Here's a DIY guide for (for both the EGR and Oil breather.)

Make sure you buy the new kind of oil breather too.

http://home.tiscali.nl/luuk60/

I'd disconnect the egr (the little pipe - blue and black) right now. You just pull it off and then I cable tied it so that it points down.