I used to remove my E39's oil during oil changes through the dipstick using a manual vacuum pump. This method doesn't appear to work on the E60's engine; there's no dipstick!

Has anyone found a way to avoid draining the oil from below?

 

What's wrong with using the drain plug?

 

You have to go underneath to change the filter anyway, no?

 

Nothing is wrong with that per se, but once you change the engine oil by sucking it out the dipstick, you never want to go back to using ramps, a creeper and a drain pan again. I can do my E39 from the top in about 10 min and not spill a drop of oil.

My dream garage will have a four-post car lift for doing this kind of maintenance and I could do it from the bottom a lot easier then. But building that dream garage appears to be a long time from now!

 

Both my E39 and E60 oil filters are changed from above, in the engine campartment.

 

Ok, 550i is underneath.

 

There's no way to suction the oil out of the N52 engine.