Oil low... Still wants more?

12-30-2013, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Three_thirty_I

Would be nice if there was a retrofit option to have a proper dipstick fitted...

Yeah, a few of the newer Audis have both...wish we had a similar option.

Three_thirty_I · 12-30-2013, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FCobra94

Yeah, a few of the newer Audis have both...wish we had a similar option.

It is still beyond me that BMW would have taken the physical dipstick away with these engines to begin with! Well, same with not having a coolant temperature gauge!

12-30-2013, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Three_thirty_I

It is still beyond me that BMW would have taken the physical dipstick away with these engines to begin with! Well, same with not having a coolant temperature gauge!

Exactly...on both accounts

stormtrooper7 · 12-31-2013, 08:05 AM

I think I'm having something similar happen. It's been brutally cold here lately and I noticed my oil light has been coming on. I checked the oil level and it said to add 1 liter, so I did.

Well, after a couple of days the light is still coming on. But the weird thing is when I check the oil level when the car is running it says it is low an needs 1+ liter. But when I check the oil level when the car is off it says oil level okay.

Not sure what to do. I don't want to overfill the oil either.

Goes to show, you can't beat oldschool...bring back the dipstick BMW!

Suggestions?

ashmostro · 12-31-2013, 08:06 AM

I'd start by cleaning the sensor contacts and greasing them up with dielectric grease. if problem persists, replace the sensor - that's my plan at least.

stormtrooper7 · 12-31-2013, 08:23 AM

Well, it's -35 degrees Celsius here for the next week so that's not going to happen anytime soon.

What if there is not enough oil? Or, is there enough?

ashmostro · 12-31-2013, 08:46 AM

Does the warning ever clear, after the car warms up? No visible oil leaks?

stormtrooper7 · 12-31-2013, 12:43 PM

The car has not been started in a few days. Just too cold to go out anywhere with it. But it was coming on shortly after start up, on shut down, and sometimes during driving.

I do have a leaky valve cover but not enough to lose over a liter. I monitor that closely because it's on my to do list to fix, and there has not been a drip on my driveway or garage since early summer.

Pittsburger · 12-31-2013, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormtrooper7

Well, it's -35 degrees Celsius here for the next week so that's not going to happen anytime soon.

What if there is not enough oil? Or, is there enough?

Haha... That very doubt... Is there enough? Was the very reason I kept adding.

I'm sure there is enough, but if you have doubts. Save yourself the headache and just drain and refill. Worth the peace of mind, if you have doubts.

ashmostro · 12-31-2013, 06:02 PM

Yep, just do the above. Must likely your oil level is just fine. But while you do the drain you might as well replace the sensor since that requires a drain too.

j23a45m · 12-31-2013, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormtrooper7

I think I'm having something similar happen. It's been brutally cold here lately and I noticed my oil light has been coming on. I checked the oil level and it said to add 1 liter, so I did.

Well, after a couple of days the light is still coming on. But the weird thing is when I check the oil level when the car is running it says it is low an needs 1+ liter. But when I check the oil level when the car is off it says oil level okay.

Not sure what to do. I don't want to overfill the oil either.

Goes to show, you can't beat oldschool...bring back the dipstick BMW!

Suggestions?

you oil level check before car start up is to say its enough oil in the motor to start your car!

Efthreeoh · 01-02-2014, 06:48 AM

OP, so here is what I think happened. If you added in 7 quarts if oil and then changed the oil and measured 12 quarts (let's ignore the spilled amount) then when you started adding oil originally, the engine was 2 quarts low (or more) on oil and only had about 5 quarts (or less than the minimum of 6 quarts) in the sump rather than the 7 it should have.

Somehow the engine got below the 1-quart replacement threshold that the system is programmed to notify the owner when the engine needs oil. The owners manual states that once the "+1" quart notification appears, it should be topped off with just 1 quart of oil within 125 miles of the notification appearing. The issue is that the system is not programmed to tell you if the engine needs more than just one quart of oil, meaning if it is two quarts low, it still only reports it as the "+1" notification symbol. Once you added the 1st quart, you did not wait and drive the car long enough to get a proper reading (temperature and drive cycle). In this case several hours and key cycles would provide the most accurate reading.

The e-dipstick uses software to interpret the data provided by the oil level sensor, so the sensor is not a direct reading device (like a mechanical dipstick or a float level), which means the system is programmed attain the average oil level over a period of time. What the system does do in this situation is provide a notification of "OK" in the e-dipstick bar graph to let you know there is enough oil in the engine to operate the car even though it may be 2 quarts low rather than just 1 quart low (where the +1 notification would appear). The bar graph shows the estimated amount of the top (7th) quart of oil in the engine; so do most of the mechanical dipsticks too that you are used to using.

If the sensor fails, the CBS will not provide a level measurement. From what I was told from the shop foreman at the dealer I recently had my car at for a related CBS oil system issue, the sensor rarely fails, and it doesn't report inaccurate measurements in a fail mode; it just doesn't report at all.

ashmostro · 01-02-2014, 07:40 AM

I disagree with the last paragraph. My sensor actively reports a low oil level for about the first ten minutes of cold start driving in cold weather. Presumably, once the engine has warmed up the oil and the sensor adequately, the oil level suddenly jumps up from low, red to full, green status. I've seen this happen on the status screen numerous times.

That doesn't sound like perfectly healthy sensor behavior to me.

Meeni · 01-02-2014, 07:47 AM

Normally it should report nothing (the small turning clock) for the first 10 minutes or so.

ashmostro · 01-02-2014, 07:48 AM

Key word- normally

stormtrooper7 · 01-02-2014, 09:22 AM

I'll drive it tomorrow and see. It's supposed to warm up to -16 Celsius or something.

Pittsburger · 01-12-2014, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

OP, so here is what I think happened. If you added in 7 quarts if oil and then changed the oil and measured 12 quarts (let's ignore the spilled amount) then when you started adding oil originally, the engine was 2 quarts low (or more) on oil and only had about 5 quarts (or less than the minimum of 6 quarts) in the sump rather than the 7 it should have.

Somehow the engine got below the 1-quart replacement threshold that the system is programmed to notify the owner when the engine needs oil. The owners manual states that once the "+1" quart notification appears, it should be topped off with just 1 quart of oil within 125 miles of the notification appearing. The issue is that the system is not programmed to tell you if the engine needs more than just one quart of oil, meaning if it is two quarts low, it still only reports it as the "+1" notification symbol. Once you added the 1st quart, you did not wait and drive the car long enough to get a proper reading (temperature and drive cycle). In this case several hours and key cycles would provide the most accurate reading.

The e-dipstick uses software to interpret the data provided by the oil level sensor, so the sensor is not a direct reading device (like a mechanical dipstick or a float level), which means the system is programmed attain the average oil level over a period of time. What the system does do in this situation is provide a notification of "OK" in the e-dipstick bar graph to let you know there is enough oil in the engine to operate the car even though it may be 2 quarts low rather than just 1 quart low (where the +1 notification would appear). The bar graph shows the estimated amount of the top (7th) quart of oil in the engine; so do most of the mechanical dipsticks too that you are used to using.

If the sensor fails, the CBS will not provide a level measurement. From what I was told from the shop foreman at the dealer I recently had my car at for a related CBS oil system issue, the sensor rarely fails, and it doesn't report inaccurate measurements in a fail mode; it just doesn't report at all.

This all sounds wise to me.
I have no idea what really happened. But it's been about a month and the sensor light went away and checking the oil level reads fine now. So... no idea. I think it might have been low, can't say for sure because of the spill. I spilled alot - possible 1.75 qts. (12+2)/2 = ~7. Cold temperature obviously has some impact here.

12-31-2013, 08:05 AM	#26
stormtrooper7 Private First Class 14 Rep 154 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Winnipeg, CANADA iTrader: (0)	I think I'm having something similar happen. It's been brutally cold here lately and I noticed my oil light has been coming on. I checked the oil level and it said to add 1 liter, so I did. Well, after a couple of days the light is still coming on. But the weird thing is when I check the oil level when the car is running it says it is low an needs 1+ liter. But when I check the oil level when the car is off it says oil level okay. Not sure what to do. I don't want to overfill the oil either. Goes to show, you can't beat oldschool...bring back the dipstick BMW! Suggestions?
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12-31-2013, 08:06 AM	#27
ashmostro Brigadier General 1254 Rep 4,088 Posts Drives: 2020 M4cs \| 2022 M550i Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Falls Church, VA iTrader: (27)	I'd start by cleaning the sensor contacts and greasing them up with dielectric grease. if problem persists, replace the sensor - that's my plan at least.
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12-31-2013, 08:23 AM	#28
stormtrooper7 Private First Class 14 Rep 154 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Winnipeg, CANADA iTrader: (0)	Well, it's -35 degrees Celsius here for the next week so that's not going to happen anytime soon. What if there is not enough oil? Or, is there enough?
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12-31-2013, 08:46 AM	#29
ashmostro Brigadier General 1254 Rep 4,088 Posts Drives: 2020 M4cs \| 2022 M550i Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Falls Church, VA iTrader: (27)	Does the warning ever clear, after the car warms up? No visible oil leaks?
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12-31-2013, 12:43 PM	#30
stormtrooper7 Private First Class 14 Rep 154 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Winnipeg, CANADA iTrader: (0)	The car has not been started in a few days. Just too cold to go out anywhere with it. But it was coming on shortly after start up, on shut down, and sometimes during driving. I do have a leaky valve cover but not enough to lose over a liter. I monitor that closely because it's on my to do list to fix, and there has not been a drip on my driveway or garage since early summer.
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12-31-2013, 06:02 PM	#32
ashmostro Brigadier General 1254 Rep 4,088 Posts Drives: 2020 M4cs \| 2022 M550i Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Falls Church, VA iTrader: (27)	Yep, just do the above. Must likely your oil level is just fine. But while you do the drain you might as well replace the sensor since that requires a drain too.
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01-02-2014, 06:48 AM	#34
Efthreeoh General 17306 Rep 18,733 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	OP, so here is what I think happened. If you added in 7 quarts if oil and then changed the oil and measured 12 quarts (let's ignore the spilled amount) then when you started adding oil originally, the engine was 2 quarts low (or more) on oil and only had about 5 quarts (or less than the minimum of 6 quarts) in the sump rather than the 7 it should have. Somehow the engine got below the 1-quart replacement threshold that the system is programmed to notify the owner when the engine needs oil. The owners manual states that once the "+1" quart notification appears, it should be topped off with just 1 quart of oil within 125 miles of the notification appearing. The issue is that the system is not programmed to tell you if the engine needs more than just one quart of oil, meaning if it is two quarts low, it still only reports it as the "+1" notification symbol. Once you added the 1st quart, you did not wait and drive the car long enough to get a proper reading (temperature and drive cycle). In this case several hours and key cycles would provide the most accurate reading. The e-dipstick uses software to interpret the data provided by the oil level sensor, so the sensor is not a direct reading device (like a mechanical dipstick or a float level), which means the system is programmed attain the average oil level over a period of time. What the system does do in this situation is provide a notification of "OK" in the e-dipstick bar graph to let you know there is enough oil in the engine to operate the car even though it may be 2 quarts low rather than just 1 quart low (where the +1 notification would appear). The bar graph shows the estimated amount of the top (7th) quart of oil in the engine; so do most of the mechanical dipsticks too that you are used to using. If the sensor fails, the CBS will not provide a level measurement. From what I was told from the shop foreman at the dealer I recently had my car at for a related CBS oil system issue, the sensor rarely fails, and it doesn't report inaccurate measurements in a fail mode; it just doesn't report at all.
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01-02-2014, 07:40 AM	#35
ashmostro Brigadier General 1254 Rep 4,088 Posts Drives: 2020 M4cs \| 2022 M550i Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Falls Church, VA iTrader: (27)	I disagree with the last paragraph. My sensor actively reports a low oil level for about the first ten minutes of cold start driving in cold weather. Presumably, once the engine has warmed up the oil and the sensor adequately, the oil level suddenly jumps up from low, red to full, green status. I've seen this happen on the status screen numerous times. That doesn't sound like perfectly healthy sensor behavior to me.
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01-02-2014, 07:47 AM	#36
Meeni Gateropode 329 Rep 2,848 Posts Drives: BMW 330i 06 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: TN iTrader: (0)	Normally it should report nothing (the small turning clock) for the first 10 minutes or so.
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01-02-2014, 07:48 AM	#37
ashmostro Brigadier General 1254 Rep 4,088 Posts Drives: 2020 M4cs \| 2022 M550i Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Falls Church, VA iTrader: (27)	Key word- normally
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01-02-2014, 09:22 AM	#38
stormtrooper7 Private First Class 14 Rep 154 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Winnipeg, CANADA iTrader: (0)	I'll drive it tomorrow and see. It's supposed to warm up to -16 Celsius or something.
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