[bimmerhw]

Hi guys,

I've got a really wired thing recently for my f30 340i - my16.

Is that possible if the car works fine with 0w-40(or 5w-40) engine oil but leaking/burning wwhile using 5w-30?
- lost 1/3 oil in 6km drive.

It started behaving wired and lost oil since my last service(changing 5w-30 oil).
Then I refilled with 0w-40 oil myself, it seems okay again.

[freakystyly]

Is it possible the oil wasn't filled to the correct amount? What you described above is not a thing that happens randomly.

[bimmerhw]

Originally Posted by freakystyly

Is it possible the oil wasn't filled to the correct amount? What you described above is not a thing that happens randomly.

Yeah that sounds like a make sense explanation since my mechanism is not quite familiar with computers/idrive etc. but still unlikely an expert could miss that. A physical measurement or manual check could be very easy.

[Billfitz]

Who did the 5W-30 change? Were they aware of the 7 liter oil capacity? There's no way you lost 2 liters of your oil in 6 km without the car either smoking like a steak on the barbie or leaving an oil trail.

[bimmerhw]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Who did the 5W-30 change? Were they aware of the 7 liter oil capacity? There's no way you lost 2 liters of your oil in 6 km without the car either smoking like a steak on the barbie or leaving an oil trail.

It was my mechanism. I think he knows.
But the first time I measured it was 2 weeks later after the service,
it was like this:


Then the next day I drove 6km, it was like:


That was when I refilled with 0w-40 myself.
and it stays in MAX for 2 days, about 10km.


The measurements were in different places.
Is that possible the level could get some deviation based on engine temp, ground level, or how long time from stopping the car? (heard that some oil might be still in the tubes.)

[BMWILUVU]

I don't think you lost 1/3 of your oil and going up to 5w-30 from 0w-40 wouldn't do this by itself as I have done this. It does look like you burned some of it but what is "behaving weirdly" please explain. Was this 6km of cruising or 6 miles of tracking and what were the conditions and your mods?

[Billfitz]

From your manual:

A detailed measurement is only possible with
certain engines.
Requirements
▷ Vehicle is on level road.
▷ Steptronic transmission: selector lever in
selector lever position N or P and accelerator
pedal not depressed.
▷ Engine is running and is at operating temperature.

The top picture doesn't show the level down 1/3. It shows it down from full, but still well above minimum. Minimum is down perhaps a liter.

I wouldn't assume that a mechanic knows the oil capacity of a given engine. Even if they work in a dealership oil changes are assigned to the least experienced mechanics. It's usually their first job, as well as the lowest paid, one rung above the guy who sweeps the floor. For that matter it could be the same guy who sweeps the floor.

[freakystyly]

The MAX / MIN on these cars is 1L (or 1 QT) not the whole oil pan. It's kind of like the hatched marking on a dip stick, it's only a 1/2" range of the stick not the whole thing.

[bimmerhw]

Originally Posted by BMWILUVU

I don't think you lost 1/3 of your oil and going up to 5w-30 from 0w-40 wouldn't do this by itself as I have done this. It does look like you burned some of it but what is "behaving weirdly" please explain. Was this 6km of cruising or 6 miles of tracking and what were the conditions and your mods?

by saying "behaving weirdly", might be just my feelings lol.
a.water stain on the ground - should be just water from AC, but wondering why I didn't pay any attention before.
b.oil level decrease
c.I was feeling my phone in the tray is knocking...from then on.
maybe it's just my paranoia..

The 6km was city cruising in comfort mode, I was even not using AC and sport mode for testing.

The last 2 days after I added 0w-50 oil, it's fine now, no idea why, but oil level stays in MAX for a few times when I measured.
also went to auto checking the stain in engine cabin, all good as well.

Hope it's a fake alarm lol.

[bimmerhw]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

From your manual:

A detailed measurement is only possible with
certain engines.
Requirements
▷ Vehicle is on level road.
▷ Steptronic transmission: selector lever in
selector lever position N or P and accelerator
pedal not depressed.
▷ Engine is running and is at operating temperature.

The top picture doesn't show the level down 1/3. It shows it down from full, but still well above minimum. Minimum is down perhaps a liter.

I wouldn't assume that a mechanic knows the oil capacity of a given engine. Even if they work in a dealership oil changes are assigned to the least experienced mechanics. It's usually their first job, as well as the lowest paid, one rung above the guy who sweeps the floor. For that matter it could be the same guy who sweeps the floor.

Yeah that makes sense to me.
maybe it's just not fill it full in the first place and then got some measurement error, adding to those results made my paranoia.

[bimmerhw]

In recent 2 days since I added 0w-40(around 1.2L), it stays at MAX level for a few times of measurements.
If the full capacity is 5-6L, it should be a measurement error in the first place.
Guess it's a false alarm.
Thanks guys!

[bimmerhw]

I am curious that is it possible if some wrong oil was added i.e. 5w-20 in my last service, then the 1L 0w-40 oil mixed with that making the leaking or burning stop?

[Billfitz]

Unless you've got well over 100k on the engine there would be little to no difference in oil consumption between straight 20 and 40 weight, let alone a mixture.

[Wires]

That doesn't look like it leaked or burned, it just looks like it wasn't 100% full after service.

The acceptable limits are between min/max. Quite possible he "saves a couple bucks" by keeping it in that range, vs topping it full to the top.

My guess is the above, and you are now hypersensitive to everything (as would I if I was conerned).

[bimmerhw]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Unless you've got well over 100k on the engine there would be little to no difference in oil consumption between straight 20 and 40 weight, let alone a mixture.

That's really helpful thank you!

[bimmerhw]

Originally Posted by Wires

That doesn't look like it leaked or burned, it just looks like it wasn't 100% full after service.

The acceptable limits are between min/max. Quite possible he "saves a couple bucks" by keeping it in that range, vs topping it full to the top.

My guess is the above, and you are now hypersensitive to everything (as would I if I was conerned).

yeah, I've started believing that would be the fact.
The thing might start with my wrong thoughts that oil would be full after service but the fact is not. lol
Thanks man!

[Wires]

Originally Posted by bimmerhw

yeah, I've started believing that would be the fact.
The thing might start with my wrong thoughts that oil would be full after service but the fact is not. lol
Thanks man!

No worries, had that on one of my services as well. Couple weeks later I got the "add 1 L" warning on the iDrive, got a bit concerned, but after topping it up, it never came back even with multiple yearly services of 15,000km.