[BM2006i]

hey, when is the best time to test oil level to get the correct reading? cause i think it's time for an oil change. Sometime it shows Half btween Min/Max. and Sometimes it shows at Max. thanks

[noro]

fully warmed up at idle. if your reading keeps going back and forth you may have a faulty sensor. If it just goes back then it's ok since it's normal for the car to loose oil over time.

Also on the new engine the oil level indicator is based on pressure not an actual level of the oil. There is direct correlation between oil level and oil pressure but it can vary based on the oil type.

[rrosen]

Originally Posted by noro

Also on the new engine the oil level indicator is based on pressure not an actual level of the oil. There is direct correlation between oil level and oil pressure but it can vary based on the oil type.

Are you sure about this? It really makes no sense to me since the oil pressure is derived from the pump which will pump oil at the same pressure regardless of whether the car's oil sump is full or low until the intake to the pump starts sucking air because it's no longer in the oil. I see no way that oil pressure can indicate the amount of oil present in the sump.

Now if you're saying it's the pressure (weight) of the oil in the sump (since the pressure of the oil on a sensor at the bottom is directly proportional to the height of the oil in the sump) then OK I buy that. But that's not what I would think of when someone says "oil pressure" in a car.

Can you clarify?

[ENINTY]

The N52 has a constant-pressure pump (i.e. oil pressure is not related to RPM). The N54 twin turbo is a different engine, I'm not sure the oil pump is the constant-pressure type. Oil pressure is not directly related to oil level except when the sump is too low to supply enough oil to the pump, as was said earlier.

[majin ssj eric]

Why didn't they just put a dipstick in this damn thing?!?!?

[335i4u2nv]

Originally Posted by majin ssj eric

Why didn't they just put a dipstick in this damn thing?!?!?

bc its a BMW!

[gloster]

Originally Posted by majin ssj eric

Why didn't they just put a dipstick in this damn thing?!?!?

Cars used to have a type of dip stick for fuel level also. I don't miss it.

[noro]

Guys, disregard my second comment. I recall reading something about it but I can't find it anymore, and it's possible I am on crack.

But I did find this, not necessarily what BMW uses but a good information on the concept. Apparently 2 methods are around one is a simple level device that averages out the readings and one uses ultrasonic waves to detect the "top" of the oil and thus can derive the level it's at.

http://www.hella.com/produktion/Hell...k_GB_TT_05.pdf

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by majin ssj eric

Why didn't they just put a dipstick in this damn thing?!?!?

Sometimes there is. But it's located behind the wheel.

[dmichael]

Tell me if this is normal. I test oil level only after the car is fully warmed up and on flat ground and stationary. When the car was brand new, the first few times I tested, I would get this clock icon like the hourglass on a PC for several seconds maybe up to a minute while it seemed to be getting a reading and then the display would revert back to the normal display and not give me any reading at all, like it timed out. Then after a hundred miles I got a max reading after about 30 seconds. Everytime after that, when checking oil level, I never get the clock icon, it goes right to the screen with max oil level with no waiting at all as if its always giving me a cached reading from the first time I got a good reading. I wonder if I have a problem. I noticed that the car is making a couple of different noises after cold starts lately which makes me wonder if the oil level is good. I had the dealer change my oil at 2500 miles or so and that was 500 miles ago.

[gloster]

You get the clock icon when the oil is not warm enough for a valid reading. Your car's behavior sounds normal to me FWIW

[gloster]

Originally Posted by SoYank

Sometimes there is. But it's located behind the wheel.

[Audionut]

I got this message on idrive yesterday. Said continuing to operate this vehicle may result in damage to the engine.

I guess I have to check the oil level intermittently through idrive. I thought the level cannot be checked because of the lack of a dipstick. oh well guess I should have . Would have been nice to have a low level warning prior to the stop driving warning.

[NaTuReB0Y]

my car is always 3/4 full.........................never less or more.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by dmichael

Tell me if this is normal. I test oil level only after the car is fully warmed up and on flat ground and stationary. When the car was brand new, the first few times I tested, I would get this clock icon like the hourglass on a PC for several seconds maybe up to a minute while it seemed to be getting a reading and then the display would revert back to the normal display and not give me any reading at all, like it timed out. Then after a hundred miles I got a max reading after about 30 seconds. Everytime after that, when checking oil level, I never get the clock icon, it goes right to the screen with max oil level with no waiting at all as if its always giving me a cached reading from the first time I got a good reading. I wonder if I have a problem. I noticed that the car is making a couple of different noises after cold starts lately which makes me wonder if the oil level is good. I had the dealer change my oil at 2500 miles or so and that was 500 miles ago.

You really don't have to check the oil level that often. These cars use very little oil. I did a level check of my oil by draining and measuring the oil volume. After 12,000 miles, and my oil level indiator still reading full, the oil in the engine was 6.5 quarts. The 3.0 liter I6 holds 7 quarts; letting the engine run a quart low is not going to harm it in normal and agressive street driving.