335i oil consumption

Jon D · 10-01-2012, 10:50 AM

Hi All,
I've asked this question on the 5 & 6 forums, but I'm not getting much response as yet, so I thought I'd have a go here.
I've just traded in my 535d for a 2011 640i convertible, which I think has a pretty similar engine to the 335i.
I've covered 1k miles since purchase and the oil level on the display screen has dropped just under a quarter from the full mark, but it's still showing green and there's no message to add oil.
I've called the dealer service department and they've assured me that this is normal, but as we all know, they're sometimes prone to embellishing the truth!
So what I'd like to know is:-
1. What is considered normal for oil consumption?
2. At approximately which point does the display bar graph change from green to yellow and then to red.
3. At which point does the 'Add Oil' message appear and does it state the required quantity? (I'm well aware of the danger of overfilling)
I'd very much appreciate any help - thanks,
Jon D.

phil200tdi · 10-01-2012, 11:24 AM

Warning message pops up when the oil level gets to low. "add 1 litre!"

Excessive oil consumption is not normal.

My excessive oil consumption was due to oil leaking through the turbo seals -common on the N54 engine.

Yours will be N55 so may not be such an issue...

Kerr · 10-01-2012, 12:00 PM

It is scary to read owners manuals where they say using 1l per 1000 miles is within guidelines.

No idea if that is the same with the N55, but that usage would worry me.

CraigUK · 10-01-2012, 12:23 PM

Totally different car and engine but I used to own an E46 325i, bought it with around 10K on the clock and it used to drink a fair bit of oil. After another 20K miles things settled down and it didn't drink at all after that.

Jon D · 10-01-2012, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraigUK

Totally different car and engine but I used to own an E46 325i, bought it with around 10K on the clock and it used to drink a fair bit of oil. After another 20K miles things settled down and it didn't drink at all after that.

That, sort of, corroborates what the BMW service guy told me - he said that 1/4 of the scale in 1k miles was nothing to worry about and that the consumption should progressively decrease and then improve even further after the first oil change.
Either way, it's something I'll be monitoring on a daily basis - I just knew that I'd miss the zero oil burn and the reassurance of a dipstick from my old E92 330d and F10 535d

.
Mind you, that's completely offset by the silky smoothness and performance of this amazing 640i.

CraigUK · 10-01-2012, 01:11 PM

Jon I have to admit that I too was quite concerned by the excessive oil consumption and was very relieved when it settled down to normal. I've owned quite a few BMWs and haven't seen the same happen on any of my other cars.

Hopefully yours will be the same and will settle down as the engine gets thoroughly run in.

Jon D · 10-01-2012, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraigUK

Jon I have to admit that I too was quite concerned by the excessive oil consumption and was very relieved when it settled down to normal. I've owned quite a few BMWs and haven't seen the same happen on any of my other cars.

Hopefully yours will be the same and will settle down as the engine gets thoroughly run in.

Thanks for the reassurance; in the good old days of running bangers I wouldn't have been worried, but coming from 2 diesels which didn't use a perceptible drop in a combined total of 40k miles, I was initially alarmed to note what looked like 1/4 litre in 1k.
Hopefully it'll level off over the next few thousand miles.

Sparky68 · 10-01-2012, 04:23 PM

My Alfa Romeo was like that, luckily it never managed 1000 miles between being in the workshop to be fixed again.

shrink · 10-02-2012, 10:39 AM

well again, different cars but...

my old 330i used about 1L every 1500 miles, and it was at 80k miles. It just used that much pretty much non stop.

My 325i that i have now (e90) needed a top up when i bought it, and i put 1L in. So far I've driven it 3000 miles and its only just used half of that top up. I'm expecting to get between 5000-6000 miles before next top up. That is well within specs for that type of engine and is a level I'm happy with.

Whats not so cool is my mates E46 330i coupe, which uses 1L every 800-1000 miles and has done since he bought it. The CCV was replaced, and no evidence that it made any difference. Looks like valve seals probably!

my 530D on the other hand didnt use a single drop between services and it was on 160k miles!!!

I'd expect a 335i to have consumption on a similar level to my 325i, but perhaps a tad more due to the existence of a turbo and slightly more wear n tear due to the extra power. But Its till a 6 cylinder petrol and would expect it to be able to do at least a few thousand miles between top ups.

10-01-2012, 10:50 AM	#1
Jon D Brigadier General 224 Rep 3,016 Posts Drives: 2022 840d Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Scotland iTrader: (0)	335i oil consumption Hi All, I've asked this question on the 5 & 6 forums, but I'm not getting much response as yet, so I thought I'd have a go here. I've just traded in my 535d for a 2011 640i convertible, which I think has a pretty similar engine to the 335i. I've covered 1k miles since purchase and the oil level on the display screen has dropped just under a quarter from the full mark, but it's still showing green and there's no message to add oil. I've called the dealer service department and they've assured me that this is normal, but as we all know, they're sometimes prone to embellishing the truth! So what I'd like to know is:- 1. What is considered normal for oil consumption? 2. At approximately which point does the display bar graph change from green to yellow and then to red. 3. At which point does the 'Add Oil' message appear and does it state the required quantity? (I'm well aware of the danger of overfilling) I'd very much appreciate any help - thanks, Jon D.
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10-01-2012, 11:24 AM	#2
phil200tdi Colonel 112 Rep 2,621 Posts Drives: 335i M Sport E90 LCI manual Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Aylesbury iTrader: (1)	Warning message pops up when the oil level gets to low. "add 1 litre!" Excessive oil consumption is not normal. My excessive oil consumption was due to oil leaking through the turbo seals -common on the N54 engine. Yours will be N55 so may not be such an issue... __________________ Car: e91 330d with Viezu map Gone but not forgotten: 2010 Jaguar XFR (Cat-back exhaust, pulley, intake mods and map), Highly Modified E90 335i LCI M Sport Manual (circa 480BHP/500lb ft)
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10-01-2012, 12:00 PM	#3
Kerr Brigadier General 112 Rep 4,021 Posts Drives: BMW M235I Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Aberdeen iTrader: (0)	It is scary to read owners manuals where they say using 1l per 1000 miles is within guidelines. No idea if that is the same with the N55, but that usage would worry me.
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10-01-2012, 12:23 PM	#4
CraigUK Captain 126 Rep 641 Posts Drives: F11 LCI 520D Sport Tourer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Durham iTrader: (0)	Totally different car and engine but I used to own an E46 325i, bought it with around 10K on the clock and it used to drink a fair bit of oil. After another 20K miles things settled down and it didn't drink at all after that.
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10-01-2012, 01:11 PM	#6
CraigUK Captain 126 Rep 641 Posts Drives: F11 LCI 520D Sport Tourer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Durham iTrader: (0)	Jon I have to admit that I too was quite concerned by the excessive oil consumption and was very relieved when it settled down to normal. I've owned quite a few BMWs and haven't seen the same happen on any of my other cars. Hopefully yours will be the same and will settle down as the engine gets thoroughly run in.
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10-01-2012, 04:23 PM	#8
Sparky68 Brigadier General 684 Rep 4,261 Posts Drives: 2016 M2 Alpine White Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Cambs UK iTrader: (11) Garage List 2016 BMW M2 [0.50] 2017 BMW F30 330D [0.00] 2014 M135 [0.00] 2007 BMW 335i [0.00]	My Alfa Romeo was like that, luckily it never managed 1000 miles between being in the workshop to be fixed again. __________________ OG M2 7sp DCT Masata FMIC - Masata Boost Pipe - Cobra Catless DP - Powervalve Exhaust - Devilsown Methanol Injection BM3 Stage 2
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10-02-2012, 10:39 AM	#9
shrink Captain 19 Rep 752 Posts Drives: E90 325i SE Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Edinburgh (UK) iTrader: (2)	well again, different cars but... my old 330i used about 1L every 1500 miles, and it was at 80k miles. It just used that much pretty much non stop. My 325i that i have now (e90) needed a top up when i bought it, and i put 1L in. So far I've driven it 3000 miles and its only just used half of that top up. I'm expecting to get between 5000-6000 miles before next top up. That is well within specs for that type of engine and is a level I'm happy with. Whats not so cool is my mates E46 330i coupe, which uses 1L every 800-1000 miles and has done since he bought it. The CCV was replaced, and no evidence that it made any difference. Looks like valve seals probably! my 530D on the other hand didnt use a single drop between services and it was on 160k miles!!! I'd expect a 335i to have consumption on a similar level to my 325i, but perhaps a tad more due to the existence of a turbo and slightly more wear n tear due to the extra power. But Its till a 6 cylinder petrol and would expect it to be able to do at least a few thousand miles between top ups.
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