[AllenM335is]

Granted i beat the living shit out of it when it reaches operating temps but 3 quarts is insane.
my previous MHD stage 2+ 335xi at 80k miles took a beating everytime i was in it and didn't burn any oil with 4k mile oil changes

Now this 335is is hella cute asides from the ugly interior (gray)
so i'm trying not to sell it as i like it and don't want to upgrade it yet.

previous owner did say it was stored for a year and a half, and was started every once in a while. when i took off valve cover everything seems clean.
car does whine from oil filter housing, but the filter keeps getting crushed or clogged that's why. happens after 1k after new oil change.

car is a 2012 335is last oil change was with (castrol edge 0w40) and mobil 1 filter

car is running on mhd stage 2+ with the following mods
RB stock location Inlets
Pinnacle preformance Dci
1step colder 5992 ngk R
CNT catless downpipes (best bang for ur buck perfect fitment)
Arm 5 ic with upgraded piping

car has 56k miles
occasionally smokes very lightly though didn't used to smoke till 3k into the oil change. oil warning light came on 3 times so far and asked for a quart top off

[AllenM335is]

Pulled out filter today and it was crushed and the thing that holds the filter was apart of the filter and came off the cap i had to reattach it.

[Pladi]

Oil consumption is usually due to a malfunction in the PCV system

Word of advise. DO NOT use mobil 1 filters. They are not even made to physical specs for these engines. You will know once u remove it.

Mann filter only. Or MAHLE

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by AllenM335is

Granted i beat the living shit out of it when it reaches operating temps but 3 quarts is insane.
my previous MHD stage 2+ 335xi at 80k miles took a beating everytime i was in it and didn't burn any oil with 4k mile oil changes

Now this 335is is hella cute asides from the ugly interior (gray)
so i'm trying not to sell it as i like it and don't want to upgrade it yet.

previous owner did say it was stored for a year and a half, and was started every once in a while. when i took off valve cover everything seems clean.
car does whine from oil filter housing, but the filter keeps getting crushed or clogged that's why. happens after 1k after new oil change.

car is a 2012 335is last oil change was with (castrol edge 0w40) and mobil 1 filter

car is running on mhd stage 2+ with the following mods
RB stock location Inlets
Pinnacle preformance Dci
1step colder 5992 ngk R
CNT catless downpipes (best bang for ur buck perfect fitment)
Arm 5 ic with upgraded piping

car has 56k miles
occasionally smokes very lightly though didn't used to smoke till 3k into the oil change. oil warning light came on 3 times so far and asked for a quart top off

Change the breather hose/ valve

Install a RB PCV valve & cap

Walnut blast the intake valves

Install a catch can

[rsyed07]

Also check oil filter housing gasket. They go out around this mileage. Just changed mine at 57k miles.

[tlow98]

You all miss the second post?

He found the issue

[AllenM335is]

Originally Posted by tlow98

You all miss the second post?

He found the issue

No it didn't fix it, i thought it did. pulled oil filter out and it was crushed and the cotton breathing parts of the filter were all clogged or burnt. its the 3rd time i use this filter and i do suspect it is the causing the issue, not to mention i think the filter shrinks and gets stuck to the part that is suppose to hold it. i'm going to bmw for filter next time. thanks for feedback everyone.

Would the smoking be caused because of crushed filter by any chance? smoke is barely noticeable and only happens at idle not at any other rpm

[type-dRew]

Id get a new OEM filter cap w/ new cage and use a MANN filter. Then reevaluate.

[rsyed07]

Smoke from the exhaust can be from multiple things. The most prevalent being bad turbo seals causing oil blow by. Another theory is oil thinning out with fuel. And sometimes believe it or not is just plain old condensation from water in the mufflers.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by type-dRew

Id get a new OEM filter cap w/ new cage and use a MANN filter. Then reevaluate.

Yeah. This. Eliminate variables first.

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by AllenM335is

No it didn't fix it, i thought it did. pulled oil filter out and it was crushed and the cotton breathing parts of the filter were all clogged or burnt. its the 3rd time i use this filter and i do suspect it is the causing the issue, not to mention i think the filter shrinks and gets stuck to the part that is suppose to hold it. i'm going to bmw for filter next time. thanks for feedback everyone.

Would the smoking be caused because of crushed filter by any chance? smoke is barely noticeable and only happens at idle not at any other rpm

There is zero chance that your oil loss is caused by the crushed filter. Just think about the path of the oil through your engine. How could oil usage depend on whether the filter was present, damaged or even absent?

That said, you must replace the filter (because engine longevity depends on its function) and as several posters have noted, Mobil1 and some other filters (purolator in my experience) just plain don't fit, no matter what the parts catalog says. Mann filters or Mahle as suggested.

If your VCG or OFHG was responsible for the leaking the volume (1qt/1200 miles) you are experiencing there would be oil all over your engine compartment and belly pan. Seriously doubt this is your issue.

Someone mentioned walnut blasting and installing a catchcan. Really? How could buildup of carbon at the intake port be responsible for losing this much oil, or any oil for that matter.

As posters have alluded, there are a variety of possible explanations but a PCV system malfunction is among the most likely and is the cheapest to throw parts at. PCV system components include, PCV valve (internal to valve cover but replaceable), the vent hose with flapper valve (a relatively cheap plastic piece of shit that is essential for correct operation of the PCV system) and the oil cap itself (not the oil filter cap, the oil fill cap - it has to seal correctly, again for proper PCV system operation). All that crap will set you back about $100.

Getting the vent hose off is a royal pain in the ass - I'd just break it off since you're not going to reuse it. Putting the new one in is a snap (literally).

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by dpaul

As posters have alluded, there are a variety of possible explanations but a PCV system malfunction is among the most likely and is the cheapest to throw parts at. PCV system components include, PCV valve (internal to valve cover but replaceable), the vent hose with flapper valve (a relatively cheap plastic piece of shit that is essential for correct operation of the PCV system) and the oil cap itself (not the oil filter cap, the oil fill cap - it has to seal correctly, again for proper PCV system operation). All that crap will set you back about $100.

Getting the vent hose off is a royal pain in the ass - I'd just break it off since you're not going to reuse it. Putting the new one in is a snap (literally).

This is most likely the cause of the oil burning. It's not the only cause, but based on what you describe it sounds like the culprit especially since the PCV/CCV systems on these cars are known to fail with age along with everything else that's plastic.

I see catch can kits available for these cars, but I personally think they are completely unnecessary and a waste of money. The oil separator serves the exact same purpose as a catch can, with the added benefit of returning the separated oil (back under the valve cover on most cars, back to the oil pan on my magesium-cover N52) instead of having to remember to check and empty a catch can.

Catch cans made a lot of sense on older cars, at least on one older turbocharged car I used to own, where there was no high tech oil separator so the gases in the crankcase and valve cover would be full of oil vapor, and get sucked into the intake leaving a thick oily residue which would eventually work its way into the intercooler and reduce its efficiency.

The BMW oil separator, when working properly addresses all these problems.

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

This is most likely the cause of the oil burning. It's not the only cause, but based on what you describe it sounds like the culprit especially since the PCV/CCV systems on these cars are known to fail with age along with everything else that's plastic.

I see catch can kits available for these cars, but I personally think they are completely unnecessary and a waste of money. The oil separator serves the exact same purpose as a catch can, with the added benefit of returning the separated oil (back under the valve cover on most cars, back to the oil pan on my magesium-cover N52) instead of having to remember to check and empty a catch can.

Catch cans made a lot of sense on older cars, at least on one older turbocharged car I used to own, where there was no high tech oil separator so the gases in the crankcase and valve cover would be full of oil vapor, and get sucked into the intake leaving a thick oily residue which would eventually work its way into the intercooler and reduce its efficiency.

The BMW oil separator, when working properly addresses all these problems.

For your last statement, not so. The OP has a 335, with an N54 engine, not the N52 you are familiar with. This has been discussed over and over, in many threads, on multiple forums so I am not going to restate all the evidence and arguments. Summary is that the N54 PCV oil separation system, including the plastic valve cover that routinely cracks and leaks, and that vent hose which rapidly gets brittle and leaks, is poorly engineered.

As for the catch can, there is utility, but not the BMS-type can which collects only when the engine is on boost. I'd agree with you that this one is generally a waste of money. You may not know that the N54 has two PCV systems, one that operates on boost and one that operates with negative manifold pressures. This latter vents poorly separated oil-containing vapors directly into the intake ports of the cylinder head, where it turns into tar on the intake valves. Rob Beck makes a "low-side" catch can system than scavenges this circuit - I can tell you from experience that it collects >2 ounces of oil-water emulsion in 500 miles of city driving. I'm happy to be keeping that off my intake valves. In fact, as I do my own walnut blasting at regular intervals, I can state with absolute certainty that the low-side catch keeps the intake ports/valves noticeably cleaner. Not perfect but better.

Regardless, catch cans, no matter what type, are not going to address the OP's problem

[AllenM335is]

Thanks for the feedback will get back to you guys after pcv parts are ordered. pulling the oem inter off when installing my arm 5 fmic there was no oil in it at all, it was pretty much dry.

[rawdog573]

i was told bmw said normal conditions is 1 quart ever 1k miles. mine was doing this running castrol. i switched to liquimoly 5w-40 been going about 3k miles now and my oil level hasnt moved a bar.

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by rawdog573

i was told bmw said normal conditions is 1 quart ever 1k miles. mine was doing this running castrol. i switched to liquimoly 5w-40 been going about 3k miles now and my oil level hasnt moved a bar.

First, BMW made the decision to call 1qt/750mile "normal" to circumvent responsibility for poor design. It's not just the N54 engine - most recently they lost a class action suit relating to oil use on the N63 and are replacing/repairing literally thousands of those engines at limited consumer cost. They've dropped the ball on any number of engineering issues, my personal favorite, the decision to set rod bearing clearances at 1/2 the value of industry accepted standards, resulting in the destruction of many S54 and S65 engines. But we love the damn cars anyway.

Second, there are quite a few posts where people claim that changing the brand of oil eliminates the excessive oil usage they previously experienced.

I don't question the belief but I do find it profoundly difficult to understand how an oil change can result in a difference in usage. Castrol and Liqui-Moly oils are not fundamentally different. It's not magic.

[rawdog573]

Originally Posted by dpaul

First, BMW made the decision to call 1qt/750mile "normal" to circumvent responsibility for poor design. It's not just the N54 engine - most recently they lost a class action suit relating to oil use on the N63 and are replacing/repairing literally thousands of those engines at limited consumer cost. They've dropped the ball on any number of engineering issues, my personal favorite, the decision to set rod bearing clearances at 1/2 the value of industry accepted standards, resulting in the destruction of many S54 and S65 engines. But we love the damn cars anyway.

Second, there are quite a few posts where people claim that changing the brand of oil eliminates the excessive oil usage they previously experienced.

I don't question the belief but I do find it profoundly difficult to understand how an oil change can result in a difference in usage. Castrol and Liqui-Moly oils are not fundamentally different. It's not magic.

Magic I guess. I was literally buying 1 quart of Castrol ever 1k. My light would come on. I switched to Liqui Moly. The only difference I have on the liquimoly is I'm running mhd stage 1 tune. If anything I would expect the tune to maybe possibly cause a little more burn in oil. But my oil bar has not moved any and the ole n54 seems to be running smoother and better. I can pull my oil filter cap right now and it's still clean oil

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by rawdog573

Magic I guess. I was literally buying 1 quart of Castrol ever 1k. My light would come on. I switched to Liqui Moly. The only difference I have on the liquimoly is I'm running mhd stage 1 tune. If anything I would expect the tune to maybe possibly cause a little more burn in oil. But my oil bar has not moved any and the ole n54 seems to be running smoother and better. I can pull my oil filter cap right now and it's still clean oil

So, to be fair, you didn't change one thing - you changed two. But OK, lets assume magic is afoot.

Here's a little something else to worry about, as if we didn't have enough; lets hope your oil level sensor is still working. That's another one of BMW's wonderful engineering "advances" (although to be fair, other manufacturers also implement this "feature"). I'm on my third sensor at $150 a pop. In both failures, the sensors just decided to read 3/4 full and didn't move after than. I discovered the problem because I put the waste oil back into old 5qt bottles at my 5K mile oil change intervals and found I was recovering only slightly more than 5 qts when I should have had 6.5. Sigh....

[rawdog573]

Originally Posted by dpaul

So, to be fair, you didn't change one thing - you changed two. But OK, lets assume magic is afoot.

Here's a little something else to worry about, as if we didn't have enough; lets hope your oil level sensor is still working. That's another one of BMW's wonderful engineering "advances" (although to be fair, other manufacturers also implement this "feature"). I'm on my third sensor at $150 a pop. In both failures, the sensors just decided to read 3/4 full and didn't move after than. I discovered the problem because I put the waste oil back into old 5qt bottles at my 5K mile oil change intervals and found I was recovering only slightly more than 5 qts when I should have had 6.5. Sigh....

It's been working for me. I don't see how it would just decided to quit working as soon as I changed my oil

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by dpaul

For your last statement, not so. The OP has a 335, with an N54 engine, not the N52 you are familiar with. This has been discussed over and over, in many threads, on multiple forums so I am not going to restate all the evidence and arguments. Summary is that the N54 PCV oil separation system, including the plastic valve cover that routinely cracks and leaks, and that vent hose which rapidly gets brittle and leaks, is poorly engineered.

As for the catch can, there is utility, but not the BMS-type can which collects only when the engine is on boost. I'd agree with you that this one is generally a waste of money. You may not know that the N54 has two PCV systems, one that operates on boost and one that operates with negative manifold pressures. This latter vents poorly separated oil-containing vapors directly into the intake ports of the cylinder head, where it turns into tar on the intake valves. Rob Beck makes a "low-side" catch can system than scavenges this circuit - I can tell you from experience that it collects >2 ounces of oil-water emulsion in 500 miles of city driving. I'm happy to be keeping that off my intake valves. In fact, as I do my own walnut blasting at regular intervals, I can state with absolute certainty that the low-side catch keeps the intake ports/valves noticeably cleaner. Not perfect but better.

Yeah I'm *aware* of the N54 PCV/CCV system, but I don't have any direct experience with it. My bad for making those statements as I'm speaking more of N52 and should have paid more attention to the OP's mention of his N54.

My understanding was that when it's working, it works well (but still full of brittle plastic prone to cracking). I didn't realize that the low pressure system still dumped vapors into the intake ports. So on top of the normal DI carbon buildup on the intake valve, you N54 guys still have to deal with oil vapor in the intake!?

As for oil consumption changing with switching brands, I've experienced this too. I have another car notorius for burning oil (Japanese too, not even German!) and have seen consumption reduced by switching to a different brand of oil of the same weight! I've tried four well known quality brands driving 100K miles since new, and one of the four has resulted in higher consumption. The odd thing is that there have been a few outliers where I used that brand for an oil change interval and the consumption was less (consitent with the other brands), but more often than not I noticed the consumption higher when using that oil. I think it's more likely that the driving conditions affect consumption more than the brand of oil.

As for the reason one brand may result in more consumption, the theory is that some brands of oil may not be as stable as they're used, shearing to a thinner weight or getting diluted as the miles are racked up, but without doing an oil analysis this is just a theory.

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

As for oil consumption changing with switching brands, I've experienced this too. I have another car notorius for burning oil (Japanese too, not even German!) and have seen consumption reduced by switching to a different brand of oil of the same weight! I've tried four well known quality brands driving 100K miles since new, and one of the four results in higher consumption. However I'm not comletely convinced. I think it's more likely that the driving conditions affect consumption more than the brand of oil.

As for the reason one brand may result in more consumption, the theory is that some brands of oil may not be as stable as they're used, shearing to a thinner weight or getting diluted as the miles are racked up, but without doing an oil analysis this is just a theory.

Agree more likely driving conditions accounts for usage difference. Interesting hypothesis about shearing/dilution.

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by rawdog573

It's been working for me. I don't see how it would just decided to quit working as soon as I changed my oil

Things fail when their time is up. Not saying this has happened. Just that it can and it does.