Help - disappearing oil!

Andre · Mar 10, 2005

My '04 ZHP with about 20K miles on it is using oil. It is going through about a quart in about 1200-1500 miles.

There is no sign of it burning - no smoke at all, and the car runs GREAT and FAST. There are no tell-tale signs of leaks.

Anyone know where it is going?

Of course I will ask my dealer when I bring it in, and they will say something about this being within tolerances or something...

But I gotta wonder, where is it going? If it was burning that much there would be some sign of it.

I previously had a 2000 328i that would use no oil at all between changes.

I just tried some 5-W-40, maybe that will last a bit longer.

epj3 · Mar 10, 2005

Probably burning, which isn't that bad... If you are or have been driving the car hard before it is warmed up, your oil is seeping through and burning in the combustion chamber.

Kirby · Mar 10, 2005

You won't see blue smoke at the rate of 1 quart every 1200 - 1500 miles. If you are not seeing any oil spots after parking overnight, then you are burning it. Do you do a lot of short trip driving? Did you observe the break in recommendations regarding RPM limits?

Andre · Mar 12, 2005

I do a lot of rush-hour traffic, but I will see the consumption on a long trip on the highway, driving very gently.

I just figured it out - 1 litre of oil lasted me 1500KM, or 900 miles.

Yes, I followed the breakin, except maybe twice I gave it a good acceleration - like you would on a test drive.

This is ridiculously excessive, isn't it?

Andre · Mar 12, 2005

epj3 said:

I'm very easy on the car until it is warmed up completely.

You don't think it's using too much?

aNoodle · Mar 12, 2005

That is a lot of oil to loose, even for the 3.0 engine...which seems to burn more oil than the 2.8L. Doesn't seem right, but I would ask the dealership, I know the M3's go through more oil...maybe something to do with the ZHP?

Kirby · Mar 12, 2005

Reports of oil consumption seem to be all over the place. My 330 has 15K miles on it and has used just about 2 quarts since brand new. But there are a fair number of reports of 330s and X5s using 1 quart every 1000 - 1500 miles. I think that BMW still considers this in the normal range, but it seems excessive to me. Are you adding sythetic oil when it needs topping off?

epj3 · Mar 12, 2005

I wonder if the synthetic oil is now allowing the seals to seal properly in the first place? Seems odd.

I've been happy with the synthetic in my car though. No problems.

Kirby · Mar 13, 2005

How much of your driving is rush hour, low speed, low RPM stop and go?

Andre · Mar 13, 2005

Kirby said:

Yes, Castrol full synthetic.

Definitely doesn't seem normal to me!

Funny though, when I bought the car they did give me a little velcro bag that holds a quart-container of oil in the trunk

Andre · Mar 13, 2005

Kirby said:

Probably 80%. But my old 328i had the same tgrip into work daily and never used any oil. Mind you, it couldn't do 0-60 in under 6 seconds, and rev to 6800RPM...

Kirby · Mar 13, 2005

There are some lines of thought that engine break in and specifically proper piston ring seating requires a certain amount of continuous higher rpm, medium load driving, for 3 - 5000 miles. I'm wondering that if you have a lot of low speed, light load stop and go driving, the rings have still not seated, or they wall is glazed. Keep in mind that this is an educated guess, certainly nothing more. Maybe a 1000 mile road trip is just what she needs?

If you are interested in technical info on engine break in, read this article. Although it is specific to aircraft engines, the same basic theory regarding ring seating and oil consumption applies to all engines.

http://www.cessna.org/benefits/articles/breakin.html

Sorry, I don't really have any other ideas.

dcaron9999 · Mar 14, 2005

Andre said:

My 1999 328i uses no oil whatsoever, whatever the environmental conditions. I hardly bring it to the REDLINE. There is plenty of torque/power under 6000 RPM. [bmwdance]

Did you ever hear about Oil flashpoint? This is a temperature rating where your enginel oil burns up and cosumnes itself. Lowere grade oils have a lower flash point. I hardly think this is your problem, as your ride is pratically breand new, and you are probably using BMW High performance synthetic oil.

Dutch · Mar 14, 2005

Just an idea, since all logic thoughts about this subject have been written by other people. Andre, when do you add your extra oil? When the ´dipstick´ reads minimum or already halfway or so? If so, try to wait with adding oil until it reads minimum or when the yellow oil light comes on after engine shutdown. Although I might be wrong concerning BMW reciprocating engines (it´s just an idea as I mentioned) I know a little bit about aircraft engines and some of them have their OWN ideal oil level. Like I said, the engines on an Apache helicopter are turbine engines and NOT BMW engines, but what I see is that engines on different aircraft have different oil levels (although never below the minimum). Even after changing the oil and adding new oil to the maximum limit, after just 1 or 2 flights the level is back where it used to be. So bottomline of my story is that your engine might have some kind of ideal level that just happens to be slightly above the minimum level and every drop you add extra, disappears. Just a thought, but since ´we´ are almost out of ideas made me compare the General Electric 701C with your BMW.

Greetz, Peter

Kirby · Mar 14, 2005

Peter, that's an excellent thought. Closely related to your comment, if his commuting is in a hilly area, and he gets stopped on hills, the oil is going to pool front or rear, and perhaps be burned more quickly. In that case, the "ideal" oil level would be lower.

Andre · Mar 15, 2005

Peter, I always wait until the yellow light comes on - it comes on after I shut off the engine. I'm told this means it is half a quart down. Once I let it go longer and the light came on while I was driving. This made me nervous.

All of these comments and suggestions are interesting - but I really think something is wrong with it. It's just strange because of the lack of smoke - or burning oil smell, and the car runs well and very quick.

Kirby, don't you think my rings would be seated by 21K miles? The car has had a few highway trips - in fact, that seems to be when it uses more oil!

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

Andre

gpoints · Mar 15, 2005

Has the car always burnt oil? I mean, from day 1..?

Also, does oil consumption change (decrease) immediately following an oil change and gradually increase as your oil gets dirtier?

It seems like those who rely solely upon the free maint. for their oil changes have this problem more often then those of us who do extra oil change between the recommended interval.

jaime-330 · Mar 15, 2005

My previous 99 323i never lose any oil, I runned for 85.000 kilometers before I traded it in in 2002. my current 330i lose.burned or what ever some before the first oil change interval. I asked a BMW service Rep here in Tokyo and I was told that these engines do that at the begining specially the 330 ones. And that it was normal, however I noticed the missing oil by checking it my self with the dipstick I never had and oil warning lamp pop up on me. The owner's manuel also explains about oil consumption and describes it as according to driving styles. I have been pushing my engine a bit hard since it passed it first 1000 Kms, I have currently driven 44.000 kms, 2 oil changes and there has been no sign of losing it or burning it and definately not oil lamp warning up hill, down hill or high way or at least not dramatic enough to notice it [bmwdance]

Andre · Mar 15, 2005

gpoints said:

No, it seems to be the same even after an oil change
It seems to have always done it, although the usage has gone up a bit.

I'm not sure my oil gets a chance to get dirty - I'm always topping it up!

Kirby · Mar 15, 2005

Andre said:

Yes, they should be seated, under normal conditions. That's the problem, it seems like for some reason your engine is acting abnormal.

Help - disappearing oil!

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