oil problems

[z4dan]

a month ago my engine management said I needed an oil top up which I did, 1 litre and now its come on again saying I need to top up. im guessing an oil leak somewhere and will probably have to take it o a garage. expensive job? anyone else with similar problem?

 

[ph001]

Which engine?

 

[Smartbear]

If a leak lost a litre of oil in a short space of time I’d expect to see evidence of leakage under the bonnet somewhere.
It could have burnt the oil if the breather system has become clogged up, the oily mist gets sucked into the inlet manifold & burnt with the cylinders closest to the bulkhead usually showing the most evidence of oil fouling due to the proximity of the ccv pipe location.
Sooty exhaust tips & maybe even a sooty rear bumper are also a smoking gun to oil burning issues :?
Rob

 

[z4dan]

Which engine?

2006 2.5 si

 

[mr.tourette]

that quantity is most likely the sump gasket in my experience, any oil on the drive?

 

[oldgitdave]

How many miles between top ups? BMW say the N52 engine can get through 1L of oil in as little as 1000 miles iirc. There's a bit of a discussion about it here https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=92637

 

[z4dan]

If a leak lost a litre of oil in a short space of time I’d expect to see evidence of leakage under the bonnet somewhere.
It could have burnt the oil if the breather system has become clogged up, the oily mist gets sucked into the inlet manifold & burnt with the cylinders closest to the bulkhead usually showing the most evidence of oil fouling due to the proximity of the ccv pipe location.
Sooty exhaust tips & maybe even a sooty rear bumper are also a smoking gun to oil burning issues :?
Rob

my exhaust is black and theres usually white smoke, not loads when I first drive my car each day

 

[z4dan]

How many miles between top ups? BMW say the N52 engine can get through 1L of oil in as little as 1000 miles iirc. There's a bit of a discussion about it here https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=92637

definitely less than 1000 miles I forgot to write down the miles when I first topped it up

 

[z4dan]

that quantity is most likely the sump gasket in my experience, any oil on the drive?

I don't have a drive and park my car in various positions on our road so its impossible to tell. hard to see much oil spillage under the bonnet

 

[Smartbear]

that quantity is most likely the sump gasket in my experience, any oil on the drive?

I don't have a drive and park my car in various positions on our road so its impossible to tell. hard to see much oil spillage under the bonnet

Put an old newspaper under the engine when you park, use a brick to stop it blowing away
Rob

 

[z4dan]

now my oil notification light isn't coming on or beeping when I turn engine off. could that be because ive not taken it for a long hard drive lately?