Does anyone have experience with oil pumps, where you stick a tube down the oil dipstick chamber and pump out the oil instead of draining it? it seems like a good idea to use in a BMW, because the filter is on top and there will be no need to jack up the car. Please give me your feedback and/or recommendations on which one to get.
Thanks!

 

They are used through the "dipstick tube' which doesn't exist on the 6 cylinder. I don't think you can get down into the pan through the filter passages.

 

Personally I would rather drop the sump plug off and let everything drain out rather than trying to suck oil out of the sump.

The new deisel 6 cylinder motors have a dipstick. Not that thats any use to you guys in the states.

 

This is a picture of the box of one I have used in the past - primarily when cold weather and lack of a suitable garage prevented crawling under the car to pull the drain plug. I bought mine at a boating supply store. It ran on 12v.

The cautions are obvious - like not getting all the gunk that may settle deep in the pan. However, these are used frequently in boats where the sump is not accessible. That said, on my previous e32 / e38 cars it was pretty easy to access the drain plugs w/o a lift or even ramps. I have not yet had to do my own oil service on my 530xi but under car looks pretty accessible. So the pumper I bought a few years back sits on the shelf in my garage!

 

I use an oil pump on my boat - boat engines don't tend to have a sump plug so tends to be the only route. But the sump plug option is probably better as allows more microscopic metal parts out from the bottom.

Tempted to try this myself as just been stung 163 GBP (!!!) to change the oli on my 530d - the first time off the end of the service inclusive scheme. A ridiculous 120GBP for the oil itself.
But how do you reset the i-drive after chaging the oil ?

 

Check out this newsletter from Bavarian Auto, it has reset procedures on page 3. https://www.bavauto.com/newsletter/2008_n10...er_specials.pdf

 

Are you sure you have a dipstick? If not, you're SOL.

If you do, you might want to take a look at this site: http://www.mityvac.com/

I've never used any of their products, but they look pretty nice. I'm planning on picking one up for brake jobs, but I'm a ways away from that right now.

 

Superb thanks - what a site, what a team !