2 quarts of oil too much...!!!!!!!!!

[militarydave30]

My brother was driving my BMW for about a week while his vehicle was repaired. Come to find out he added 2 quarts of oil, additionally the the required 6.5 quarts that my 528i (N52 3.0 I6 engine) requires. Stated the car was shaking while driving, and the "low oil" warning light came on. I immediately jacked the car up and notice a huge trail/spill of motor oil underneath the car splashed all over the undercover part of the engine. I did this to drain all the oil and basically do an impromtu oil change.

What is odd about this car is that if you park the car on an uphill driveway with the engine facing down towards the street, upon start up I do get a low oil warning light. When I park facing uphill, i never get that low oil warning message.

So, now that the car drove maybe 20 miles with the excess oil, what kind of damage am I looking at? piston blow-by? flooded/fouled spark plugs? oil seals/valve seals? new oil pan/valve cover gaskets?

THe oil was not frothy, and as you are all aware this car does not have a dipstick, just the little green squares in i-drive.

Car has never had an issue before this.

thoughts?

[KingDavidsCourt]

Yikes... I dont know but that sounds bad.

[Stephen Max]

I very seriously doubt there was any damage at all after only 20 miles.

[testify]

To me it sounds like you might have a damaged oil pickup tube.

If the oil light comes on while the car is on a hill, and the car has the appropriate amount of oil in the sump, perhaps there is a crack in the pickup tube that is exposed when the car is tilted enough, causing it to suck air and lose oil pressure.

[jtbgonesailing]

Dave, Remind us what engine you have and year.

Never mind I see it now, n52. No dipstick, so was it red oil pressure light or the oil level sensor going off, for your brother to determine car needed 2 quarts of oil?

[militarydave30]

So after an impromptu oil change (back to the 7 quarts for my 3.0 N52) there appears to be no major damage or performance loss. I"ve been monitoring the oil level (via the stupid i-drive) and says "OK". If it does have leak(s) the cardboard undercarriage thingy is absorbing all of it. I'll end up replacing the spark plugs anyways as part of regular maintenance.

[nonturbodan]

Excess oil can damage the cats and oxygen sensors. You'll get a check engine light if anything is damaged. Other than that theres nothing to worry about.