[Geesh_46]

I seem to be using quite a bit of oil in my 335i (2006) since buying in December I have out about 3 litres in. Have done roughly 6k is this right? Or could there be an underlying issue?

Cheers

[MattOz]

Sounds well within tolerance. Mine uses some. Perhaps 2 litres in the last 7000 miles. Think BMW say up to 1 litre per 1000 miles is "acceptable".

[RajB]

According the electronic dipstick (which is a HUGE bugbear of mine that that is the only check we have) mines not moved since I bought mine in the same time period. I've only done about 4k miles though.

[Aragorn30d]

It will depend how you drive as well.

A healthy engine driven sedately, will use very little.
A healthy engine driven around flat out at high rpms a lot, will use "some".

While the manufacturers all claim ~1l per 1000miles, in reality very few engines will consume anywhere near that amount, if they are actually healthy. Its mostly just there to cover their own backsides for the odd engine that slips thru and ends up not-quite-right.

Obviously as the engine gets older oil consumption will increase. I wouldnt expect a 200k engine to be using MORE than 1L per 1000miles, but i would expect it to be using more than a 50k engine.

My previous turbo petrol cars that were on about 150k seem to use about a litre every 4-5k or so. A previous car on 200k used about a litre every 2.5k


3 litres in 6k i would say is definately on the high end of oil consumption, but without knowing more about the car (mileage etc) and how you drive it, it may or may not be what could be considered "normal"

[old grey steve]

Your oil usage as stated is high, therefore you have to ask are you leaking oil are you burinug it or have you got symptoms of both.

These cars leak oil from the rocker cover, vacuum pump, oil filter housing and due to issues such as high crank case pressure they can leak oil from pipe work in and around the engine plus in a nutshell the cars breather system as such suffers.

Burning oil can also lead to the seals on the turbo, which let go over time they get weaker and weaker until they cry enough. Mine was using oil over time it went on to be a turbo failure when the turbos were opened up there was carbon everywhere, which is a byproduct of how these wonderful cars work therefore will from time to time happen again and again.

The consumption is 100% worth checking the obvious stsrt point is to check for leaks under the car you are checking for covers thst are saturated covers off look up at the back of the engine and to the back right handside rear area where the turbos are plus the intercooler connection pipe you're looking for sweating signs.

From the rear while running look at the exhaust tips especially drivers side I'll post a picture up later re what to look for in this department

[old grey steve]

Pictures showing rear exhaust oil contamination(turbo failure)




when pulled apart one carboned turbo was revealed(seems that this is again not uncommon)







I could smell oil from the rear of the tail pipe area a good week or so before I saw the damn stuff then it was too late.

When your searching for oil leaks this is not an uncommon sight under a 335i



there's ususally as I mentioned earlier oil on these cars from here there and everywhere sad really but certain things like the PCV valve and various pipework can cause grief let alone vacuum pumps oil filter housings and other things.