Who does their own oil changes?

[tensixmom]

I just had an oil change done and it came out to $160. I almost fainted and my husband says he will do them from now on.

Anyone here do their own? Is it difficult? I am just wondering what makes it so expensive at the dealership- maybe it can't be done by a regular person or maybe it takes expensive specialized tools? Any input from anyone who has done (or tried to do) their own is appreciated.

Thank you

 

[mjnorris]

It’s probably the shop time that is the bulk of the expense. Did you get an itemized receipt?

 

[Thom Davis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-rFG8ICUic

there are others, as well. bmw will probably void the warranty if you dont use their oil....which is expensive stuff--of course everything bmw breaks my wallet. glad i found out about their expense with a bike...wont buy one of their cars now.

they also charge about 30 bucks to reset the maintenance indicator--which forces you to come back in a year -- that's something you can't really do at home without an expensive piece of electronics. BUT, you can set the date on your calendar so you are never reminded...that'd save 30 bucks anyway.

 

[bicyclenut]

Fairly easy job to do, doesn’t require any special tools beside a couple of wrenches and an oil filter wrench of the correct size, but there are alternate ways to get filter off.

If you can do an oil change on a car should be easy peasy and you don’t even need a lift or to crawl under it.

Only issue might be resetting the maintenance light, would need a GS-911 tool, a helpful BMW dealer or a friend who would let you use their GS-911.

https://www.webbikeworld.com/bmw-scooter-oil-filter-change/




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[speedtoys]

a GS-911 tool

https://www.webbikeworld.com/bmw-scooter-oil-filter-change/

Pre 2016, right?

Why do I always buy transportation that isnt "standard"...nothing I own is easy.

 

[bicyclenut]

Mine was a 2014, yes, but I don't think oil change is much different and may need newer plug for GS-911, otherwise should be similar.

Pre 2016, right?

Why do I always buy transportation that isnt "standard"...nothing I own is easy.

 

[exavid]

Just did mine last week. Not a bad job even at 76 years old. But I do cheat I don't do it on the floor but use a HF bike lift. First time I used Mobil 1 synthetic and a KN164 filter. This time I used synthetic oil and filter from my local BMW dealer. The cost wasn't much more this time. Be careful not to drop the oil screen under the side plug. I stick a long screwdriver down the center of the filter and then pull it out with a pair of needle nose pliers or a flexible pickup tool. That way you won't drop the screen into the engine. Reinstalling the screen stick the screwdriver through the screen then put the point of the screwdriver into the hole up against the end of it and slide the screen in along the screwdriver and push it back into place until it's seated.

I did help another fellow who dropped his screen into the engine. A flexible pickup up tool that has four small claws the spread out from the end of the spring when the button on the other end did a good job getting hold of the screen and then pulling it up onto a screw driver blade allowing me to pull it out of the engine.

Don't forget to make a metal foil trough to keep the oil from draining all over the lower part of the engine before you undo that side plug. The other two drain points, the filter and the bottom plug are easy. Do not the angle of the oil filter before you unscrew it. It will be hard to thread a new one back on if you try to screw it straight up like one would expect to do.

 

[tensixmom]

Thanks, everyone. I will ask him to read these responses before he does it.

I do have a receipt and it's broken down but I don't have it in front of me. I will take a look at the labor rate/time.

I am learning how expensive a BMW is to maintain!!!

 

[Ceesie76]

I just did my first oil change at 4,800 miles last week. Quite straightforward. I did have a bit of soft sludge on one of the extra filters. Perhaps from warranty repair to the cam chain tensioner done by the dealer last year.
As far as re-setting the service reminder: ya'll know that there is a new kid in town, being the MotoScan app, right? For something like $50 you get a lifetime license to use this ever-evolving tool out of Germany, that allows communicating with a wide range of BMW bikes' motor management, dashboard, ABS and so on. I used it last weekend for the first time successfully to re-set the service date and reminder on the C650 and also my G310R that I serviced at the same time.
The app requires am OBD plug-in dongle - I got the highly versatile and useful-in-its-own-right OBDLinkSX off Amazon for another $50. You can also use that on your car(s) to diagnose problems, read and record data and so on. So for around $100 you get it seems most of what you need, and you don't need to purchase the GS-911.

 

[davidh]

Thanks, everyone. I will ask him to read these responses before he does it.

I do have a receipt and it's broken down but I don't have it in front of me. I will take a look at the labor rate/time.

I am learning how expensive a BMW is to maintain!!!

I'd second the caution about the tubular screen. My technique is to remove the side plug, insert a long Phillips screw driver into the opening and remove the screen. Re-installation is the same -- using a screwdriver to make sure it's seated basically eliminates the possibility of inserting it askew and dropping it.

And yeah, wrapping foil around the center stand leg is a good idea too.

And make sure you have oil, filter, and the crush washer.

All in all, it's a pretty simple job.

 

[tensixmom]

Looked at the itemized bill.
Filter 23.99
2 O-rings 9.98
4 quarts oil 55.92
Gasket ring 2.99
half hour labor 62.50

Plus tax and "zep supplies" whatever that is.

160.62

 

[exavid]

Zep makes several different cleaning fluids. Back when I was driving charter buses I got to liking the smell of the Zep stuff the bus cleaners used inside the bus.

 

[moodleman]

Just did mine last week. Not a bad job even at 76 years old. But I do cheat I don't do it on the floor but use a HF bike lift. First time I used Mobil 1 synthetic and a KN164 filter. This time I used synthetic oil and filter from my local BMW dealer. The cost wasn't much more this time. Be careful not to drop the oil screen under the side plug. I stick a long screwdriver down the center of the filter and then pull it out with a pair of needle nose pliers or a flexible pickup tool. That way you won't drop the screen into the engine. Reinstalling the screen stick the screwdriver through the screen then put the point of the screwdriver into the hole up against the end of it and slide the screen in along the screwdriver and push it back into place until it's seated.

I did help another fellow who dropped his screen into the engine. A flexible pickup up tool that has four small claws the spread out from the end of the spring when the button on the other end did a good job getting hold of the screen and then pulling it up onto a screw driver blade allowing me to pull it out of the engine.

Don't forget to make a metal foil trough to keep the oil from draining all over the lower part of the engine before you undo that side plug. The other two drain points, the filter and the bottom plug are easy. Do not the angle of the oil filter before you unscrew it. It will be hard to thread a new one back on if you try to screw it straight up like one would expect to do.

As a 78 year old myself, I was glad to hear you are still doing the basic maintenance. I have just about finished my second oil change - first one went perfectly, but this time - I DROPPED THE TUBULAR FILTER INSIDE THE MOTOR! I had taken all precautions (I thought) but something slipped and off it went, out of sight.

Using a flexible claw sounds like the best way to get it out, but locating it might be very difficult - is it possible without removing all the side panels on the bike? Any other tricks to using the claw - looks nearly impossible to me to see inside the motor. Before I take the side panels off, I will try looking inside with a little video camera attached to my phone.

 

[Ceesie76]

You may want to get one of those flexible snake mini-cameras if you can't visually locate the filter with the help of a flashlight. And if there is any metal to this screen, just maybe a strong magnet-on-a-flexible rod may do the trick as well (although they can be tricky to use, keep away from surrounding metal). Good luck!

 

[Delray]

Using a flexible claw sounds like the best way to get it out

My sympathies on dropping your tube in the pan. I dread that with every oil change. Once I thought the tube was seated on the opposing wall and started to pull my screwdriver out slowly, only to see the tube slowly sliding off the screwdriver. I froze and stayed like that for a minute, with the tube caught in place at a 45-degree angle. Collected my thoughts while muttering a few colorful words, then elevated the tube to a horizontal position and moved it around until it was seated. Feels like a bomb squad operation every time.

A quick check shows my local Home Depot has a "flexible claw pick up tool" for $9.99. There are plenty available online. That's reassuring to know for future oil changes, so thank you for that.

Don't understand the question about removing the side panels. I can't see a need unless you just want more room to work. The side drain plug is visible and accessible without panels removed, and the claw tool fits in easily to "go fishing."

I watched an oil change video for Kymco's AK550 recently and it has TWO oil screen tubes. Big difference is these are inserted on a flat interior surface, so there's no worry about them dropping down. Seems like a lot of similarities between the AK550 and C 650 GT. I know Kymco made the GT's engine from BMW design, so it looks like Kymco kind of copied the whole bike and named it AK550. I test-rode an AK550 a year ago. It checked a lot of boxes for smart, sensible motorbike, but lacked an intangible quality that BMW motorcycles have in spades: Soul.

 

[moodleman]

Thanks Ceesie76 and Delray, for your quick responses. The only reason I am considering removing the left hand side panels from the bike is to give me more room to work around that drain plug. I have used a snake-with-camera to locate the filter - it is definitely in there (not, as I had hoped, accidentally thrown out in the oil pan used for collecting the oil). But with the side panels in the way, I cannot get a light in the right place to actually see into the crankcase - so using a claw to pick it up could be very difficult. Nevertheless, I went shopping this morning and got myself a claw for about $6. Nothing to lose by trying. Back to the bomb squad site tomorrow!

 

[Delray]

Bomb Squad Pro Tip:

You could shine a light in a mirror and angle the mirror so it bounces the light on the spot you want to see. Might take a little creativity to get everything set up at the right angles, but I sometimes find that easier than removing panels, a task I never enjoy (my Holy Grail is replacing all the panels and not ending up with two mystery screws. They seem to multiply in the process of being removed ;o).

 

[moodleman]

Today, removed the left side panels. Because of the location of the filter towards the rear of the sump (confirmed the position by using the snake/camera), it was not possible to get enough room to approach the drain hole from the left - but with the panels off, it was much easier to get the claw in on the right angle to grab the end of the filter. Dragged it towards the opening then got a screwdriver in and jiggled it upwards and out through the drain hole successfully. All back together again, bike full of oil, ran normally, oil level correct, all OK. So once again, thank you for your help - and a big thankyou to The Claw, and The Snake. Bomb successfully disposed of.

 

[moodleman]

Last time I had the right hand side panels off, when I replaced them I had 2 screws left over. Today while taking the left hand panels off I spotted the place on the right hand side with a hole where a screw once had been - so that got me down to only one odd screw left over. I have not yet replaced the panels on the left - wondering how many leftover screws I will generate ...

 

[Delray]

Dragged it towards the opening then got a screwdriver in and jiggled it upwards and out through the drain hole successfully.

Well done! Great to know it's possible to retrieve the tube from the depths. Now I don't have to fret so much during oil changes.