Oil Consumption

[scootr]

Oil consumption is a known issue in some BMW engines
I thought we might collect everybody's Z car experience in one place.
I have a 2010 N52 NA with manual transmission and 60k miles
I was alarmed to see it needed another .5 liter after the last 1600k (1/2 qt/1000mi)
BMW says the normal range is .5l/1000k.
I have never had a motor burn so much oil.

Please add your car specs and consumption.

 

[Smartbear]

Oil consumption is a known issue in some BMW engines
I thought we might collect everybody's Z car experience in one place.
I have a 2010 N52 NA with manual transmission and 60k miles
I was alarmed to see it needed another .5 liter after the last 1600k (1/2 qt/1000mi)
BMW says the normal range is .5l/1000k.
I have never had a motor burn so much oil.

Please add your car specs and consumption.

A lot of the time oil consumption is linked to fubard ccv valves, bmw seem to design them to run on a knife edge of working correctly or sending all engine mist into the inlet manifold to get burnt.
Early n52’s had an external cyclone type valve but later engines had one integral to the valve cover, they’re not a replaceable item if it’s a later engine but I’ve heard of kits being available through third parties :?
Rob

 

[Silverstar]

I have had my 3.0 N52 since May last year and have covered 5000 miles in that time currently on around 38000 miles and so far zero consumption, touch wood! Last Sunday I did get a bong for low oil but the car was on an incline and when I put it back on level ground and tested it was fine. I have checked it this entire week and every time I look it shows level at Max and status OK so I am guessing what happened on Sunday was just a fluke!

 

[scootr]

Oil consumption is a known issue in some BMW engines
I thought we might collect everybody's Z car experience in one place.
I have a 2010 N52 NA with manual transmission and 60k miles
I was alarmed to see it needed another .5 liter after the last 1600k (1/2 qt/1000mi)
BMW says the normal range is .5l/1000k.
I have never had a motor burn so much oil.

Please add your car specs and consumption.

A lot of the time oil consumption is linked to fubard ccv valves, bmw seem to design them to run on a knife edge of working correctly or sending all engine mist into the inlet manifold to get burnt.
Early n52’s had an external cyclone type valve but later engines had one integral to the valve cover, they’re not a replaceable item if it’s a later engine but I’ve heard of kits being available through third parties :?
Rob

Excessive CCV pressure keeps popping up in my research. I'll look into this a bit more. General consensus seems to be poor oil ring seal and valve guide seals are the culprits. Heavier oil has been used to reduce consumption. That's an option in our warm (soon to be HOT) climate.
I thought I saw a CCV refurb kit with 4 or 5 bits someplace?
I did notice when I removed the fill cap I could see a wee bit of smoke wafting out

 

[scootr]

I have had my 3.0 N52 since May last year and have covered 5000 miles in that time currently on around 38000 miles and so far zero consumption, touch wood! Last Sunday I did get a bong for low oil but the car was on an incline and when I put it back on level ground and tested it was fine. I have checked it this entire week and every time I look it shows level at Max and status OK so I am guessing what happened on Sunday was just a fluke!

You Sir are a lucky man. I envy your good fortune

 

[Argyll Andy]

Not had the Zed long enough but also got an N52 in my 3 series daily.

I too was very alarmed when the oil warning light came on the first few times, researched and asked local Indy and they said 0.5l/1000 is totally within tolerance. I’ve never experienced that on anything I’ve owned before apart from an 80’s RS Turbo

Doesn’t bother me now in BM just keep an eye on it and carry 1l in the boot and if bong appears fill up and all good.

 

[scootr]

Not had the Zed long enough but also got an N52 in my 3 series daily.

I too was very alarmed when the oil warning light came on the first few times, researched and asked local Indy and they said 0.5l/1000 is totally within tolerance. I’ve never experienced that on anything I’ve owned before apart from an 80’s RS Turbo

Doesn’t bother me now in BM just keep an eye on it and carry 1l in the boot and if bong appears fill up and all good.

I guess we are suppose to feel okay about this. I've only a half a century experience with IC engines, never had a 4 stroke that was suppose to burn oil. :roll:

 

[Smartbear]

Oil consumption is a known issue in some BMW engines
I thought we might collect everybody's Z car experience in one place.
I have a 2010 N52 NA with manual transmission and 60k miles
I was alarmed to see it needed another .5 liter after the last 1600k (1/2 qt/1000mi)
BMW says the normal range is .5l/1000k.
I have never had a motor burn so much oil.

Please add your car specs and consumption.

A lot of the time oil consumption is linked to fubard ccv valves, bmw seem to design them to run on a knife edge of working correctly or sending all engine mist into the inlet manifold to get burnt.
Early n52’s had an external cyclone type valve but later engines had one integral to the valve cover, they’re not a replaceable item if it’s a later engine but I’ve heard of kits being available through third parties :?
Rob

Excessive CCV pressure keeps popping up in my research. I'll look into this a bit more. General consensus seems to be poor oil ring seal and valve guide seals are the culprits. Heavier oil has been used to reduce consumption. That's an option in our warm (soon to be HOT) climate.
I thought I saw a CCV refurb kit with 4 or 5 bits someplace?
I did notice when I removed the fill cap I could see a wee bit of smoke wafting out

If your car has worn rings/valve guide seals after only 60k miles I’d be amazed, much more likely to be the ccv imho
Rob

 

[Smartbear]

In actual fact pulling the disa valve would tell you a bit, if the inside of the inlet manifold is coated in oil it would be a smoking gun for the ccv. Worn rings/valve stem seals would introduce oil into the combustion chamber to get burnt & exit via the exhaust.
Rob

 

[scootr]

Thanks for the help. I will check that out.
Recent original plugs looked textbook tan in color when replaced.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Well as the OP is looking for some other experiences I'm currently on my 4th car with an N52 engine and manual gearbox!

1st E86 went from 54K to 62K without needing a top-up.

E91 325i used 2 litres between 132K and 139K.

2nd E86 used 2 litres between 82K and 91K.

Current E90 330i has used 1.5 litres between 107K and 113K.

 

[flybobbie]

My N52 23i manual uses 1 litre in 10k miles.
That has been the same since i bought at 29k, now 86k miles.
At 5k after oil change the electronic gauge shows half litre used, assuming the scale is 1 litre. So i top off.

 

[flybobbie]

Thanks for the help. I will check that out.
Recent original plugs looked textbook tan in color when replaced.

I'm surprised they are tan, that used to be the case with leaded fuels.

I take that back, just checked an old photo of my plugs and they are tan.

 

[scootr]

Yeah, no doubt they were short but textbook tan with just one (#5 or 6? ) being a couple shades darker but, not worth mentioning.
To me if the motor was burning oil they should have all be darker. Sorry I don't have any plug pics

 

[Smartbear]

Yeah, no doubt they were short but textbook tan with just one (#5 or 6? ) being a couple shades darker but, not worth mentioning.
To me if the motor was burning oil they should have all be darker. Sorry I don't have any plug pics

From memory the ccv feeds into the manifold at the bulkhead side, so plugs 6/5 etc will be subject to more oil burning & be darker by default
Rob

 

[mcbutler]

Not had the Zed long enough but also got an N52 in my 3 series daily.

I too was very alarmed when the oil warning light came on the first few times, researched and asked local Indy and they said 0.5l/1000 is totally within tolerance. I’ve never experienced that on anything I’ve owned before apart from an 80’s RS Turbo

Doesn’t bother me now in BM just keep an eye on it and carry 1l in the boot and if bong appears fill up and all good.

I guess we are suppose to feel okay about this. I've only a half a century experience with IC engines, never had a 4 stroke that was suppose to burn oil. :roll:

The early golf GTI's burnt oil as a normal part of operation!!

 

[Ewazix]

I've posted this previously, some interesting BMW TIS information for dealers on oil consumption in BMW group engines, it explains why oil consumption is not necessarily indicative of a fault, and why you sometimes get a sudden drop in oil level.

Full TIS technical page here http://workshop-manuals.com/bmw/z_serie ... _bmw_mini/

Headline summary: Driving style and fuel quality are the biggest factors in oil consumption (more revs = more oil consumption, lots of cold weather or urban driving = more oil consumption, sh1t fuel = more oil consumption)

Key extract:
"The surface topography of the cylinder liners and piston rings is the primary variable that directly influences engine oil
consumption, as the piston rings do not provide perfect sealing, but rather form a metering mechanism. In the
configuration, there is a conflict of interests between engine oil consumption and friction reduction. The latter has a
direct effect on power output and fuel consumption. With every stroke of the piston, minimal quantities of engine oil
remain on the cylinder walls. These are indispensable for lubricating the piston rings (see lubricating film above). As
the piston moves downwards, the engine oil on the cylinder wall is plays a role in combustion close to the walls and is
then expelled along with the combustion exhaust gases. The higher the engine speed, the greater the effect,
because there are more combustion cycles for each time unit. For this reason, engines with a high-speed concept
(BMW M engines) tend to have higher engine oil consumption than other BMW engines. The same applies to the
lubricating film on the valve stems.........

.... The measurable result in engine oil consumption is primarily influenced by the quality of the fuel used and the driving
profile. For example, if in the winter you drive a lot for short distances (= high fuel entrainment as the evaporation
temperature is mostly only reached briefly) and then a long distance (fuel can then evaporate readily), this journey will
cause a considerable drop in engine oil level. This is not engine oil consumption, but rather a change in engine oil
level caused by the fuel content in the engine oil. Customer complaints are often the result of this effect. It can
happen that the engine oil level drops by more than 1 litre after driving just a few hundred kilometres. Moreover, the
measuring system on some engines (dipstick/QLT) have a tolerance of up to 0.3 litres. But evaporated particles of oil also escape through the crankcase ventilation (expulsion level technically never 100 %) and plays a role in combustion with the intake air. Configuration is especially difficult here. On the one hand, the engine oil should be expelled as completely as possible. On the other hand, crankcase pressure requirements
must be satisfied. Other expulsion systems only work optimally with a certain gas throughput, the expulsion effect deteriorating with greater or lesser gas volumes. Summary It is a technical necessity that every combustion engine consumes engine oil. The level of the engine oil consumption is greatly influenced by driving style and by the fuel used.

 

[scootr]

Ewazix, Thanks for the information. Some good reading there.
I understand the principles and mechanics of cylinder wall lubrication. I also understand this engine has a reputation for 2 things, 1 being oil consumption and 2 being longevity. The longevity may be a result of the consumption? Lower compression and added cylinder lubrication would decrease engine stress and wear.
I am using the best fuel and oil available. I have read a slightly thicker oil has reduced consumption for some owners. I have been use SAE 0-40 and I am thinking of switching to 5-40 to see if that reduces the burning of oil.

 

[flybobbie]

Sounds like bo**ocks to me.
My daily drive is 7 miles each way, half urban, half country lanes.
Some spirited driving when the temp goes beyond 80-90 C.
My oil consumption is 1 litre in 10k miles.

I could understand higher oil consumption on direct injection, but not the N52.
Probably why they went electronic dipstick, it's just a bit vague as to how much oil is used. Stops people complaining.
Interesting that when i bought the car the exhaust would be very sooty like a diesel.
Who hasn't have to give the tail pipe a good scrub to clean it.
But since i bought at 29k miles i have used Mobil 1 to 86k miles and i can't remember having to clean soot off the tail pipe.
I think BMW have just had some engines that are poorly manufactured and just coming up with excuses.
All the other cars i have owned never needed oil topping up to 3k or 5k changes, other than a RX7.

I have been doing 10k oil changes, but thinking of going to 6k.

 

[PinkPineapple44]

My 30i goes 5k with barely any oil usage at all easy, one of the best engines I've owned for oil consumption. Always used fully synthetic 5W30 on her.

My RS4 on the other hand...