[tomgwuyn]

Two weeks back I did an oil change for my 06 bmw which has 118K miles at MY bmw dealer. After the oil change, when I checked the oil level indicator, it was a little short of the full mark. When I casually checked today (after around 250 miles), I was shocked to find it is at the half way mark. I am suspecting the oil pan leak . The car has a history of oil pan leak for the last three years but it wasn't this severe as I examine the oil level every few days.

Is replacing the oil pan the only way to resolve? The dealer is asking $1100 . I spoke to two reputed Indy's in the NY/NJ area and both were quoting around $800 plus alignment (plus replacement of corroded parts if any).

[relative4]

You don't replace the pan, just the gasket. Those prices seem pretty low to me.

[Tambohamilton]

Did you run the engine at all before the first check? Bear in mind that the new filter will be filled when you first run the engine after a change - that will cause the oil level to drop significantly.

[relative4]

Oh yeah - oil pan leaks are almost never severe enough to affect the oil level. Just keep an eye on it.

[TGTIW]

And remember, your oil level indicator is only reading the final qt of oil, NOT the total oil capacity. So if your gauge went from just below max to halfway, you've really only lost about 1/4 to 1/2 qt.

[Schmitz]

Mine always does this after a change. Need to top off after a day or two.

[tomgwuyn]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Did you run the engine at all before the first check? Bear in mind that the new filter will be filled when you first run the engine after a change - that will cause the oil level to drop significantly.

Yes I did. But at that time it was a little more than 3/4th . Planning to top off with another quart.

[tomgwuyn]

Originally Posted by relative4

You don't replace the pan, just the gasket. Those prices seem pretty low to me.

What number can i expect for replacing the oil pan gasket?

[Efthreeoh]

I write this with some hesitancy since you said a BMW dealer performed the oil change. It sounds like the mechanic did not properly refill the engine with 7 quarts (6.9) of oil. If it was my car, I'd just wait until the CBS reports the engine is a quart low, then top off the engine with 1 quart of oil. Or, if you go back to the dealer, they will probably tell you the engine is in the safe range of oil level and probably not adjust the level (top it off full) because there is a risk of overfilling the engine with oil. You'll then complain to them about things you do not fully understand about how the e-dipstick actually works. Then you will get a headache and both you and the dealership department will have a bad day.

Now, you need to understand that the engine does not need a full 7 quarts of oil to safely operate, so if the e-dipstick is reporting 1/2 quart low, it is completely safe to drive the car. Second, while the oil pan gasket may have leak, it can not leak 1/4 of a quart in just 250 miles. What you experienced was a 1/4 quart adjustment of the e-dipstick as the engine gained miles after the oil change. You need to understand the oil level measuring system is "accurate" but not "precise".

I posted a thread on how the oil level sensor works and how to interprate readings and change in readings of the e-dipstick. I recommend you find the thread, it's in the maintenance section, and educate yourself on how the system works. Once you understand how it works, you will be more relaxed about oil levels.

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1533444

It could be the dealership is just fucking with you by short-filling the engine with oil knowing you know the pan gasket is leaking so to entice you into getting the gasket repaired by their shop. If you are concerned about the engine oil consumption, then wait for the "+1qt" notification to show up, then top off the engine with one quart of oil, record the mileage at which you added the quart, then drive the car for the thousands of miles it will take until the next "+1qt" notifaction appears, then you will truly know the oil consumption rate of the engine. You need to understand it takes over 20 minutes of driving for the e-dipstick to re-establish a new oil level after you top off the engine. If you top off the engine and immediately check the oil level you will get a false reading.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Did you run the engine at all before the first check? Bear in mind that the new filter will be filled when you first run the engine after a change - that will cause the oil level to drop significantly.

No, this is not correct.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by tomgwuyn

Yes I did. But at that time it was a little more than 3/4th . Planning to top off with another quart.

DO NOT TOP OFF WITH A FULL QUART. You will over-fill the engine with oil.

[Liquid_Arthur]

Those long metally strips we used to stick down in the engine to check the oil are just too complicated. Thank you BMW for coming up with a much simpler ::cough:: solution.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Liquid_Arthur

Those long metally strips we used to stick down in the engine to check the oil are just too complicated. Thank you BMW for coming up with a much simpler ::cough:: solution.

Ah, I actually think it's better once you understand how it works. If you read the owner's manual of cars that have manual dipsticks, you find they instruct the owner to only add oil when the level reaches the lower mark on the dipstick, and that as long as the level is between the two marks, the engine has a safe level of engine oil. That is pretty much the same protocol the e-dipstick operates under. The only difference is the e-dipstick does not give instantaneous readings as does a mechanical dipstick. The bar graph of the e-dipstick is analogous to the hatchmarks on a mechanical dipstick, representing amount the top quart of oil in the sump.

BMW did a very poor job at explaining how the e-dipstick works, but it does say how to use it, which means top off the oil in full 1-quart increments when notified by the CBS.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Ah, I actually think it's better once you understand how it works. If you read the owner's manual of cars that have manual dipsticks, you find they instruct the owner to only add oil when the level reaches the lower mark on the dipstick, and that as long as the level is between the two marks, the engine has a safe level of engine oil. That is pretty much the same protocol the e-dipstick operates under.

I agree with this. It was weird for me at first, but once I learned how it works I'm very happy with it. I still do sometimes wish there was a mechanical dipstick as a backup, since that's the only way to instantaneously verify the oil level, however for 99% of the drivers on the road who never check their oil level the electronic oil gauge is great. It provides a low oil indicator which alerts them to take action and top it off.

I think I've shared this story before but I once got a call from a friend who said his car (a Nissan) wouldn't start, just a clicking sound, and he needed help. I went to his house initially thinking it was a dead battery, but quickly learned that the engine was siezed, starved of oil. I asked him if he had an oil light come on recently and he said "Yeah I had the red oil light, I just thought that was letting me know it was time for an oil change."


As for the original post here, tomgwuyn what you describe sounds exactly like what everyone is saying, that the dealer who did the oil change didn't completely fill it. This is nothing to worry about; it's still filled to an appropriate level, just not to the maximum capacity. What likely happened is that the level was just barely at the threshold of the 3/4 indicator, so initially it read 3/4 but then seemingly dropped to 1/2 after those two weeks.

Do you have any history of oil consumption on your car? I'm losing approximately one quart every 1500-2000 miles. I have a leaky oil pan gasket but it's not dripping at all, confirmed with plastic covers removed from under the car for the past year and there are no drips on my garage floor or my parking space at work. With the engine running there is strong suction when removing my oil fill cap on the valve cover, so I suspect a faulty oil separator, also called a PCV valve or CCV on these cars. Being an 06 with a magnesium valve cover, the oil separator is external whereas the 07 and later cars have it integrated in the plastic valve cover. I have a new replacement on hand, awaiting installation.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

I agree with this. It was weird for me at first, but once I learned how it works I'm very happy with it. I still do sometimes wish there was a mechanical dipstick as a backup, since that's the only way to instantaneously verify the oil level, however for 99% of the drivers on the road who never check their oil level the electronic oil gauge is great. It provides a low oil indicator which alerts them to take action and top it off.

I think I've shared this story before but I once got a call from a friend who said his car (a Nissan) wouldn't start, just a clicking sound, and he needed help. I went to his house initially thinking it was a dead battery, but quickly learned that the engine was siezed, starved of oil. I asked him if he had an oil light come on recently and he said "Yeah I had the red oil light, I just thought that was letting me know it was time for an oil change."


As for the original post here, tomgwuyn what you describe sounds exactly like what everyone is saying, that the dealer who did the oil change didn't completely fill it. This is nothing to worry about; it's still filled to an appropriate level, just not to the maximum capacity. What likely happened is that the level was just barely at the threshold of the 3/4 indicator, so initially it read 3/4 but then seemingly dropped to 1/2 after those two weeks.

Do you have any history of oil consumption on your car? I'm losing approximately one quart every 1500-2000 miles. I have a leaky oil pan gasket but it's not dripping at all, confirmed with plastic covers removed from under the car for the past year and there are no drips on my garage floor or my parking space at work. With the engine running there is strong suction when removing my oil fill cap on the valve cover, so I suspect a faulty oil separator, also called a PCV valve or CCV on these cars. Being an 06 with a magnesium valve cover, the oil separator is external whereas the 07 and later cars have it integrated in the plastic valve cover. I have a new replacement on hand, awaiting installation.

The vaunted E30 equipped with the classic M20 straight 6 had a low oil level indicator and a dipstick. This was in the late 1980s. I relied on the light most the time. I'm an old codger so I grew up on cars that had mechanical dipsticks and used oil where when new, 3,000 miles per quart was considered normal.

If I can learn to accept an e-dipstick, then it's not that big of a leap for people 20 and 30 years younger than me. I'll admit at first the no dipstick almost kept me from buying my car back in 2006, but I trusted BMW wouldn't be so stupid as to switch to a faulty oil monitoring system. I've driven this car for 120,000 miles more than my E30 with a mechanical dipstick. It works. BMW should better explain the operation of it.

[Bimmer_Engineer]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

I agree with this. It was weird for me at first, but once I learned how it works I'm very happy with it. I still do sometimes wish there was a mechanical dipstick as a backup, since that's the only way to instantaneously verify the oil level, however for 99% of the drivers on the road who never check their oil level the electronic oil gauge is great. It provides a low oil indicator which alerts them to take action and top it off.

I think I've shared this story before but I once got a call from a friend who said his car (a Nissan) wouldn't start, just a clicking sound, and he needed help. I went to his house initially thinking it was a dead battery, but quickly learned that the engine was siezed, starved of oil. I asked him if he had an oil light come on recently and he said "Yeah I had the red oil light, I just thought that was letting me know it was time for an oil change."


As for the original post here, tomgwuyn what you describe sounds exactly like what everyone is saying, that the dealer who did the oil change didn't completely fill it. This is nothing to worry about; it's still filled to an appropriate level, just not to the maximum capacity. What likely happened is that the level was just barely at the threshold of the 3/4 indicator, so initially it read 3/4 but then seemingly dropped to 1/2 after those two weeks.

Do you have any history of oil consumption on your car? I'm losing approximately one quart every 1500-2000 miles. I have a leaky oil pan gasket but it's not dripping at all, confirmed with plastic covers removed from under the car for the past year and there are no drips on my garage floor or my parking space at work. With the engine running there is strong suction when removing my oil fill cap on the valve cover, so I suspect a faulty oil separator, also called a PCV valve or CCV on these cars. Being an 06 with a magnesium valve cover, the oil separator is external whereas the 07 and later cars have it integrated in the plastic valve cover. I have a new replacement on hand, awaiting installation.

I'm surprisingly okay with the level accuracy function of the e-disptick...I wish we had a manual dipstick so you could see the condition of the oil between changes...

[Jesda]

The e-dipstick is nice, but not as an exclusive way to read the oil level. Just because I set my alarm on the house before I leave doesn't mean I don't lock my damn doors.

It's stupid.

[Tambohamilton]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

No, this is not correct.

Care to elaborate, so I can learn, please? This has happened on every car I've ever owned, so not sure where I'm wrong...

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Care to elaborate, so I can learn, please? This has happened on every car I've ever owned, so not sure where I'm wrong...

First off, with an N52/N54 you can not get an oil measurement with the engine not running and the correct level is not determined until at least 20 minutes of drive cycle time. There is a static oil measurement performed by the CBS (e-dipstick system) that determines there is oil in the engine, but it does not report an actual oil level.

Second, you are thinking backwards. On engines with mechanical dipsticks, after an oil change if you add the manufacturers specified amount of engine oil upon refilling the engine block and not starting it, the mechanical dipstick can show a higher level of engine oil because the oil has not yet flowed through the system and filled the oil filter and oil pump (dependent on engine design of course). That is what causes the confusion with mechanics who have experience with just a mechanical dipstick engine. The oil refill procedure for most mechanical dipstick engines mechanics use is drain the oil and change the filter, then refill the engine short of its full compliment of new oil, run the engine for a few minutes to get the new oil flowed through the block, then top off the oil level. If you follow that procedure with an N52/N54, you can risk over-filling the engine with oil because the system takes at least 20 minutes of driving (i.e. not just idling) to establish the new oil level. The correct procedure for the N52/54 is to open the oil filter housing cap, drain the oil with the car level, remove the residual oil from the OFH, change the filter, then refill with 6.9 quarts of oil. That's it, no short-fill and then top off. I've done 41 oil changes on the N52 engine.

I suggest you read the link I posted it goes into detail as how the N52/N54 oil level system (sensor), it's called OZS, works.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Jesda

The e-dipstick is nice, but not as an exclusive way to read the oil level. Just because I set my alarm on the house before I leave doesn't mean I don't lock my damn doors.

It's stupid.

What? LOL

A mechanical dipstick is not an exclusive way to read the oil level either.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

What? LOL

A mechanical dipstick is not an exclusive way to read the oil level either.

But it should always be there nonetheless.

[Tambohamilton]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

First off, with an N52/N54 you can not get an oil measurement with the engine not running and the correct level is not determined until at least 20 minutes of drive cycle time. There is a static oil measurement performed by the CBS (e-dipstick system) that determines there is oil in the engine, but it does not report an actual oil level.

Got you. Hadn't considered how different it could be with the edip.