Oil Disappearing...

[PJV 528]

Hi all,
Im posting this topic on behalf of a friend. He currently owns a 1998 E39 523i. He said during the last month his oil light has been coming on very recently. He said that every month he fills the cars oil to the maximum (im guessing more than a litre) and then in one month its all gone!!!

So we had a look-revved it to the red line mark no blue smoke coming out of the exhaust and i also put a tissue over the exhaust, revved it and there were no soot/black deposits on the tissue. Jacked up the car, no oil puddles under the engine everything looked dry on the bottom of the engine...

So if the engine is not eating the oil, and the oil is not leaking...where the hell is it going????
The car runs fine and the MPG has not really changed either! used used
Any ideas?
Cheers,
PJV

[grtmoby]

According to BMW the maximum permissible oil loss is 0.5L/1000Km. It depends pretty much on driving behaviour.

[PJV 528]

My mate says that the oil started dissapearing recently...hes had the car for some time...

[grtmoby]

how much oil loss in how many Km (miles).

[billB]

Search for oil in and around the area of spark plugs.

[agoff7]

Originally posted by PJV 528@Dec 20 2004, 10:39 AM
Hi all,
Im posting this topic on behalf of a friend. He currently owns a 1998 E39 523i. He said during the last month his oil light has been coming on very recently. He said that every month he fills the cars oil to the maximum (im guessing more than a litre) and then in one month its all gone!!!

So we had a look-revved it to the red line mark no blue smoke coming out of the exhaust and i also put a tissue over the exhaust, revved it and there were no soot/black deposits on the tissue. Jacked up the car, no oil puddles under the engine everything looked dry on the bottom of the engine...

So if the engine is not eating the oil, and the oil is not leaking...where the hell is it going????
The car runs fine and the MPG has not really changed either! used used
Any ideas?
Cheers,
PJV

[snapback]254743[/snapback]

Check your cooling system for oil, maybe head gasket is leaking.

[PJV 528]

Thanks for the replies guys, i will relay the info to my mate.

grtmoby, My mate does general miles- to get to work, take the kids here and there-nothing harsh like really fast motorway (ok, ok, "highway") miles.

agoff7, If oil was leaking into the cooling system, would the cooling not be effective and the engine overheat?

billB, if oil was in the area of the spark plugs, would they spark properly?

Thanks for the input,
PJV

[billB]

Originally posted by PJV 528@Dec 22 2004, 02:19 PM
Thanks for the replies guys, i will relay the info to my mate.

grtmoby, My mate does general miles- to get to work, take the kids here and there-nothing harsh like really fast motorway (ok, ok, "highway") miles.

agoff7, If oil was leaking into the cooling system, would the cooling not be effective and the engine overheat?

billB, if oil was in the area of the spark plugs, would they spark properly?

Thanks for the input,
PJV

[snapback]256229[/snapback]

In the first scenario: you will see white sludge under the oil filler cap and/or oil floating over coolant in radiater-oil is lighter than water.

for the second scenario: there is a deep groove/hole where the oil tends to accomulates and may/may not interfer with the spark..think deep socket with extentions!

[PJV 528]

Thanks billB, ill get hold of my mate and well have a look!

Thanks again....

PJV

[grtmoby]

another place to check is the oil filter base where it come into contact with engine block.