Oil and Coolant Top ups

[edwardio]

Hello my fellow 1M pilots..
Ive had my motor nearly 7 months now or to be more precise,204 days and ive loved every single one of them.
Anyway my coolant level light came on yesterday,so today my baby went to the dealers.They topped up the coolant and they also topped up the oil,as they said it was low,no problem.
Thing is 3 months ago my oil light came on,i took my 1m too the dealers and just like today,they topped the oil up,no problem.
i have the service pack and they said that anything like oil and coolant is all covered,so happy days.
The only thing im thinking,is thats some oil consumption or is this normal ?
BMW seem to think its normal,so who am i to say there wrong.
I will say that BMW have been great on both occassions and im totally in love with my 1M
(mileage 10k)
please excuse my grammar.

[hybris4u]

Had the same issue with the Alpina B3 3.3 I did own years ago. Had to add oil all the time...

[speedM]

If you search you'll find some recent threads on oil consumption. Lots of claims it's due to the way you break in your car (of course, a bit controversial).

[chachacha28]

as a rule, turbo engines consume more oil than n/a engines.

Ive put about 8k on my car, and ive added a quart. I dont know how ofter the previous owners had to refill, but i can live with that consumption.

[Dackelone]

I don't believe it has anything to do with how you break in your engine. Its more of how you put it to bed. Meaning... shutting down a hot engine when you just been really nailing it. The guys a the Welt tell 1M customers to let the engine idle a few minutes after driving the car hard. When you drive hard, those turbos can get red hot. Letting the engine cool down(5 minutes or so) some before shutting it off, can reduce those temps (oil and coolant).

Many guys with N55/N54's have had the same problem with their car's needing coolant from time to time. I think its just normal since a modern day car runs so hot(for emissions). Oil consumption seemed dependant on how hard you drive your car and abiding by BMW long(ish) OCI's.

[edwardio]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I don't believe it has anything to do with how you break in your engine. Its more of how you put it to bed. Meaning... shutting down a hot engine when you just been really nailing it. The guys a the Welt tell 1M customers to let the engine idle a few minutes after driving the car hard. When you drive hard, those turbos can get red hot. Letting the engine cool down(5 minutes or so) some before shutting it off, can reduce those temps (oil and coolant).

Many guys with N55/N54's have had the same problem with their car's needing coolant from time to time. I think its just normal since a modern day car runs so hot(for emissions). Oil consumption seemed dependant on how hard you drive your car and abiding by BMW long(ish) OCI's.

i really appreciate this information....my m3 friend says it just common sense lol

[135tii]

I posted a thread about two months ago regarding oil consumption. I broke the car in per BMW. At 800 miles it asked for a quart, serviced at 1300 miles then it has been drinking a quart every 600 miles or so. I don't drive the car hard. Not sure if the oil level sensor could be off and the adding of a quart results in overfilling which is then burned off? I haven't noticed any blue smoke. I am now at 3600 miles and have added 4 quarts since the 1200 mile service.

Not sure if I trust my local dealer to solve the "problem?" For now I'll add the oil when the car tells me to.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by 135tii

I posted a thread about two months ago regarding oil consumption. I broke the car in per BMW. At 800 miles it asked for a quart, serviced at 1300 miles then it has been drinking a quart every 600 miles or so. I don't drive the car hard. Not sure if the oil level sensor could be off and the adding of a quart results in overfilling which is then burned off? I haven't noticed any blue smoke. I am now at 3600 miles and have added 4 quarts since the 1200 mile service.

Not sure if I trust my local dealer to solve the "problem?" For now I'll add the oil when the car tells me to.

I woul do a few high rpm runs in third (or higher) gear(s). Once the engine oil is fully warmed up... rev the engine up to say 6K rpms... then let the engine coast in gear to say 4K.. then repeat sevel times. After three or four runs... your engine's rings should be seated.

It could be your oil level sensor. IF you don't drive the car often or until the engine oil is fully warmed up... water(condensation) in the oil can cause the oil level sensor to read false.

Dackel




Here is a pdf on how the sensor works and how it can report a false level reading...

[MDORPHN]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I woul do a few high rpm runs in third (or higher) gear(s). Once the engine oil is fully warmed up... rev the engine up to say 6K rpms... then let the engine coast in gear to say 4K.. then repeat sevel times. After three or four runs... your engine's rings should be seated.

It could be your oil level sensor. IF you don't drive the car often or until the engine oil is fully warmed up... water(condensation) in the oil can cause the oil level sensor to read false.

Dackel




Here is a pdf on how the sensor works and how it can report a false level reading...

Properly seating the rings happens under load within the first couple hundred of miles.

If they haven't seated properly, there's not much you can do about it after the car has more than 1,000 miles.

Neil

[edwardio]

my apologies if subject previously posted

[Panchio]

Originally Posted by edwardio

i really appreciate this information....my m3 friend says it just common sense lol

I use to own a 135i before and I had to keep adding oil quite often. BMW did explain to me that it was normal and it's because of the twin turbo engine. That is the reason why I always had to carry the oil bottle in the trunk (with pocket).

The M3 or the N/A engines do not consume the same amount.

[edwardio]

Originally Posted by Panchio

I use to own a 135i before and I had to keep adding oil quite often. BMW did explain to me that it was normal and it's because of the twin turbo engine. That is the reason why I always had to carry the oil bottle in the trunk (with pocket).

The M3 or the N/A engines do not consume the same amount.

+1

[HALOTHANE]

7000 miles thus far. Not one drop of oil or coolant required. Car was broken in per BMWs guidelines and tracked at 1800 miles. I think seating those rings is crucial.