Oil Filters

Commonly Asked Questions About Oil Filters

• What do they do? Capture the byproducts of motor oil's production process and what builds up while the oil lubricates engine parts. (In a sense, this is like what air filters do for engines and heating and AC systems and what fuel filters do for the gas lines and tanks in fuel systems.)
• Why do they do this? To help protect many different components -- among them, oil pumps and their bearings. The result: longer lives.
• What are the main parts of one? A housing, the filter medium itself, and a gasket, for a total of three.
• What does each part do? The media does the above-mentioned filtration. The oil filter housing holds the filter, attaching it to the engine; you can often find yours in your vehicle's engine bay, next to the engine cover. The oil filter gasket is a rubber seal, one with two purposes: to help close the filter off from outside and to help prevent oil from leaking.
• Where can I access mine? Usually, from under the engine compartment (though you may need to remove an undertray, if your model has one). Some vehicles, though, allow you to access it from above the bay. Your owner's manual should have more info on this.
• When should I change it? Every 3,000 miles or every 3 months -- namely, during every oil change, if not during every other one, according to many owner's manuals. Otherwise, do so when the filter medium clogs and/or use and age wear it out. Also, be sure to replace the housing gaskets when (but preferably before) they get brittle and start cracking, as they'll start leaking oil. The warning signs, in this case, will be a combo of oil pressure loss, an engine oil warning light on your dashboard, and engine performance issues.
• Which one fits my BMW? That depends on its required thread and gasket sizes -- information you should be able to find in your owner's manual. Be sure to install the right size, as to put one in that's the wrong size can, like a bad housing gasket, mean oil leaks. Worse yet, it can mean serious and expensive engine damage if the filter detaches from the oil pump.
• Why buy genuine OEM? Those BMW makes are the correct size for your model from the get-go. The same goes for its housings and gaskets. That's a compatibility guarantee that aftermarket oil filters may not provide.
• Where can I order them? Our auto parts store should have what you need.

BMW Oil Filters for Sale Online -- Shop a Complete Catalog Now

Just browse it with your model and model year filled in. It'll make finding what fits much easier, not to mention make it go a lot quicker. Buy now, and we'll ship right to your address; you'll be swapping the old out for the new before long.