BMW Jack Adapter
BMW Jack Adapter
Author
Discussion

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,722 posts

95 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
I need to jack up my 320 up so I can get the washer bottle out to clean. Do I need to use a BMW jack adapter or should I be ok if I’m careful without?

Edited by _Hoppers on Friday 27th March 15:17

d_a_n1979

13,870 posts

102 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
Which 3 series?

Are you using a trolley jack & axle stands, or the lethal scissor jack that comes with the car?!

If the former, just jack the car up carefully using the jacking point and then place the axle stand under the car on the front subframe, lower it onto that carefully and you're sorted smile

You shouldn't need any adapter at all

brman

1,233 posts

139 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
Having seen the state of my jacking points when I got my car I would say best to use an adaptor. If you don't really car about minor damage to them then don't bother, you will probably get away without damaging them if you are careful. Plus they can be can be replaced very easily and cheaply.

I am assuming you are talking about this sort of thing btw: http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/jack/Image13.jp...

Ranger 6

7,709 posts

279 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
I used a small lump of wood on a trolley jack to stop the plastic jacking point collapsing.

I've now bought an adaptor - £3 well spent.

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,722 posts

95 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies, it’s a 320D ED F30. Going to use a trolley jack. I could order an adapter but I was going to tackle job this weekend as the pump is hardly pushing any water out.

Edited by _Hoppers on Friday 27th March 12:03


Edited by _Hoppers on Friday 27th March 15:17

d_a_n1979

13,870 posts

102 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
I use this for when jacking up the rear of my E39 via the diff: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hilka-82998011-Rubber-Jac...

Other than that, my jacking points are solid/strong with no corrosion, so the trolly jacks own ‘seat’ is more than adequate for the job and causes no damage.

As said, just make sure you set the car down on the axle stand etc

Rent he bottle, it’s probably the pumps filter that’s gummed up, clean that, run hot water with either some bio washing powder in it or white vinegar to kill any germs off in the bottle and then put it all back together.

I use either Autoglym windscreen wash or the Comma stuff, neither causes the filter to gum up like some windscreen washer fluids can. A lot of folk recommend the BMW stuff only though... Each to their own

Triumph Man

9,623 posts

198 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
d_a_n1979 said:
I use this for when jacking up the rear of my E39 via the diff: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hilka-82998011-Rubber-Jac...

Other than that, my jacking points are solid/strong with no corrosion, so the trolly jacks own ‘seat’ is more than adequate for the job and causes no damage.
I've always wondered about this, and have seen it both ways, but is it "safe" to jack the rear of these from the diff? I assume you've had no issues? On the flip side, I suppose if it was that much of an issue, BMW would have provided a handy central jacking point like they have at the front...

redandwhite

501 posts

159 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
jack it on the wishbone if you are concerned about the jacking point

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,722 posts

95 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
d_a_n1979 said:
I use this for when jacking up the rear of my E39 via the diff: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hilka-82998011-Rubber-Jac...

Rent he bottle, it’s probably the pumps filter that’s gummed up, clean that, run hot water with either some bio washing powder in it or white vinegar to kill any germs off in the bottle and then put it all back together.

I use either Autoglym windscreen wash or the Comma stuff, neither causes the filter to gum up like some windscreen washer fluids can. A lot of folk recommend the BMW stuff only though... Each to their own
Cheers, had the same problem with my Civic. My wife has an 08 Civic but that one has never had a blockage!

d_a_n1979

13,870 posts

102 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
Triumph Man said:
I've always wondered about this, and have seen it both ways, but is it "safe" to jack the rear of these from the diff? I assume you've had no issues? On the flip side, I suppose if it was that much of an issue, BMW would have provided a handy central jacking point like they have at the front...
The diff is a jacking point, as long as you do it on the diff with a pad/block and not on the cooling fins etc smile

Pica-Pica

16,668 posts

114 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
_Hoppers said:
d_a_n1979 said:
I use this for when jacking up the rear of my E39 via the diff: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hilka-82998011-Rubber-Jac...

Rent he bottle, it’s probably the pumps filter that’s gummed up, clean that, run hot water with either some bio washing powder in it or white vinegar to kill any germs off in the bottle and then put it all back together.

I use either Autoglym windscreen wash or the Comma stuff, neither causes the filter to gum up like some windscreen washer fluids can. A lot of folk recommend the BMW stuff only though... Each to their own
Cheers, had the same problem with my Civic. My wife has an 08 Civic but that one has never had a blockage!
Anecdotally, the issue seems to be caused by mixing w/s wash brands. I started with whatever brand. Then having read articles, about gummed up pump filters, I have since always used BMW stuff on my F30. Before that I began by filling up and working through a half a litre at a time, with a little white vinegar in the first pass. Repeat several times. There are loads of comments about the washer fluid debate on this and other sites.

Sadly, modern OEM jacks are useless. You need perfectly level and even ground to use them. I imagine the thinking now is that, with no spare wheel, most people call a rescue service.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Friday 27th March 20:20

Mr Tidy

31,665 posts

157 months

Friday 27th March 2020
quotequote all
I've found mixed brands to be the problem.

Within weeks of buying my E46 325ti the washers didn't work, so I took the reservoir out and flushed it, cleaned the filter and put it all back together then used only Prestone fluid from Tesco. 3 years later they still worked fine!

Same happened with my 2nd E86, so I did the same using the same Prestone fluid for over 3 years and had no problems.

But my E90 looks like it has only had BMW fluid in it, so I keep forking out for that as the reservoir on those is inside the inner wing rather than under the bonnet - I really don't fancy having to remove that!

On the jacking subject I swap wheels between winters and summers on my daily, so I bought one of these jacking pads with the raised rectangular bit that fits into the BMW jacking point:- https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=bmw+jacking+pad&c...

BMW stopped supplying a jack after the E46 because all their later cars had run-flat tyres sadly!

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,722 posts

95 months

Monday 30th March 2020
quotequote all
Pica-Pica said:
Anecdotally, the issue seems to be caused by mixing w/s wash brands. I started with whatever brand. Then having read articles, about gummed up pump filters, I have since always used BMW stuff on my F30. Before that I began by filling up and working through a half a litre at a time, with a little white vinegar in the first pass. Repeat several times. There are loads of comments about the washer fluid debate on this and other sites.

Sadly, modern OEM jacks are useless. You need perfectly level and even ground to use them. I imagine the thinking now is that, with no spare wheel, most people call a rescue service.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Friday 27th March 20:20
I've used the same brand since getting the car, it could have been partially blocked when I got it or perhaps BMW topped it up with their screewash when it's been serviced?