Replacing e38 oil filter and o-ring?? Please help! Fixing oil filter housing leak!!

[adamsweis]

Hey, I need some advice (better yet a guide) on replacing my 1998 740i 's oil filter and o-ring and the other little copper ring!!

Anyone know where I can get a guide or can someone tell me where the o-ring goes and where the other little copper ring (about 1/4th the size of the o-ring) goes?

I just bought a new filter/o-ring to fix my leak...oil seaps out of the rim of the oil filter housing unit (far from the engine)...I'm almost certain it is the o-ring.

I also bought the 2 rubber screw mounts ($10 each!!) incase thats the problem..

So..ANY suggestions/tips/advice/experience would be greatly appreciated ! THanks alot

[M62pwrdE38]

Unscrew the oil filter housing cap. Take off the old o-ring (it goes on the cap near the top). Put the new o-ring on. Replace the filter. Put the oil filter housing cap back on. You will see where the o-ring goes when you pull the cap off. Sorry if this comes across rude, but it really is that easy. The copper ring is the gasket for the oil drain plug. Also, be sure not to over-tighten the cap when you put it on, it is plastic and can crack or you can tear the whole housing off the mount.

[adamsweis]

Should I change the copper ring for the gasket?

[M62pwrdE38]

Should I change the copper ring for the gasket?

If you pull the drain plug out of the oil pan, then yes, I would use the new copper gasket provided when putting the drain plug back in.

[pizzaman09]

Your lucky. I recently has a catastrophic failure of the o-ring on my e38. Oil was gushing out of the canister. Apparently the previous owner of the car never bothered changing the o-ring when he changed the filter. I probably would have lost all my oil in 5 minuets if I had not caught it.

[adamsweis]

ALright, thanks for the response!!

The drain plug is what I see after I remove the oil filter right? Are there many steps involved in removing that...or just pull it out? Thanks

Not at my car now but I'm trying to learn as much as I can so I can fix it quick when i get home.

[M62pwrdE38]

ALright, thanks for the response!!

The drain plug is what I see after I remove the oil filter right? Are there many steps involved in removing that...or just pull it out? Thanks

Not at my car now but I'm trying to learn as much as I can so I can fix it quick when i get home.

No. The drain plug is underneath the car and it screws into your oil pan. You would pull it out if you intend to drain all the oil out of your engine, say for an oil change. If all you are wanting to replace is the oil filter and o-ring, you will not be using the copper gasket. Just unscrew the oil filter cap, replace the o-ring (and filter if you want, it just sits in there) and put the cap back on. Also double-check your oil level when you are done.

[adamsweis]

OK thanks...also I have another thread thats a really challenging issue if you are bored lol...my battery was killing itself when the car was completely off and parked in the garage for only 5 days...at first the hazard light button led light was always on, bright red when car was off and locked up, and there was a wierd spinning/ticking sound from behind the center console (bad resistor/blower?). When came back a few days later the lights were dimming, twitching then my battery died.

Is it ok if I just jump start it now..I don't want to create a short/surge if there is a bad wiring problem..or do you think its a bad resistor/blower?

Another question about the oil filter.

Should there be oil in the oil filter housing unit?? I removed the filter and saw barely a cm of oil on the bottom.

[M62pwrdE38]

If it has been sitting a lot of the oil will drain out of the housing since it at a high point for the oil system. What you saw is not uncommon.

[adamsweis]

I can't get the filter off the cap !

I tried unscrewing it...do I just pull it out hard? Want to make sure before I damage something

[M62pwrdE38]

I can't get the filter off the cap !

I tried unscrewing it...do I just pull it out hard? Want to make sure before I damage something

It just pulls off. It is designed to stick onto the cap (if you look at the new filter you will see why), but you will be fine just breaking them apart.

[patrick houston]

pull hard straight and it will pop off, and dont use a crappy filter, get at least a WIX. and if you still have a small leak after changing that large o ring, there is a small one on the stalk thing inside the canister, you can try flipping that o ring over, that might stop the leak for an oil change or two, if not, source a new one.


"wierd spinning/ticking sound from behind the center console" That is the sampling fan for the automatic climate control, it is easy to clean.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...t=sampling+fan

[adamsweis]

Hey M62, I am screwing the cap after I installed new filer and a lubed, new o-ring and I hear a squeeking rubber sound when im screwing the cap back on...is there supposed to be a gap between the rim of the housing and the rim of the cap?? or should i just squeeze more, despite the squeeking sound (which is only the o-ring but i dont want to damage it) and close the gap between the cap/housing unit.

Thanks alot m8

[M62pwrdE38]

The cap should be tight, there should be no gap. If there is a gap, oil will come squirting out when you start the car. As long as the o-ring is in the proper groove when you install the cap, there should be no problems.

[pizzaman09]

It takes a lot of force to get the cap on. It is pretty common to break the rubber mounting bushings off of the car.

[heifetz17]

To answer your question from before, yes there will be oil in the filter housing, but by removing the cap, you drain that oil into the oil pan.

If you listen carefully when you remove the cap, you can hear the oil draining into the oil pan. It's designed to keep the oil in the housing so there's immediate oil pressure when first starting the engine, such as on cold mornings, or if it hasn't been started for a few days, so all the oil is not in the oil pan.

[njdjh2o]

Make sure you lube the o'ring with oil before installing.

[Baoser]

Make sure you dont get a crappy filter, as that will make it leak...as me how i know...

and i broke the rubber mounting points also

[Route 66]

Adam, did you get everything taken care of?

[bimmerrder]

i didnt really want to start a new thread for this,


what is a good oil filter to use? so far all ive seen in store is Wix....

[sdmike1]

i didnt really want to start a new thread for this,

what is a good oil filter to use? so far all ive seen in store is Wix....

I use Mann and Mehle, both German brands. I would highly recommend NOT using Wix, Fram or other similar filters available in stores. They are notorious for having inadequate o-rings in the kit, causing leak problems. Buy a couple on-line for cheap and always have an extra or two around.

http://www.oembimmerparts.com/catalo...80/5013312.htm