The first time I changed the oil filter in my Bavaria, I could not understand how the oil filter worked. It was just loose in its housing with a spring flopping around inside. It wasn’t until later, when I happened across an exploded diagram of the oil filter assembly, that I realized a critical part was missing.

There is a compression washer that goes under the filtering element with the spring compressed between it and the bottom of the filter housing. This holds the filter element against the top of the filter housing upper part, allowing the oil to go through the filter element

I thought this missing part was a freak occurrence with my car, but have since discovered five other six-cylinder owners just in this chapter who have the same part missing. Either the part is sticking to the filter and being thrown away or mechanics are unwilling to fight the spring pressure when reassembling the filter housing and are discarding the part. In either case, without the compression washer pushing the filter element up, the element does not do any filtering.

Six-cylinder Oil Filter Parts

Check to see if this part is present in your filter assembly. If not, order the compression washer, part number 11 42 1 252 466 at $.41 and sealing ring, part number 11 421252 465 at $.27.

My listing shows that this part is used on all six-cylinders and probably on the 3.0Si and the 530i.

Author: Ed Vozek