BMW X3 Oil Change (2018-2021) 4Cyl 2.0 Turbo

This video will highlight the basic steps to changing the oil in the inline 4 turbo engine found in the G01 series of 2018-2021 X3.

[@rcmojon6]

Thanks for the tips. It's the little things to know before you start a job that make it so much easier, ie socket sizes, etc. One thing I would add, as I made this mistake, when you replace the o-ring on the filter housing cover, be sure to set it in the o-ring groove made for it and do not push it all the way up to the last flange like I did. I had oil leaking on floor next day. Moved the o-ring back to the proper o-ring groove and everything is fine.

[@diydaddy5092]

Yes, great advice. Thanks

[@r0498]

Just remember that the brand name of oil has nothing to do with it's composition. Castrol, like every other company, makes many variations of engine oil depending on manufacturers specifications. 0W-20 BMW LL-17 FE+ is the specification for this engine. So you'd need to find a Castrol oil that specifies this on the back on the container, otherwise it is not the correct oil. Castrol DOES make this oil specification for BMW, but currently it is not available to consumers. From the research I've done, these are the only manufacturers that has oil with the LL-17 FE+ specification that is available to the consumer market: Liqui Moly - Top Tec 6600 Motul - 8100 ECO-Clean Total - Quartz Ineo Dynamics Again, Castrol is in the works to bring their brand to the market but it isn't here yet. To save time for everybody, BMW lies when they tell you your transmission fluid never needs to be changed, a blatant lie. ZF Friedrichshafen (ZF) manufacturers your transmission, not BMW. ZF states on their very own specifications for the 8HP transmission, which is in all recent X3s, that transmission fluid changes should be done ATLEAST every 50,000 miles. DO. NOT. LISTEN. TO. THE. DEALER. If you want to change the fluid yourself, buy ZF Lifeguard 8 fluid, which is the factory fill for this transmission. It should be a green liquid, so make sure you aren't getting ripped off by someone on the internet.

[@mazz1557]

Thanks for this. I also have a 2018 xDrive30i and finding alternative oil to the OEM BMW oil is a pain - I miss the days when BMW just slapped their "BMW Recommends Castrol" on their oil caps.

[@Josephpaulchu]

I was about to post a similar thought. thx for the alternative brands. I believe the Castrol "Euro Car" is LL-01 spec, which is an allowed oil. Hard to find though.

[@VaderTonic2240]

I was about to reply the same thing. I use Liqui Moly. Not many oils are compatible with what BMW recommends.

[@PH-md8xp]

That is correct, happy to report that I just (Sept 2023) bought the Castrol branded oil for my X3 from Walmart. The correct oil is Castrol Edge 0W-20 LL-17 FE+ Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil. Costs about half of what the BMW branded or LiquiMoly costs.

[@quiksr20]

Very helpful thanks for uploading, Not that an old change is hard but its "SUPER HELPFULL" on a new car to know before hand where everything is and what wrenches are needed. This saved me a bunch of time when changing the oil for the first time on our x3!

[@diydaddy5092]

Happy to upload as I couldn’t find any oil change video of the G01 X3 on YT at the time. Glad you found this helpful. Thank you!

[@quiksr20]

@@diydaddy5092 def much appreciated!

[@ngoa1975]

thank you for taking time to share, so much appreciated!

[@diydaddy5092]

@An Ngo thank you sir 👍

[@joelfox8754]

thanks for making this video; i just bought a '21 X3; that tip on the end of the oil filter was a surprise to see which is different than BMW has used for many years.

[@diydaddy5092]

Yes, a simple filter element like those used years ago would have been nicer. Thanks for watching.

[@johngiacoppo1296]

Thank you for the VERY detailed oil change video!

[@diydaddy5092]

@johngiacoppo1296 You’re welcome sir.

[@NKPGarage]

Great video walk through of the process! We have an X7 currently, thinking about doing the oil change myself since our BMW dealership is so slow these days. Nice work!

[@diydaddy5092]

NKP- yea going to the dealership is a total pain these days. They are slow and no loaners due to inventory shortages. Plus waiting for the free services every 11-12k miles is way too long for my liking. X7 😎

[@NKPGarage]

@@diydaddy5092 I agree. Our dealership here in Austin used to be great many years ago. We are on our 7th BMW over the years and even the simple stuff they can't do correctly anymore.

[@diydaddy5092]

@@NKPGarage Too funny we’re also on our 7th bimmer between 2 local dealerships. I find myself rechecking their work each time our cars come back from service 😂

[@NKPGarage]

@@diydaddy5092 Crazy isn't it? The most frustrating was with our 650i that we got rid of last year. I literally told them exactly what needed to be fixed, but they refused to do anything until they swapped out spark plugs for around $600 (parts/labor). They did that, and then still wouldn't fix the problem. We got rid of it immediately after that and wanted to get a Mercedes GLS450, but got the X7 instead. My wife loves the X7, but I dread having to take it in to have a few small things fixed with how bad the two dealerships here are.

[@diydaddy5092]

@@NKPGarage Yup I hear you. Even with little annoying things here and there, we love em. We sell before warranty’s out and get new one 👍

[@thomaskaczmarski5278]

Great how to video! Thanks so much.

[@diydaddy5092]

@thomas kaczmarski Glad you like it.

[@KennyVo]

Thank you for the clear instructions and information

[@diydaddy5092]

Thank you Kenny.

[@None-dq6yf]

Thank you, took me 8 minutes with your help. Only advice I can add is---> drive up on a few pieces of lumber with the front tires to add some clearance. I used 2 2x10's and it was just enough. Thanks again

[@diydaddy5092]

Thank you!

[@PH-md8xp]

He did have ramps made of lumber under the front wheels.

[@jaykim3955]

Great Video and Thanks!

[@DailylifeUSAAlaa]

Where is the reset process!! Thanks for the vid. No complicated process.

[@saulherrera6588]

Thanks for this video 👍👍

[@diydaddy5092]

Thank you 🙏

[@shazzanmohammed3260]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[@DEXXXO]

The Oil was still perfect on my Alfa last oil Change is from 2016 and belive me Engine Runs Smoot quied perfect .

[@mikex1384]

Informative, detailed video. Good job. (Get a small tripod for your camera 😄)

[@diydaddy5092]

Thank you, I will

[@rossvuich5164]

Great video! Do you have videos on how to reset the oil change reminder and check the oil level?

[@diydaddy5092]

Yes I do. Check out my other videos on this channel.

[@mikhailbobkov711]

why 0w20? Do you have a cold summer? should be at least 30, and preferably 0w40, fully synthetic

[@Mondoman-wy9eo]

Thanks for the clear video of drain and filter areas! Regarding the drain, I know with other makes (Mazda and Subaru) there was a single-use copper or aluminum crush washer used to make sure the drain plug sealed. I saw some copper around the drain hole - is there also a crush washer here?

[@diydaddy5092]

Yes a new crush washer comes in your filter kit.

[@angeloaguilarbriceno3561]

I got x3 2014 and my reset oil goes unsuccessful. Anyadevice?

[@rohandalwadi1162]

Can I use Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 0w-20 in the X3?

[@andrewz8135]

hi, great vid, btw did u use a torque wrench to put the drain bolt back in? and if u do what's the torque value? thx 4 the g8 vid again.

[@thomarbau]

25nm for the drain plug and oil filter.

[@andrewz8135]

@@thomarbau cheers m8 , thats very helpful

[@diydaddy5092]

@thomarbau thank you!

[@wonsuk.lee1]

Thanks for the video! It’s really helpful . Can I ask you a question? Before you measure the oil level, Do you move the vehicle backwards little bit to get back to the ground? As far as I know, the measurement should be done when the Horizontal level is maintained. I'd really appreciate it if you could answer me.

[@diydaddy5092]

Oh Absolutely! The front was on ramps for access only. But when checking oil levels, you should always be on level ground. I was on my flat driveway. Thanks for asking.

[@wonsuk.lee1]

Thank you very much for the answer

[@craigwilliams9623]

Nice

[@None-dq6yf]

Note to all. Very important to get that little tip on the filter in the correct location.

[@VanceAMayle]

It will only go in one way you can’t tighten it down without it going in the correct way

[@None-dq6yf]

@Vance A. Mayle I managed to and caused significant damage to the vanos

[@diydaddy5092]

@None-dq6yf Sorry to hear that. Hope it didn’t hit the pocketbook too hard.

[@justameme7665]

How many quarts of oil does it take

[@raygonzalez7478]

Hi! Any tips for a filter housing cap that won't budge. I hate the fact it's plastic; I had a 27mm socket but it was a 12 tooth one; and it slipped once; I stopped trying and got a 6 sided 27mm deep socket; and it won't budge at all; I don't want it to slip with the socket; The dealer did it last; this is my first off warranty oil change and I'm running into a wall unfortunately. Already ordered a new cap; any method even destructive would be great! Lol

[@diydaddy5092]

@raygonzalez7478 Ugh! Hate it when technicians go Neanderthal on nuts/bolts. If you’ve had no luck with engine warm then perhaps try FreezeOff. It’s for removing stuck fasteners. Spray just the cap portion when your engine is cold. The hope is the cold will shrink the cap enough to help break that seal. BTW are you using enough leverage e.g. longer socket wrench handle than 7”?

[@Brian-ow1cm]

B48's [the n20 replacement] will consume a bit if oil, & the "ultrasonic oil sensor" has some leeway programmed Into it, so less smart people just don't start dumping wayy too much oil in their vehicle. After you drain, the change fill is 5.5 quarts. Not 5, 5 & some change, but 5.5. The rest stays in the turbo, it's reservoir, lines, etc.... So in actuality, your changing to a fresh filter and getting a little over half of your dirty oil out. Change Often. 3-5k max. Turbo 4 cyl. Higher compression, & hot to get the performance they wanted out of them. Coil over plug on older n20 versions had a habit of toasting under the cover within 50,000 mi.

[@srpark7297]

BTW, did you raise both sides of your car? Couldn’t tell if you only raised the side facing the camera. Thanks.

[@diydaddy5092]

@SR Park Yes, both front wheels were on ramps.

[@RapsheetRecordsLlc]

Thanks for the video, Do you have a link to purchase the oil filter diy daddy.....

[@diydaddy5092]

Initially I purchased the filter from the local dealer. It was such a rip off- $30 IIRC. After that I’ve been buying from BMW Store through Amazon. www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDLHZU0/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_glt_fabc_A9DJ4N40WDQS412VCWFY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[@81bajaj]

the part I was waiting for is checking the level. How are you going to check the level when there is no dipstick? How do you check the oil level on new BMWs?

[@81bajaj]

Thanks for the video by the way. Helpful still despite not going over how to check the level.

[@diydaddy5092]

Hi thanks for watching. Please check out my other video with step by step instructions on checking oil levels.

[@ejazazeez5251]

Hi DIY Daddy, Its not only SUPER HELPFUL, but you have given another option to lift the car, I am impressed with your wooden bridge, I am going to collect same pieces of wood. My question to you is, is there any point from where we can extract Engine Oil, instead of taking out oil from under the car. My BMW is 730Le, 2017 model, Oil filter is located as seen in your video. Please help.

[@diydaddy5092]

@ejaz azeez. I’m glad you find it helpful. BMWs have always been very low except their SUVs of course. I made this ramp so that I can go up and down without scraping the front lip of my previous bimmer sedans. It’s made of 2x12” cut into 3 sections and screwed together. As far as extracting oil, I believe your car does not have a dipstick just like mine. You have no way of inserting the extraction tube. Our only option is to drain from the bottom. Good luck sir.

[@asahacic3249]

I have x3 2020 still have the manufacturer warranty why is it they recommend every 8-10 miles to do the oil change I always did it 5-6k miles ?

[@diydaddy5092]

Less cost for BMW I presumed. I’ve always changed the oil myself midway between dealer free services for the last 31 years.

[@armandeus]

I have a BMW X3 328i 2.0 2014, 5 quarts is the oil measure? Thanks

[@diydaddy5092]

I’m not sure if you have the same engine but for my 2020 2.0L 4-cylinder it was a little over 5 qt.

[@mnewgin]

Hi. How do you reset the oil change so the service shows on the car’s screen/computer?

[@diydaddy5092]

Please check out my video on how to reset your maintenance computer. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaXEiod6aJ6nn5Isi=0LOl4osfsg66bUEd

[@nicholasfhernandez]

I was always told that you need to wait until the engine is cold to change the oil but you warmed it up. Is that just old information or something specific to this make?

[@diydaddy5092]

BMW’s protocol for checking oil level in a dipstick-less system.

[@WarBerJr02]

Would it kill BMW to stencil the quantity and type of oil on the oil fill cap?

[@diydaddy5092]

They certainly don’t want to make it easy for DIYers.

[@Josephpaulchu]

The type is on the hood...

[@PH-md8xp]

DIYers are BMW’s last priority. They’ve proved that multiple times.

[@ibond4894]

Where to see the right oil capacity for my engine? Google says it’s 10qw and 6qw but where to check what exactly? Does anyone know?

[@diydaddy5092]

@bond4894 You probably looked up the wrong engine on Google. Search for the 2.0 liter engine if your X3 is a X-drive3.0i. The X-drive4.0i has 3.0 liter inline 6 cyl.

[@ibond4894]

@@diydaddy5092 I got bmw x6 I found out it’s 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine. Google says Capacity: 7.4 quarts (with filter). Should I put all 7.4 quarts?

[@diydaddy5092]

@@ibond4894 No. There are a few variables such as Is your floor completely flat? Are you jacking up just the front or the entire car for the oil change? If this is your first time, I would put back 7 qts, then go drive to get up to temp then go to your OBC to check oil level. You can always add more. Overfilling is not good for any engine.

[@None-dq6yf]

Nice easy oil change to save some bucks

[@diydaddy5092]

Great I’m glad people find this helpful.

[@RapsheetRecordsLlc]

Couldn't believe oriellys charges 35$+ for the filter... I will be stocking up on line, much cheaper... I enjoyed your bag catch technique of the filter with the absorbent towels to catch any drippage, nice work

[@diydaddy5092]

Glad you like. I just hate having oil dripping everywhere. Here’s my online link to get OEM filters much cheaper. www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDLHZU0/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_glt_fabc_GTB1VQDKVTCMAHQ20SJ8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[@oscarlontoc8284]

Can I use a manual oil extractor?

[@diydaddy5092]

I’m not sure it’s possible since there’s no dipstick tube to reach the bottom of the oil pan.

[@jimmyramos7951]

How much oil you said you 5 quarters and a quarter of a quart?

[@diydaddy5092]

@jimmy Ramos Yes, about 5.2 quarts

[@jimmyramos7951]

@@diydaddy5092 ❤

[@PH-md8xp]

Good video, but please note that as per BMW’s recommendation the correct oil must meet the LL-17 FE+ for the 2018+ X3 G01 and a number of other vehicles that have the same engine. BMW branded, Liqui Moly, and a couple other manufacturers offer oil with this specification but it is more expensive than Castrol Edge 0W-20 LL-17 FE+ Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil which I recently bought (September 2023) from Walmart, at about half the price for 5 + 1 quarts.

[@diydaddy5092]

With all due respect, I have never heard of engine damage as a result of not using BMW spec oil AND changing your oil on a regular basis. I believe it’s more important to change your BMW oil every 4-5k miles than worrying about if it’s BMW spec oil and let it sit in your crank for 12-15k miles like most BMW owners do cuz free maintenance. FWIW, I’ve owned BMWs for 32 years and all went over 100k with no engine/oil burning issues.

[@PH-md8xp]

Well, I’ve also owned BMWs for many decades including an i8 that I serviced myself. The reason for the 0-W20 LL-17 FE+ full synthetic spec oil on the G01 X3 is related to the low viscosity requirements for that specific engine’s fuel economy performance and its ability to flow through tiny pathways in the engine to properly lubricate key components. It’s NOT the same as other Castrol Edge oils. Sure it’s better to change your oil than not to, but why not just use the exact spec oil if it’s available at basically the same price? That’s my preference as I’d rather minimize the risk of any damage that could occur by oil that is unable to properly lubricate key engine components because it’s not the right oil.

[@diydaddy5092]

@@PH-md8xp Oil discussions always stir up lots of opinions/excitement. I respect your choice to use whatever you like. I’d just rather not go there. The whole point to the YT video was a brief how-to for those wanting to DIY. I’m not telling anyone what they should or should not use. To each his own.

[@nueok]

Both of you are correct. For the X4 BMW does recommend LL17-FE+ but also they state an alternative can be used if the LL17 is not available. Alternate oils must meet API SL, SM, or SN. The one in the video does meet the SN spec. Not going into debate of what’s right or wrong here, just stating what’s stated in the manual.

[@dell-vb-llo4130]

What sucket size

[@diydaddy5092]

Filter cap 27mm Drain bolt 17mm

[@dell-vb-llo4130]

Thanks

[@danielfl.9347]

Nice looking car, but I don't like the amount of plastic in the engine bay

[@diydaddy5092]

@Daniel Fl. Agreed

[@wacalla26]

Endless Money Pit !!

[@jesustrejo9870]

Drain plug is supposed to be torqued to 25 NM or else it will leak

[@Venuzzzzzz]

False

[@dustincollins6186]

@@Venuzzzzzzwhat is correct torque?

[@JParkSD]

@@dustincollins6186 just get tight and little additional mmmph.

[@mattwolice9741]

wow I used to think that new BMW's were crap. Now I now they are absolute shit. Where did you say the engine oil dip stick is? Oh, it doesn't have one?

[@wacalla26]

Endless Money Pit !!!

[@PH-md8xp]

What’s your reason for saying that? You sound like you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.

[@TF5598]

lol. Guess they don’t compare to your ‘98 corolla

[@thomarbau]

Do not use the oil that he recommended , it is not the same as he claims. Check for yourself. Remember, anyone can make one of these videos.

[@diydaddy5092]

Thank you for your comment. Let’s not turn this into another oil debate you see on every car forum. Use what you like. I did not recommend anyone use this. I simply shared a DIY and what I use at 5k miles rather than waiting for the free service from BMW. The initial oil would have circulated in the engine for 10k or 15k miles. Your car, buy whatever oil or filter you desire.

[@AwesomeZain123]

What oil would u recommend

[@ngoa1975]

I've been using Castrol Edge for my Mini and BMW for 5 years now.