My '01 325ci is eating oil....... I'm scared!!!

[jpilk99]

This is actually my wife's car and it has about 133k miles on it. We've had it about 2.5 years and love it, (mostly because of the glass rear window in the convertible roof - our previous E36 convertibles had the plastic. No good!).

About a week ago, wifey reported that the oil light was coming on and then going off. Then it stayed on. Sure enough, it was about a quart and a half low. I brought it up to proper level, and figured it was okay. Now it's low again. I checked on the ground where she parks in the driveway, last week, and saw no drips. She reported no drips at the parking garage where she was last week. So, if it ain't dripping out, then that must mean it's leaking INTO the engine, right? And if it's doing that, then doesn't that mean the head-gasket is shite??

Any thoughts? I checked the dipstick and did not see any water/condensation, nor did I see that coffee colored foamy chum on either the dipstick or the underside of the refill cap.... Scared to think that the head-gasket may be the issue. I can say that, under our ownership, we've never had an overheat issue; (the kiss of death on these 6-cylinder aluminum heads).

Thanks in advance,

Jay

[dano1200r]

Can you remove the plugs and do a pressure test?

[whiskychaser]

Have you checked the CCV system? It can get gummed up where it connects to the dipstick tube. The engine can then start dragging oil out of the sump and burning it. If you decide to check it out, this might be useful:

http://www.e46zone.com/forum/topic/4...ve-m54-engine/

[MIKYZZ4]

When was the CCV system last replaced?

Here is the cold climate version currently on sale at FCPEuro: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-m54b25coldkit

[MissileMech]

In addition to the above potential causes, the rings on these motors get carboned/coked up and as a result the engine will eat oil. I was able to clear up oil consumption on my '01 330 by using a mix of synthetic diesel motor oil (Rotella T6 for example) with the oil you usually use. You can use all T6 or a 50/50 mix and run it that way for several oil changes and you should see an improvement as the rings get cleaned up. It will also de-sludge CCV system over time as well. Don't forget that as it is cleaning the engine you will have to change it more often.

[jpilk99]

Thanks all. Don't know about the CCV, I haven't done anything with it in the 2-3 years we've owned it. Not sure how to do a pressure test with all 6 plugs out. Is it just like on a lawn mower where you put the compression tester guage back in the spark plug hole and turn it over a few times?

Another interesting aspect of this situation, that I noticed yesterday and wife confirmed again just now, is that: with the engine cold, (both yesterday in the driveway sitting overnight and today after she was at an appointment for 2 hours after having the "check oil level" light come on during her drive into the appointment), when checking the dipstick --- it was like 2" above the "full" line. Both times, we took off the oil fill cap, (with the thought of releasing some internally built up pressure), and sure enough, the level dropped back to "normal" readings on dipstick. Though today, just now, with wife coming out of her 2-hour appointment, after pulling oil fill cap, wiping off dipstick and retesting, it still said it was at "full" or even a little above; which is confusing because the "check oil level" light came on 20 minutes into her drive to the appointment.

Thankfully non of you immediately went to "ya, your headgasket is done". Hopefully it is something more manageable with the CCV and/or carbon build up on rings. I'll research what you've shared - hopefully there's a remedy in there for me.

Thank you all. Happy Cinco de Mayo

[E39 Newbie]

This is actually my wife's car and it has about 133k miles on it. We've had it about 2.5 years and love it, (mostly because of the glass rear window in the convertible roof - our previous E36 convertibles had the plastic. No good!).

About a week ago, wifey reported that the oil light was coming on and then going off. Then it stayed on. Sure enough, it was about a quart and a half low. I brought it up to proper level, and figured it was okay. Now it's low again. I checked on the ground where she parks in the driveway, last week, and saw no drips. She reported no drips at the parking garage where she was last week. So, if it ain't dripping out, then that must mean it's leaking INTO the engine, right? And if it's doing that, then doesn't that mean the head-gasket is shite??

Any thoughts? I checked the dipstick and did not see any water/condensation, nor did I see that coffee colored foamy chum on either the dipstick or the underside of the refill cap.... Scared to think that the head-gasket may be the issue. I can say that, under our ownership, we've never had an overheat issue; (the kiss of death on these 6-cylinder aluminum heads).

Thanks in advance,

Jay

No, the oil is not leaking into the engine. All the oil is already in the engine. It's burning oil in one fashion or another.

As stated earlier, it may be a bad CCV system. Do you see any grey smoke from the tailpipe, especially when the engine is cold? With the engine warm and running, remove the dipstick and put your finger over the tube. You should feel a very slight vacuum. Anything more that very slight suction indicates a failing CCV (there are other ways for it to fail but this may be the most common). Too much vacuum indicates the diaphragm in the CCV is failing and it's sucking oil out of the pan via the dipstick return line. If the diaphragm completely fails you will look like a mosquito fogger driving down the road. If your CCV is original it's long past time to replace.

if it's not CCV it's a ring problem. What oil have you been using? Both of my M54s used oil when I bought them. I used some Liqui-Moly fuel system cleaner, some of their engine flush, and I started using their 5W-40 Leichtlauf oil and my oil consumption has gone down noticeably. The M54s are known to use oil, but it can be minimized by using good oil. And no, I am not a paid spokeshole.

[E39 Newbie]

Thanks all. Don't know about the CCV, I haven't done anything with it in the 2-3 years we've owned it. Not sure how to do a pressure test with all 6 plugs out. Is it just like on a lawn mower where you put the compression tester guage back in the spark plug hole and turn it over a few times?

Another interesting aspect of this situation, that I noticed yesterday and wife confirmed again just now, is that: with the engine cold, (both yesterday in the driveway sitting overnight and today after she was at an appointment for 2 hours after having the "check oil level" light come on during her drive into the appointment), when checking the dipstick --- it was like 2" above the "full" line. Both times, we took off the oil fill cap, (with the thought of releasing some internally built up pressure), and sure enough, the level dropped back to "normal" readings on dipstick. Though today, just now, with wife coming out of her 2-hour appointment, after pulling oil fill cap, wiping off dipstick and retesting, it still said it was at "full" or even a little above; which is confusing because the "check oil level" light came on 20 minutes into her drive to the appointment.

Thankfully non of you immediately went to "ya, your headgasket is done". Hopefully it is something more manageable with the CCV and/or carbon build up on rings. I'll research what you've shared - hopefully there's a remedy in there for me.

Thank you all. Happy Cinco de Mayo

Just to double check, is the oil light red or yellow when it comes on?

A compression test is exactly as you describe it. Pull the coils and plugs. Put the tester into cylinder 1, crank a few times and measure the compression. Note it. Repeat for the other 5. The compression should not vary much between cylinders. IIRC they should all be in the 150 range.

[dano1200r]

Test the CCV operation as stated by all before the compression test . Clean /replace if needed. Watch an instruction video on YouTube. It is not difficult and doesn't take much time. Good luck with it

[MIKYZZ4]

It may just be low oil pressure.
Replace oil filter cap o-rings, there should be 2 or 3 of them.
Start with the simple things.

[jpilk99]

Thanks All!!!!!!! I'll do those things, in that order :-)

[yjsaabman]

Most of the comments above are on point. CCV system is probably due for an overhaul, LiquiMoly engine flush and oil, etc.

If the yellow oil light (low level warning) is coming on when you are driving the car, the oil level sender is failing. It should only come on to indicate a low oil level when you turn the car off after a trip. Replace it at your next oil change and keep monitoring the situation.

[MarcoZandrini]

If you have pressure at the oil fill cap the CCV is the prime suspect, especially after the quick onset of oil burning.

Quick tip: drive the car on a 40+ mile trip at highway+ speeds on a weekly basis. This boils off all of the condensation in the engine.

[martwauto]

Most of the comments above are on point. CCV system is probably due for an overhaul, LiquiMoly engine flush and oil, etc.

If the yellow oil light (low level warning) is coming on when you are driving the car, the oil level sender is failing. It should only come on to indicate a low oil level when you turn the car off after a trip. Replace it at your next oil change and keep monitoring the situation.

My light is coming on after I start her up and goes out after a few seconds but the level is spot on.(yellow level light )
It will be changed next oil change.
I had the CCV done nearly two years ago and it is a different car to drive and no oil clouds coming out of the back either.

Mart.

[jpilk99]

Quick update (and again, "Thank you" for all the help):

No smoke of any color during start up, or driving, or when returning home.
It is ONLY the yellow "check oil level" light that is coming on
I took the oil fill cap off, cleaned both the gasket and the top of the valve cover where it attaches
Checked oil level and it looked fine, right where it should be
Started car, ran 5 minutes, removed dip stick and did not feel any suction, but, it may be the perfect "gentle" sucking that it should be doing. Certainly nothing overt or strong. Funny to hear the gurgling of oil slopping around - don't think I've ever had a dipstick out with engine running
Turned off engine, cleaned dipstick, put it back. Waited 5 mins ...right where it should be.

I'm going to follow recommendations on CCV. I bet its original. Will report back after that. Thanks again!!!

Jay

[E39 Newbie]

Quick update (and again, "Thank you" for all the help):

No smoke of any color during start up, or driving, or when returning home.
It is ONLY the yellow "check oil level" light that is coming on
I took the oil fill cap off, cleaned both the gasket and the top of the valve cover where it attaches
Checked oil level and it looked fine, right where it should be
Started car, ran 5 minutes, removed dip stick and did not feel any suction, but, it may be the perfect "gentle" sucking that it should be doing. Certainly nothing overt or strong. Funny to hear the gurgling of oil slopping around - don't think I've ever had a dipstick out with engine running
Turned off engine, cleaned dipstick, put it back. Waited 5 mins ...right where it should be.

I'm going to follow recommendations on CCV. I bet its original. Will report back after that. Thanks again!!!

Jay

Take a tissue, or something similar, and hold it over the dipstick tube while running. There should be just enough vacuum to suck the tissue to the tube. If there is no vacuum that, too, is a CCV problem. There's supposed to be a small vacuum in order to purge the vapors from the crankcase. Think PCV valve on old-school domestics.

As said earlier, you may also have a bum oil level sensor. That's easy to replace at your next oil change.

[jpilk99]

Take a tissue, or something similar, and hold it over the dipstick tube while running. There should be just enough vacuum to suck the tissue to the tube. If there is no vacuum that, too, is a CCV problem. There's supposed to be a small vacuum in order to purge the vapors from the crankcase. Think PCV valve on old-school domestics.

As said earlier, you may also have a bum oil level sensor. That's easy to replace at your next oil change.

Thank you