Since I haven't seen a thread for this I figured to make one as I did mine today at right under 4,000 miles. Time to get that break-in oil out and put some fresh lube in. Note that this is for the xDrive28i and won't apply for the rumored 35i.

Tools:
- T55 hex bit
- 1-1/4" or 32mm socket
- 17mm socket



Supplies:
- 6 quarts BMW LL-17 FE+ or LL-12 FE approved oil, either 0w-20 or 0w-30
- Filter kit - BMW p/n 11428570590



Optional:
- Extensions
- Wide flat head screwdriver


The job:

- Easy stuff. About 20 minutes. Always get your engine to operating temperature first. Raise your X1 up by however means. I lifted by the front jacking points and did notice more oil drained versus while parallel.

- Open the two covers underneath by swiveling the plastic tabs. You can easily by hand or use the flat head. They'll be a bit stiff the first time so bend a crease to encourage them stay down.



- Loosen the oil pan bolt with your 17mm and let drain until mostly done. Next move onto the oil filter. Pull the encased wiring out from the clip, otherwise it will be in the way. Use the T55 next to remove the bottom plug from the filter canister. Once drained remove the canister with your 1-1/4" / 32mm.





- The filter pulls right out of the canister. Replace it and the large o-ring on the threads included in the kit. Put a light layer of oil on the o-ring. The filter has a plastic clip, make sure the new one pops into the canister. Pro-tip; before closing either drain, put a splash of new oil in up top to push out remnants. When re-installing the canister it's easier to push it in by hand until seated, then tighten to 25nm. Lightly coat the o-ring on the new canister plug, tighten to 5nm. Don't forget to put that wire back in the clip. Lastly, install the drain bolt with new crush washer. Torque spec currently unknown, but snug it until you feel the washer do it's job. Close up the 2 covers.

- Fill with 5 and 1/4 quarts oil. A little under is always better than a little over. This got me right at the full mark according to the level sensor. Always check your level after.



- Mildly celebrate saving some money versus the dealer doing it for you.

Excellent write-up though with the restricted access through those two access covers looks like you need the car up on a ramp or hoist.

Pganders wrote

Excellent write-up though with the restricted access through those two access covers looks like you need the car up on a ramp or hoist.

My car with M Sport doesn't have quite enough clearance to get under the car without ramps or jack stands, my belly gets in the way lol. My previous BMW's have always had access covers like that for the drain plugs though.

haven't really looked under the bonnet after two months with my X1.(xDrive28i) also have not looked underneath the car, but now I envy my next-next-next-next-door neighbor. he had the builder put in a opening under the garage floor(almost exactly like a Jiffy Lube). when he changes the oil on his cars, he just walk down there with no need for rams or jacks.

I know there is no physical dipstick, but where is the oil filler cap?

Come to think of it, where is the brake fluid reservoir and coolant expansion tank?(or how does one check the levels or conditions of those two?)

Thanks!

SpaceSilverX1 wrote

haven't really looked under the bonnet after two months with my X1.(xDrive28i) also have not looked underneath the car, but now I envy my next-next-next-next-door neighbor. he had the builder put in a opening under the garage floor(almost exactly like a Jiffy Lube). when he changes the oil on his cars, he just walk down there with no need for rams or jacks.

I know there is no physical dipstick, but where is the oil filler cap?

Come to think of it, where is the brake fluid reservoir and coolant expansion tank?(or how does one check the levels or conditions of those two?)

Thanks!

Oil is where it normally is, right on top of the motor. Haven't really poked around the engine bay myself much yet so I don't remember exactly where the other two are off the top of my head.

FlashMonkey929 wrote

Oil is where it normally is, right on top of the motor. Haven't really poked around the engine bay myself much yet so I don't remember exactly where the other two are off the top of my head.

I went and poked... somehow I was unable to locate where the coolant and brake fluid reservoris were. (hard to believe, as I'm a very good poker.... having already taken off and reinstalled every interior panel, including front and rear doors, trunk, space under spare wheel and even removed the front passenger and rear seat... was doing some poking to see what my options were for aftermarket stereo)

The brake reservoir is on the driver side close to the firewall and is hidden by the large plastic cover.
Haven't found the coolant reservoir yet.

Vinyl33 wrote

The brake reservoir is on the driver side close to the firewall and is hidden by the large plastic cover.
Haven't found the coolant reservoir yet.

no wonder I couldn't find it... I guess BMW wants make sure that their dealers can make money off me.

Good job. Please try to make a video next time. Thanks.

TechE wrote

Since I haven't seen a thread for this I figured to make one as I did mine today at right under 4,000 miles. Time to get that break-in oil out and put some fresh lube in. Note that this is for the xDrive28i and won't apply for the rumored 35i.

Tools:
- T55 hex bit
- 1-1/4" or 32mm socket
- 17mm socket



Supplies:
- 6 quarts BMW LL-17 FE+ or LL-12 FE approved oil, either 0w-20 or 0w-30
- Filter kit - BMW p/n 11428570590



Optional:
- Extensions
- Wide flat head screwdriver


The job:

- Easy stuff. About 20 minutes. Always get your engine to operating temperature first. Raise your X1 up by however means. I lifted by the front jacking points and did notice more oil drained versus while parallel.

- Open the two covers underneath by swiveling the plastic tabs. You can easily by hand or use the flat head. They'll be a bit stiff the first time so bend a crease to encourage them stay down.



- Loosen the oil pan bolt with your 17mm and let drain until mostly done. Next move onto the oil filter. Pull the encased wiring out from the clip, otherwise it will be in the way. Use the T55 next to remove the bottom plug from the filter canister. Once drained remove the canister with your 1-1/4" / 32mm.





- The filter pulls right out of the canister. Replace it and the large o-ring on the threads included in the kit. Put a light layer of oil on the o-ring. The filter [...]

Have you located a point to lift the car at the rear and then place jack stands at the side jacking points?

KosticKen wrote

Just look in the Parts Catalogue:
https://www.bmw-etk.info/parts-catalog/BMW/A/sm/VT/U11/

Thanks!

I asked the question 6 months ago. I did eventually find almost everything that I was looking for.

However, I'm still looking for the blinker fluid reservoir, but I think it only needs to be checked every 2 years?

KosticKen wrote

If you change the oil yourself in the UK you can say goodbye to your warranty even if you have the receipts for the proper oil and filter.
Leaving the EU hasn't helped either, they have enforcible rules about this but the UK lets them get away with it now.

Any service is a BMW Dealers cash cow and they aim to keep it that way. If not done by Main Dealer and logged in IDrive they will count it as a missed service and invalidate the warranty and also give you far less in part-ex as they won't be able to sell it as "BMW Approved" and make a packet usually at least £3,000 mark up after their expenses.
I had to have my X1-F48 2yr Service done independently in Covid lock-down as couldn't legally or physically have it done at dealer 35miles away. When I came to sell it they were dead keen at first but when they discovered it had "missing service" upped the total cost to change by more than £2000. I eventually found a dealer who didn't seem to care (or was desperate enough) and when I sold it in exchange for X1-U11 it appeared on their forecourt as "BMW Approved Used". Strange Business.
Worst still ....I had an X3-F25 2yrs old when the Screen Washer Pump went Kaput. They asked me if I had always put BMW Approved Washer Fluid in the tank. I said NO as it is difficult to get hold of at 2:00 am in the middle of nowhere (and costs 5 times as much as the same stuff in the Supermarket). They replied saying it wasn't covered by warranty then and I would have to pay. (£200 as it is an awful job...wheel and wheel arch lining/trim has to come off to get to it).
You can imagine my reply, they fixed it and I heard no more.

I'm so glad that 4th of July is a holiday here. If we are still part of Great Britain, the BMW dealers may subject us to the same treatment that British BMW owners face?

KosticKen wrote

Doesn't stop you drinking Earl Grey though.
And you would have got ID9 in May 2023,
And have Margaret Thatcher to sort you out.
And drive on the left in which case the U11 centre console opening the wrong way would be even more useless.
And have MHT with no spare tyre and no rusty scissor jack to moan about.

my favorite(favourite?) food is mash and pie with lots of jellied eel. followed by haggis.. although that's actually Scottish.

KosticKen wrote

I thought it was apple pie.

For the sake of correctness: Scotland is still in the UK (for now) and has ID9 to rub salt in it. (I know, as that is where mine came from)

You haven't changed your location for over 2 weeks now, are you all right.?

oh... for the last 2 weeks, I've been to many places. I didn't know that I was required to update my location for the forum?

I will no doubt get flamed for saying the following, but it is what I truly believe, so I'm just going to say this once. The American Revolution was a mistake and it should never have happened. If it's not too late, perhaps we can reunite as one nation, federation, or some other form of union.(along with Canada, if possible)

I prefer this method..

1. Acknowledge oil change warning in app
2. Schedule service appointment
3. Let BMW do it..

Well I am in japan and have no real large driveway or garage and it is in the 3 year service package.

KosticKen wrote

What do you do with the waste oil and filter?

take them to your local recycling centres?

for example:
https://www.nlwa.gov.uk/reducereuserecycle/recycle/whatcanwerecycle/used-engine-oil

I change my own oil/filter on my other cars.(both uses around 8.5 liters of oil for each oil change, so they do add up pretty quickly) I usually wait until I have several gallons before I take them to the recycling place a couple of miles away. Most of my local auto parts stores also accept used engine oil for recycling, even if I didn't buy the oil from them originally.(because they prefer that I go there and end up buying something else after I'm done dumping the used oil)

I can't believe I have to ask this but I spent 15 minutes looking for the usual top mounted oil filter housing \ cap and couldn't find it..... Even removed the plastic engine cover that snaps onto the engine

Where the hell is the oil filter?

Edit

RE reading the instructions, I can't Believe they stuck the filter underneath! I've owned several European cars and all had the filter access from the top. WTF?
That sucks!

DestinationMoon! wrote

I can't believe I have to ask this but I spent 15 minutes looking for the usual top mounted oil filter housing \ cap and couldn't find it..... Even removed the plastic engine cover that snaps onto the engine

Where the hell is the oil filter?

It’s underneath the car.

DestinationMoon! wrote

RE reading the instructions, I can't Believe they stuck the filter underneath! I've owned several European cars and all had the filter access from the top. WTF?
That sucks!

yes, it sucks.... but it's not a new thing... even my old Porsche Cayenne had the oil filter housing underneath the engine. It was at an angle, so removing the filter was always a very messy ordeal. I prefer the old ways when the oil filter housing is on the top, like on my previous Mercedes.

on the other hand, my BMW dealer only charges $89 for basic oil/filter change, after the three free years of oil changes ends, so I'll probably just let them do it? (unless $89 is not a good price, but I haven't really looked into it)

50 dollars for 89 dollars is a good price at a car dealer :-)

I have 3 years free but it's a 5 hour RT to the dealer..... And the fact that you can't check to see that the job was even done makes me want to do it myself. Trust but verify is my motto nowadays

Anyone knows the oil capacity for diesel engines?

I mentioned this in another thread about oil changes. Perhaps when the time comes, I'll do this on my X1.


---
- - -

However, one method that I use on cars without engine oil dipstick is to use a large 4-quart measuring cup. I only use it for engine oil so as to avoid contaminating the new oil.

I drained the engine oil, replaced the oil and screwed everything back in. I measured how much oil oil came out. It was 8.12 quarts. I cleaned the measuring cup and measured 8.12 quarts of clean new engine oil. Poured it all into the engine.

(note, I also soaked the new oil filter in the new engine oil prior to installing it to account for the old oil in the old oil filter that I just removed)