3-Series (E21, E30)Chat relating to the BMW 3-Series from 1975-1983 and 1984-1991 line. Specific models: BMW 315, BMW 316, BMW 318, BMW 318i, BMW 320/4, BMW 320i, BMW 320/6, BMW 323i, BMW 320i. E30 Family models include: BMW 325e, BMW 325i, BMW 325is, BMW 325ix.
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This is just to tell every owner of a e30 (specially new owners) not to rely only on the informations given by those red lights on the roof near the center mirror !
With my first e30, a 1984 320i 2 doors, I experienced that the hard way a few years ago.
As the engine was pretty old and had more than 230 000 km in the legs, I was used to ad like 400 cl of oil in the engine when the 'on board computer' (the red lights) was telling me that it was missing. and, as a lazy mf, I took the habit of only checking the oil when the red light was telling me to. (it normaly lights up way before your engine runs dry of oil)
So what happened is that one day, the engine just ran short of fuel on the speedway .. actually, the red lights system n didnt tell me anything about a lack of oil in the engine. So my 2.0 L six in line died in a huge cloud of smoke at 180 km/h.
So, dont give that system 100% trust, because it could cost you an engine !
Peace !
Seb.
ps : how i drove the 120 km back home with a broken engine is another story ! 5 stops and 15 liters of oil were needed !
Originally posted by FastSeb@Mar 18 2005, 03:06 PM hi !
This is just to tell every owner of a e30 (specially new owners) not to rely only on the informations given by those red lights on the roof near the center mirror !
With my first e30, a 1984 320i 2 doors, I experienced that the hard way a few years ago.
As the engine was pretty old and had more than 230 000 km in the legs, I was used to ad like 400 cl of oil in the engine when the 'on board computer' (the red lights) was telling me that it was missing. and, as a lazy mf, I took the habit of only checking the oil when the red light was telling me to. (it normaly lights up way before your engine runs dry of oil)
So what happened is that one day, the engine just ran short of fuel on the speedway .. actually, the red lights system n didnt tell me anything about a lack of oil in the engine. So my 2.0 L six in line died in a huge cloud of smoke at 180 km/h.
So, dont give that system 100% trust, because it could cost you an engine !
Peace !
Seb.
ps : how i drove the 120 km back home with a broken engine is another story ! 5 stops and 15 liters of oil were needed !
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well thats cause you waited till the light goes on... it doesn't go on when its below the recomended level no oil light does, you should use your dip stick to see how much oil you had, and going by the fact that you were burning that much oil your engine was probably worn out anyways probably from the lack of oil... the rings got wrecked along with the bearings im assuming.
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well , I am not talking about any light on the dashboard but about those you see when you look up when you are in the front seats, telling you about different things on the car. (handbrake, light, oil level...)
so, that light was (when it was working) always telling me when it was just a little below the recommended level, i assure you, i could notice it at the use, thats why i started to just wait for that damn red light to tell me when to add that half a liter.
and i was not adding liters of oil in my engine every week, only like half a litter every 2500 km, wich is not that unusual for an engine of 2.0 L, with six cylinders and with more than 200 000 km, specially if it goes often in high RPMs ! the engine was not worn out, that is what they said at the local BMW official dealer at the time.
but you are totally right about the use of the dip stick, thats why I wrote that topic, so other guys wont just trust the electronic like i stupidly did.
the level light should come on when you are a quart low in oil, and if it didnt come on then when it got really low the oil pressure light should've came on, yea i trust my active check control but its still a computer and they do malfunction sometimes as does every electrical component, so you have to be smarter than the machine and check your own oil, unless you dont want to get your pretty hands dirty
ironically all of the 20 e30s i have seen run out of oil and blow up in the last year, the owners' didnt "trust" their lights either
Ouch! Sorry to hear that!
But it's true, my dad's '87 325 has the same problem with those lights. I think the fix is related to the fixing of the oil inspection and service interval indicator on the instrument panel (which requires the removal of the panel and replacement of rechargeable batteries), but am not sure.
In any case, my dad always checked the oil level with the dipstick since he had a leak somewhere (later found to be the front seal of the engine), so he has never run out of it.
Hope you can fix it!
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n didnt tell me anything about a lack of oil in the engine. So my 2.0 L six in line died in a huge cloud of smoke at 180 km/h. 
, I am not talking about any light on the dashboard but about those you see when you look up when you are in the front seats, telling you about different things on the car. (handbrake, light, oil level...)
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