BMW N52 Oil & Filter Change DIY Guide (Step By Step Process)

As you know the N52 engine is one of the most reliable inline 6 engine BMW ever produced.

And to maintain its reliability & longevity, it’s very important to change the engine oil & filter at regular intervals.

The engine oil has a significant role in keeping the engine running smoothly, by keeping the engine cool and lubricating the inner engine components to protect them from any corrosion or other damages.

With time the oil breaks down and becomes less effective and dirty, which can result in inefficient lubrication, poor fuel efficiency, engine components wear and tear, etc.

To maintain N52 longevity & reliability, you should change the oil every 7,000-10,000 miles or every 12 months(whichever comes first). However, I recommend changing the N52 oil every 5,000 miles to maintain its reliability.

I used to own a 2007 325i, and every 5,000 miles I changed the oil and it used to run like a modern beast.

And, changing oil & filter is one of the basic DIYs and very simple for newbies.

And the dealerships charge about $220-$250 easily, however, you can easily DIY for $110-$160. Where the oil filter wrench and car ramps will be your fixed cost and next time you only need to buy just oil & oil filter. It’s also hardly a 30-40-minute task.

So, let’s delve right into it.

Tools Needed For N52 Oil Change

So, Here are some tools that you’ll need to perform this DIY.

• 7 Quarts of 5W-30 grade Synthetic Oil
• Oil Filter Kit
• Car Ramps/Jacks and Jack Stand
• 17mm Socket Wrench
• Oil Filter Wrench
• Funnel
• 10 ltr capacity Oil Drain Pan
• A Flathead Screwdriver
• Some Shop Towels
• Gloves & safety glasses

Now after you’ve gathered all these tools, let’s get into the step by step Process.

Step BY Step Guide Of BMW N52 Oil Change

Now I guess you’ve gathered all the tools gathered & now wear the safety glasses and gloves.

Step 1: Prepare Your BMW

The first step would be to park your vehicle on a level surface and run the engine for 2-3 minutes, it would help the oil to drain easily with any particles in it.

Now lift up your car, you can use car ramps or jack, whichever is easier for you to go to under your BMW.

Using Car Ramps: If you are using car ramps then get two car ramps and place them on the center of the front wheels of your vehicle.

Now slowly press the gas and stop when the front wheels are on top of the car ramps. Now use your handbrakes to prevent your car from rolling back from the ramps.

Using Jack: To lift your BMW with a jack, simply lift the car by putting the jack on the front jack point.

Now use two jack stands to level the car by placing them in the two front jack points. If you get confused about the jack points, then get help from your owner’s manual.

Step 2: Remove Oil Filter

Now remove the oil filter cap using an oil filter wrench.

After opening the cap, take out the old oil filter carefully & slowly to avoid any oil spill-ups.

Now remove the old oil filter from its cover by simply pushing the center part of the oil filter cover, where the small O-ring is situated.

Step 3: Install New O-rings & Oil Filter

Now before installing a new oil filter, first install new O-rings.

In your Oil filter kit, you’ll also get two O-rings & one washer(for oil drain plug).

Now you’ll see two O-rings, one is small green & one is very little. First use a pick, or screwdriver to pull out the old small O-ring from the top of the filter housing stand.

After removing the old one, now place the new O-ring with the help of the pick, or you can use only your fingers. Now take out the big O-ring situated in the oil filter cap, so simply remove it using a pick and replace it with a new O-ring.

Now after replacing new O-rings, it’s time to install the new oil filter.

To do so, simply push back the oil filter as you removed the older one.

And put back the oil filter in the housing & keep it loose for quick oil draining.

Also Read: What is BMW N52 Oil capacity?

Step 4: Locate The Oil Drain Plug

Now crawl underneath your BMW with a 17 mm socket wrench, and oil drain pan.

And find the oil drain plug, depending on your BMW model & year, the drain plug may be covered by a plastic cover.

So, if you found a cover on your vehicle, then simply use a flathead, or just pinch the cover & rotate the plastic piece 180 degrees.

And you’ll find the oil drain plug. And if you’re BMW doesn’t have any cover then you can simply identify the oil drain plug.

Step 5: Drain The Oil

Now when you find the drain plug, simply use the 17mm socket wrench to unscrew the drain plug, and let the oil drain into the oil drain pan.

Remember before unscrewing the plug, first put the drain pan below the drain plug.

Now while the oil is draining, change the drain plug washer, with the new washer that came with the oil filter kit.

The oil should be poured down between 3-5 minutes. Then carefully screw back the drain plug and remember don’t tight too much or too light, just tight enough. Clean the drain plug area with a clean towel.

And tight the oil filter cap fully, with the oil filter wrench.

Step 6: Add The Oil

Now it’s time to add the oil. To do that simply find the oil-filling cap, which should be above the engine.

Simply open the oil filler cap, by turning it counterclockwise and put the funnel on the oil filling hole. And, now it’s time to add the BMW-recommended 5W-30 synthetic oil carefully without spilling.

First, put on about 5 liter oil, and then after 5 minutes check the oil level on your BMW dashboard (all new generations).

Basically, the N52 engine has an oil capacity of 6.5-6.6 liters or 7 US quarts.

So, add the oil slowly and check if it meets the suggested parameter. After your dashboard shows the recommended oil level is matched then you can simply close the oil filler cap by rotating it clockwise.

Step 7: Final Inspection

Now after adding the oil clean the oil filler cap area, oil filter area & the oil drain plug area. And, then just start your vehicle for 5-10 minutes, or just take a short drive of 15 minutes.

Then visually check for any oil leakage in the oil drain plug area and the oil filter area.

If not, then congratulations you’ve just changed your BMW n52 oil & filter all by yourself.

The last step would be to dispose of the used oil in any nearby auto shop or recycling center.

Conclusion

Now you’ve changed the oil of your BMW N52 engine. And it’s nothing but a 30 minutes job, and you’ve saved the labor cost.

This is a very common DIY step, which can save you up to $100-$150 on labor costs.

So, I guess it’s worth the work.

Image Credit: pelican parts, Facebook

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