To Those Doing Their Own OIl Changes...

Hello all.

The Range Extender calls for the PH8170 family of filters. This filter size is used on lawn mowers. With BMW wanting a 2 year change interval, I am not comfortable using a filter that small.

The PH3614 family of filters is longer than the OEM filter, and goes on with no clearance issues. Not only that, but it is a more common filter is generally about half the price, no matter what brand you go with.

I prefer WIX, and I go with the longer filter, which is WIX part number 51348. I will not use Fram products out of personal preference, but it's easier to use their part numbers as reference. I will compile a list of cross-comparable filters below.

SHORT 2.3" FILTER
OEM: 11427673541
Fram: PH8170
Wix: 57035

LONGER 3.4" FILTER
Fram: PH3614
Wix: 51348

_____________________________________________________

And for those interested in an even LONGER filter, or want to know the measurements of the filters, please look here. I am unsure if anything larger than the PH3614 family will fit. My next oil change, I will buy one of each and investigate if nobody beats me to it.

PH8170 family: 2.3" (oem)
PH8172 family: 2.7"
PH3614 family: 3.4"
PFL400A family: 4.8" (over 2x the oem filter legnth)

The PH16/PH8A/PH3600 family also have the correct thread pitch and gasket, but I am unsure of their length. I am also providing a picture of each filter family, so you can visually see the difference.

PH8170 FAMILY (below)


PH8172 FAMILY (below)


PH3614 FAMILY (below)


PFL400A FAMILY (below)

If all of the miles on the car were aided by the REx, 2-years would not be a good thing. Considering that the engine was designed to be an emergency backup, it's probably fine. The vast majority of the miles put on the vehicle will not be aided by the REx for the vast majority of users. Full synthetic oil lasts longer, too. The control logic adjusts the throttle and the time it's on automatically, so a user can't try to run at high RPMs while it is still cold, also minimizing wear. The engineers that build the thing have a good idea of what is required to keep it functioning well. Your money, your choice.

Our car is just over two years old with around 45,000 km. About a third of that distance was done on the REx. Dealer changed oil and filter twice based on Condition Based Service. So not sure why your dealer suggested two years. Possibly based on minimal use of REx.

Thank you for posting oil filter information. It will be very useful to people like myself who will be doing their own oil and filter changes.

Just curious. Is the oil flow rate the same regardless of the length of the filter? I guess a longer filter will also mean more oil to be added?

Oil flowrate is more dependant on filter media than length of filter. Finer media designed to filter to, for example, 1 micron is going to increase backpressure (and reduce flowrate) compared media designed to filter to, for example, 20 microns. If backpressure increases above a predetermined value (for example when media is partially plugged with dirt and oil is cold) most better oil filters have a bypass valve that opens to ensure that the engine is not starved of oil. Of course when the bypass valve opens little filtering occurs.

Please find below an excerpt from the REx engine manual. No mention is made of variation from the 2.6 l of oil in crankcase with or without filter. I assume that the 2.6 l includes the oil filter. Some people add fresh oil to the oil filter before installing it on the car. I will probably start doing this as it eliminates size of oil filter issue and reduces initial delay in oil pressure coming up after an oil change.

W20Engine
10.Service
10.3.Maintenancework
AsthecombustionengineintheBMWI01isnotpermanentlyused,theservicingisreducedtoa minimum.Engineoilwithfilterisonlyrequiredafteratimeintervalof10,000miles/12monthsor dependingontheoperatinghoursofthecombustionengine.Theoperatinghoursarerecordedinthe
EDMEcontrolunit.
Duringanoilchangecareshouldbeexercisedtoensurenooilisspilledwhenfilling.Asuitablefunnel
mustbeused.Therepairinstructionsmustbefollowed.
2.6litersofoilisthecapacityoftheW20engine.

TOEd said:

... 1 micron is going to increase backpressure (and reduce flowrate) compared media designed to filter to, for example, 20 microns. If backpressure increases above a predetermined value ...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I wonder how one is to make sure that the flow rate provided by non-standard filters meets the specs/design.

TOEd said:

... Engineoilwithfilterisonlyrequiredafteratimeintervalof10,000miles/12monthsor dependingontheoperatinghoursofthecombustionengine.Theoperatinghoursarerecordedinthe
EDMEcontrolunit...

Click to expand...

Interesting that specific operating hours are not mentioned in the manual. For the 2 oil changes your dealer did, were they based on an indication of some sort calling for the oil changes or were they based on the operating hours? If the hours, I am curious what number did the dealer use.

Thanks.

In (most/all?) BMWs, the computer keeps track of when the oil was changed, and how the engine is used which includes how long it was run, how often it was a cold start verses warm, and how fast the engine needed to operate. I have a BEV, but on my GT, the conditioned based service routine could have you driving anywhere from say 5-6K miles, to nearly 20K, depending on whether it was all highway, or all city or a more common mix. At least on that engine, if you don't hit the condition based threshold, the recommendation is to replace it at one year intervals. I've occasionally had the oil analyzed, and it never was 'worn out' prior to the conditioned based recommendation. If you use the recommended synthetic oil, you really do not need to worry about it unless you hit one of the qualifiers, which mostly would include things the computer can't see, like operation in primarily dusty conditions (lots of dirt roads or maybe in a dusty desert situation).

"I wonder how one is to make sure that the flow rate provided by non-standard filters meets the specs/design."
Excellent question! I have been unable to find this information. It may be safer to buy OEM filters from dealer if they aren't crazy expensive.

TOEd said:

Our car is just over two years old with around 45,000 km. About a third of that distance was done on the REx. Dealer changed oil and filter twice based on Condition Based Service.

Click to expand...

By "Condition Based Service" I am curious if the system prompted or if the dealer looked at the miles.

It will get reported to you on the car's status menu, and, when starting up, it will show an alert. There will also be a yellow (or red) triangle with an exclamation point in it on the instrument panel, similar to what happens when the time is up to flush the brake lines, or to do an annual inspection. It also gets stored in the keyfob, so the dealer can read it when you take it in for the service advisor's info. IOW, while you can ignore it, it should be readily apparent if you are awake.

jadnashuanh said:

It will get reported to you on the car's status menu, and, when starting up, it will show an alert. There will also be a yellow (or red) triangle with an exclamation point in it on the instrument panel, similar to what happens when the time is up to flush the brake lines, or to do an annual inspection. It also gets stored in the keyfob, so the dealer can read it when you take it in for the service advisor's info. IOW, while you can ignore it, it should be readily apparent if you are awake.

Click to expand...

More specifically, when you first press the Start button, towards the bottom left of the drivers display you'll find a car icon and "Service mm/yy".

Coatchawa said:

Hello all.

The Range Extender calls for the PH8170 family of filters. This filter size is used on lawn mowers. With BMW wanting a 2 year change interval, I am not comfortable using a filter that small.

The PH3614 family of filters is longer than the OEM filter, and goes on with no clearance issues. Not only that, but it is a more common filter is generally about half the price, no matter what brand you go with.

I prefer WIX, and I go with the longer filter, which is WIX part number 51348. I will not use Fram products out of personal preference, but it's easier to use their part numbers as reference. I will compile a list of cross-comparable filters below.

SHORT 2.3" FILTER
OEM: 11427673541
Fram: PH8170
Wix: 57035

LONGER 3.4" FILTER
Fram: PH3614
Wix: 51348

_____________________________________________________

And for those interested in an even LONGER filter, or want to know the measurements of the filters, please look here. I am unsure if anything larger than the PH3614 family will fit. My next oil change, I will buy one of each and investigate if nobody beats me to it.

PH8170 family: 2.3" (oem)
PH8172 family: 2.7"
PH3614 family: 3.4"
PFL400A family: 4.8" (over 2x the oem filter legnth)

The PH16/PH8A/PH3600 family also have the correct thread pitch and gasket, but I am unsure of their length. I am also providing a picture of each filter family, so you can visually see the difference.

PH8170 FAMILY (below)

PH8172 FAMILY (below)

PH3614 FAMILY (below)

PFL400A FAMILY (below)

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this