Oil Level Sensor - to replace or not?

[Zedtastic]

Hello All,

I've got the tiniest of oil leeks from the oil level sensor. A couple of drops on the garage floor appear every few days. I intend to sort this out with the next oil change. The sensor works fine, so I assume its just the gasket. My first thoughts were replace the whole thing, as a bit of preventative maintenance. However, a genuine BMW sensor is £145+VAT (quoted by Coopers Chelmsford), whereas the gasket is just a few quid. At that price, I think maybe I'll just replace the gasket - since the sensor is still working anyway.

However, there are non genuine ones that are far cheaper. Has anyone here used a non-original sensor? I don't want to buy one that fails in a couple of years. Or maybe, I should just do the gasket only? If anyone could recommend a brand that would be great.

Also, I'm guessing the part is exactly the same as for a 3.0 BMW E46 one with a N52 engine. The part numbers I have are 12617607910 for the complete sensor, and 12611744292 just for the gasket. If anyone can verify this I would be grateful.

My car's a 2008 Z4 3.0Si

[ph001]

Don't think the E46 was ever fitted with the N52 engine. E60 (5 series) and E90 (3 series) were the earliest cars to have it iirc. The sensors are not known for failing so I would be just changing the gasket for an oem one.

[Courageous]

I bought and had Mike fit a copy one. Cost twenty quid and showed up as an error as soon as it was fitted. Another score down the zed toilet.

[Mr Tidy]

My nephew had a duff oil level sensor, so when he got his E46 serviced last month he had a new one fitted. The guy who did it didn't recommend a pattern part - he reckoned you'd just end up replacing it again - as happened to Courageous.

His car has the M54 engine, but strangely the sensor cost exactly £145 + VAT!

As someone said E46 models never had the N52 engine, that was only fitted to the E9* models.

If you want to check the part number head to a website like "realoem".