[skysky]

First post from a long time lurker..

I've searched and I can't seem to get a straight answer to this question:

How much engine oil is needed for an oil change on the N57?

Some posts say 6.2L (6.5quarts), some say 7.5L, some have said 8L.

After doing my first oil change this weekend, I went with the 6.2L that i've seen in a few other posts.. I then noticed on the dipstick, it was below minimum, so i kept topping it up until it now reads Max on the dip stick. All up, it was close to 8L. Is this correct?

Even at 6.2L, the oil level indicator on the CIC said it was MAX?? What's going on here. Have I put in too much oil?

The car is a 2009 E90 330d LCI, AU/Euro spec.


Thanks!

[BB_cuda]

Firstly, sorry that I don't have an answer on N57 oil capacity. I noticed you mentioned both dipstick and CIC. I presume CIC means onboard oil level sensor like the petrol engines only have (no dipstick).

A few months ago, we were discussing whether US spec N57 had a dipstick or not. Floyd dug up on real OEM that a dipstick is shown. Another guy PM'd me that he went on the dealer lot and looked at 2 different 535D and didn't see a dipstick. The last part is 2nd hand info so I can't say if it is accurate.

So, I'm even more curious since you have a 2009 model in Australia that perhaps has both. You have a 330D with N57 where as in US we have only 535D and X5D with N57. so, answer could be different as oil pan is possibly different.

Anybody with a US spec N57, how many L does it take to go to max line and is there indeed a dipstick? I hope answer is still yes on the stick.

[Len_Beach]

This suggests 7.2l for engine oil. No idea what cooling oil is!

http://www.bmwheaven.com/database/show.php?id=952

[skysky]

It's unfortunate that we don't get the 335d here in Australia. Only the 330d.

With CIC, I meant the nav/entertainment system. So yes, the electronic oil level sensor. Same as the one on the dash.

Funny that, at first I thought that my car had no dipstick. Then one day I was poking around the engine bay and happened to see something that looked like a dipstick, so I yanked at it and indeed it was.

If it helps, I will take some photos of it tonight when I get home from work.


Does anyone else have any idea of how much oil is needed for the N57 on an E90 330d?

[skysky]

Originally Posted by Len_Beach

This suggests 7.2l for engine oil. No idea what cooling oil is!

http://www.bmwheaven.com/database/show.php?id=952

Thanks. I looked there too. But some other sites say 7.5L and some say 6.2L. I've had to put in almost 8L to get the dipstick to read max..

Wondering if anyone has a definitive answer. Does anyone have access to TIS? The Russian online TIS doesn't have the n57

[Yozh]

Have you tried asking a dealer?

[skysky]

Originally Posted by Yozh

Have you tried asking a dealer?

Not yet, but they generally aren't as helpful as you might think here. Some service advisers don't know much. Anyway, I will give them a call anyway.

After driving home today, the electronic oil meter said it was > Max and said to get it checked by a BMW service center.

I checked the dipstick and it was about 1-2mm above the MAX line. Will this be a problem? Do I need to drain it ASAP?


edit: doing a bit of searching has gotten me a little scared about the overfilling of oil. Stories about how diesel engines will burn the motor oil like fuel and over rev the engine... Do these cars have auto shut off? I.e. cut all power to the glow plugs or something?

I let the car rest after I got home from work and now the oil is showing about half a cm above the max line.

[BB_cuda]

Originally Posted by skysky

Not yet, but they generally aren't as helpful as you might think here. Some service advisers don't know much. Anyway, I will give them a call anyway.

After driving home today, the electronic oil meter said it was > Max and said to get it checked by a BMW service center.

I checked the dipstick and it was about 1-2mm above the MAX line. Will this be a problem? Do I need to drain it ASAP?


edit: doing a bit of searching has gotten me a little scared about the overfilling of oil. Stories about how diesel engines will burn the motor oil like fuel and over rev the engine... Do these cars have auto shut off? I.e. cut all power to the glow plugs or something?

I let the car rest after I got home from work and now the oil is showing about half a cm above the max line.

Go get one of those devices made to suck oil out of the dipstick tube. For my M57, i always add 7.5L of oil and it has come damn close to max line on stick. I do as recommended for checking oil my warming car up with 10 minute drive and then bring home and park on level. Wait 10 minutes and then check. If you check too quickly, this would cause the overfill as drain back hasn't had enough time.

Ha-ha on the glow plugs. Only used for a very short time (couple seconds I'm told) and when very cold out. I've only seen the glow plug operation displayed once as I live in south Texas. Glow plugs wouldn't have anything to do with runaway.

[skysky]

Originally Posted by BB_cuda

Go get one of those devices made to suck oil out of the dipstick tube. For my M57, i always add 7.5L of oil and it has come damn close to max line on stick. I do as recommended for checking oil my warming car up with 10 minute drive and then bring home and park on level. Wait 10 minutes and then check. If you check too quickly, this would cause the overfill as drain back hasn't had enough time.

The strange thing is, I did. I checked it over two days. I changed the oil on Saturday and drove it for around 5 miles after the change, then on Sunday, the car sat there unused for the entire day (garage- flat level surface). When checked on Monday, it was a still little under max. On Tuesday morning before heading to work, I checked again and it was still under max. Then after work it went above max. Odd.

Ha-ha on the glow plugs. Only used for a very short time (couple seconds I'm told) and when very cold out. I've only seen the glow plug operation displayed once as I lie in south Texas. Glow plugs wouldn't have anything to do with runaway.

That would make sense.. Used only to trigger the initial chain reaction. I guess there wouldn't be any way to kill the engine without somehow stalling it or cutting the fuel. Probably won't be possible to cut the fuel if it's using the oil as a fuel source.

[Yozh]

Originally Posted by skysky

Not yet, but they generally aren't as helpful as you might think here. Some service advisers don't know much. Anyway, I will give them a call anyway.
[/I]

LOL on the service advisors. I guess they are as useless down under as they are here.

You always have to remember that electronic oil level sensor is not as precise as your good old dipstick, so go by that one, and what BB_cuda said about car being warm, level surface and 10 min wait.

PS: for the electronic oil level sensor, your car should be idling and oil warm.

[skysky]

Originally Posted by Yozh

You always have to remember that electronic oil level sensor is not as precise as your good old dipstick, so go by that one, and what BB_cuda said about car being warm, level surface and 10 min wait.

PS: for the electronic oil level sensor, your car should be idling and oil warm.

Thanks to everyone for their tips. I just pumped out about 1L of oil. Dip stick shows just above minimum. Will drive to work and check after and top up if necessary.

[grzes]

Keep in mind, between low and max mark it is approx 1 liter of oil. You should be at max only when the engine oil is warm. If you at max on cold oil as soon as the engine warms up the oil level will be beyond max and that is why your light came on. I would suggest to fill up to the mid point between min and max, that is when you will be always safe (when cold) then when you warm up, check again and then you will see better if you need to top it or not and how much. Most important part is to remember that between min and max mark it is only a liter of oil.

[skysky]

Originally Posted by grzes

Keep in mind, between low and max mark it is approx 1 liter of oil. You should be at max only when the engine oil is warm. If you at max on cold oil as soon as the engine warms up the oil level will be beyond max and that is why your light came on. I would suggest to fill up to the mid point between min and max, that is when you will be always safe (when cold) then when you warm up, check again and then you will see better if you need to top it or not and how much. Most important part is to remember that between min and max mark it is only a little of oil.

Thanks for the tip. Just checked oil after a 20km drive and the dipstick is reading mid way between min/max.

Will top up a little bit later.


On another note, just called two different dealers.. The response from the Technician at the first dealer was "about 6.5L". The response from the service adviser at the second dealer was "have you checked Google? Start with 6L and then use the dipstick". Useless as expected.

[grzes]

Originally Posted by skysky

Thanks for the tip. Just checked oil after a 20km drive and the dipstick is reading mid way between min/max.

Will top up a little bit later.


On another note, just called two different dealers.. The response from the Technician at the first dealer was "about 6.5L". The response from the service adviser at the second dealer was "have you checked Google? Start with 6L and then use the dipstick". Useless as expected.

ha ha, yes, the service advisers know nothing lol, last time when I was at the dealer and asked one to point where does it say how many injectors and which ones were replaced he could not even find it on the paper and had to call the foreman from the shop lol and we pay for those while servicing our cars, makes me sick

[skysky]

Originally Posted by skysky

I will take some photos of it tonight when I get home from work.

Although a day late, as promised photos of the dipstick on the N57 engine for those that are interested.

[grzes]

nice, looks like they did attempt to hide it from people, on M57 the dip stick has this nice bright color handle and not like yours, blended as any other part .