The last two DIY events have involved straightforward changes of BMW fluids, so I’m combining them into one post. In the first I changed the differential fluid and rear diffuser on my E39 M5, and during the second I changed the power steering fluid in my E46 M3.
I had last done the differential fluid on the M5 back in 2013. That might sound neglectful, but it’s not. Differential fluid is changed on mileage not time, and I don’t pile on the miles with these cars. So I’ve traveled less than 30,000 miles since that last change. It’s an easy job with a lift so I knew I’d have plenty of time to do a cosmetic swap as well – changing the rear diffuser from body color Lemans to black.
I’ve thought about this for a while and casually put out a feeler on the E39 M5 owner’s group – “if anyone has a black diffuser I’d be interested.” I soon got a reply from a long-time member saying he did have one in great shape and quoted me a fair price. Using a lift made the swap easier so I waited until the DIY to install.
Only a few screws and clips hold the diffuser in place. My M5 has black trim along the sides and on the bumpers so a black diffuser looks better IMO. And if I ever change my mind the original diffuser can be put back on. Thanks to Scandinavian Import Service Center for having the Club back in for the work.
The most recent Club DIY was a Ladies’ event held at BMW of Annapolis last weekend. Ladies DIYs are open to men as well but the ladies get first crack at the lifts. It’s a great way to encourage more women to learn about their BMWs and carry out their own maintenance. Many know a lot more than I do and some track their cars.
Going over my maintenance records I realized it had been five years since I had refreshed the power steering fluid in the M3. At that time I used the “turkey baster” method, simply extracting fluid from the reservoir repeatedly until the majority of fluid was replaced. This time I researched ways to detach the power steering hoses to ensure a full drain.
Happily, Bob the foreman at BMW of Annapolis told me that wasn’t necessary. They use a machine that sucks all of the fluid out and replaces it with new fluid. So this DIY job took about 15 minutes. It was very similar to the machine dealers use to replace the coolant in our cars. I had forgotten it was at Annapolis, but they did that for me back in 2016. I had come in concerned about how best to drain the engine block, and the machine took care of it.
Now you know how your BMW fluids are getting changed if you take your car to a dealer. Big thank you to Bob and his team at Annapolis, who are real friends of the NCC DIY program.
That’s it for DIY events this year, though there is one on January 20th I cannot attend. So maintenance work is on hold until spring. I hope my M cars are OK with that! Happy motoring and happy holidays.