Engine oil light flickering

R

Rui725

Member
Hello everyone,

i'm new to this forum but i've been an owner of a z4 since its debut year 2003. i've gone through several problems with the car, but i still love it to death. here's a list:

1. malfunctioning convertible top (they replaced the whole motor in the back for me, under warrantry)
2. malfunctioning auto rain senosr ( alledgely fixed, but now a few years later the problem is back again, air bubbles getting into sensor..)
3. most recent problem, weird engine oil light flickerng while doing up hill climbs. The climbs uphill are rather steep, where i live htere are a lot of moutanious terrains, and the view is spectacular)
the engine oil light flickers everytime i drive up these roads, and everytime i check the engine oil level is fine. I'm no phd in physics, but obviously the change in steepness may cause some sensor to misinterpret the amount of engine oil in available, but its kind of scary.) one thing is owning a car, another thing is to completely destroy the engine of your loved one by something as trivial as engine oil.

Someone i know says the problem is that i've been using a medium grade motor oil ( the shop i get my oil changes done uses shell 100% synthentic) and that i need to upgrade to a better one. So ultimately, here are my two questions:

1. has anyone experienced the same symptoms as me, regarding the engine oil light flickering with uphill climbs. and
2. what brand of engine oil should i use? (before moving back to asia, i've been stringnent on only getting maintenances at BMW dealers, not true here in asia.....)

I wouldn't change my car for anything, so i'm hoping i can get to the root of my problem myself and not have to listen to shady garages that are just out to burn you pocket.

-Rui725

i'm a z4 ownner, but currently have no pictures >.<
 
Hi there.

I've never had the light problem but I do know that the oil spec is LL04 0-30W.

Hope that helps.

Sceptre
 
ok, thanks for the heads up on teh oil grade, though i should've known that at the start :headbang:

there is no engine overheating at all, reading from the gauge, i have a hunch its the sensor...

is it possible that the ppl doing my oil change isn't capping off my engine oil, or if they are doing some mal service? if so, hell is going to break lose on them :fuelfire:

-rui725
 
Sounds to me like it definitely needs a top up if it only comes on when driving on hills. Are you checking it 100% using the method in the manual (can't remember if you check cold or warm?)
 
doh, i checked when cold.

thing is, tehre isn't a tad bit of engine oil leak ever. and engine oil doesn't exactly evaporate out of thin air. i think i've definitely been mislead by the maintenance people somewhere.

grr....
 
Rui725, most engines use little bit of oil during normal operation, my 3.0 used to drink quite a lot.
 
Better than the Z4 TBH, but mine is a later one 07, IIRC the early 04/54/05 cars had a real thirst for oil.
 
The BMW sixes do tend to use a bit of oil, water too. You can use BMW LL-01 (the original spec) and now LL-04 is fine due to progression of oil quality. I use BMW LL-04 5W-40.
 
Wondermike said:
Better than the Z4 TBH, but mine is a later one 07, IIRC the early 04/54/05 cars had a real thirst for oil.
Click to expand...
You could be right mine was a 54.

BTW it could be a dicky wire..
 
Mine has a big thirst for oil as well. Although I blame it on taking it to the redline fairly often. As far as the flickering, mine has never done that, even when it's been on the edge, I'd get the light after shutting the car off some days, and the next day not. No flikering on my side.
 
Probably just a faulty oil pressure sensor. Plumb in an oil pressure gauge quickly!! :thumbsup:
 
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