When is the best time to check oil???

[ANiMOSiTY]

It does matter on some cars.
The M5 specifically states that the oil has to be hot.

It runs a semi-dry sump and the oil's volume increases a bit when the oil is hot.

If there's nothing in the manual about making sure the engine is warm / hot.. then assume the standard cold check.
Best bet, in this case, would be to check your oil in the morning on a level surface before starting the car.

 

[Kick Ass Kums]

best bet would be in the morning before start up

 

[Beast_Power]

imp:
Here's one for you...

My car was serviced 2,600km ago, on 89,400, now on 92,000,
so my oil light came on, checked and the level was so low I had to add a full liter of oil.(castrol slz i think.... :thinking: )
I called up bmw to ask what the hell, but was told and I quote: " It's normal for an E46 to use up to a pint of oil every 1,000km driven" :dropjaw:
Listen man, I drive a bmw, not a flippen ford, how the hell can be ok to use 500ml over 1000km????? :thinking:
So the mechanic told me, it's just so, I told him in 3 and a half years I have NEVER had to add oil to my car between services,
now just 2,600km after the last service my car has used a liter of oil??? :cursin:
I was then told that I must remember that my car has done 90,000km and it's normal... WTF !!!!!

I think it is a bull story, they probably did not fill the oil properly, when they serviced the car, drive the car another 500km's and check if there is any oil loss, or they made a stuff up with your service. Not even the M uses any oil between services.

 

[BMW M]

'Skiet die bliksems'.... I have NEVER in the last 12 years of owning BMW's had to put in a single drop of engine oil into ANY of the cars I've owned, and all my BMW's ran up some high mileage...

 

[ahmed e bhamjee]

Hey guys

Thanks for all the help and info.

I'm with ANiMOSiTY and Kick Ass Kums and all the others who said cold on this one!!!

Going to also check and see what the manual says.

Thanks

 

[ambroseg1]

imp:
Here's one for you...

My car was serviced 2,600km ago, on 89,400, now on 92,000,
so my oil light came on, checked and the level was so low I had to add a full liter of oil.(castrol slz i think.... :thinking: )
I called up bmw to ask what the hell, but was told and I quote: " It's normal for an E46 to use up to a pint of oil every 1,000km driven" :dropjaw:
Listen man, I drive a bmw, not a flippen ford, how the hell can be ok to use 500ml over 1000km????? :thinking:
So the mechanic told me, it's just so, I told him in 3 and a half years I have NEVER had to add oil to my car between services,
now just 2,600km after the last service my car has used a liter of oil??? :cursin:
I was then told that I must remember that my car has done 90,000km and it's normal... WTF !!!!!

My focus ST has never needed a drop of oil in its almost 4 years of service to me and 53 000km. :dunno:

 

[P1000]

My focus ST has never needed a drop of oil in its almost 4 years of service to me and 53 000km. :dunno:

Yes, but it has a volvo engine, which was basically designed by Audi...

 

[DonovanPorter]

which is owned by VW is it not ?

 

[NoddyBadge]

imp:
Here's one for you...

My car was serviced 2,600km ago, on 89,400, now on 92,000,
so my oil light came on, checked and the level was so low I had to add a full liter of oil.(castrol slz i think.... :thinking: )
I called up bmw to ask what the hell, but was told and I quote: " It's normal for an E46 to use up to a pint of oil every 1,000km driven" :dropjaw:
Listen man, I drive a bmw, not a flippen ford, how the hell can be ok to use 500ml over 1000km????? :thinking:
So the mechanic told me, it's just so, I told him in 3 and a half years I have NEVER had to add oil to my car between services,
now just 2,600km after the last service my car has used a liter of oil??? :cursin:
I was then told that I must remember that my car has done 90,000km and it's normal... WTF !!!!!

That's weird.

I've had my E46 for 13 months now and have never had to add a drop of oil to it. Currently on 135000, oil service done 3 months ago and still not had to top up.

They screwed something up.

As for the OP, I also believe a cold check in the morning on a level surface.

 

[ahmed e bhamjee]

Hey guys

Found this in the manual-

Engine oil
Checking oil level
1 Park the vehicle on a level surface.
2 Shut the engine off after it has
reached normal operating temperature.
3 After approx. 5 minutes, pull the dipstick
out and wipe it off with a clean
lint-free cloth, paper towel, or similar
material.
4 Push the dipstick carefully all the way
into the guide tube and pull it out
again.
5 The oil level should be between the
two graduations on the dipstick.
As with fuel economy, oil consumption
is directly influenced by your driving
style and vehicle operating conditions.
367de236
The space between the two marks on
the dipstick corresponds to approx.
1.1 US quarts (1 liter). Do not fill beyond
the upper mark on the dipstick. Excess
oil will damage the engine.
460de189
To add oil
Wait until the level has dropped to just
above the lower mark before adding oil.
Do not wait until the oil drops below the
lower mark.
BMW engines are designed to
operate without oil additives; the
use of additives could lead to damage
in some cases. This also applies to the
manual and automatic transmission, the
differential and the power steering system

Lets see how it goes!!!:banghead:

 

[moranor@axis]

lol so this means we all wrong... well i know the tire pressure is cold least i hope i do :mmm:

 

[ahmed e bhamjee]

lol so this means we all wrong... well i know the tire pressure is cold least i hope i do :mmm:

Hey moranor

This also means that we are all learning!!!!We fanatics are never wrong!!!!

Atleast you got the tyre one right :clap:

 

[moranor@axis]

my tires are 0.4bar up when the warm
well the water you have to check when cold or you get it every where

 

[ahmed e bhamjee]

Checked my tyre pressures twice in the last 6months!!!,as i only have done 2500kms in that time!

Nowhwere to go i guess!!!!

 

[hennie]

the safest is to fill it if it needs a quarter on the indication of the dipstick if you go over half you are asking for trouble

 

[Sankekur]

Its nice to learn something new thanks for the info ahmed.


@coisman: I think all car manufactures have some ridiculous oil consumption figures as standard, I remember in my corsa's manual it said that the engine consumes around 1l/1000km which is just insane, I have been told that this is just a way for manufactures to cover their asses, to make it harder for you to say that there is something wrong with the engine because they can just say it is standard. I would do what has been mentioned before, top up and check in 500k's or so if there is a significant drop, but my money would be on that the oil was improperly filled during the last service.

 

[ahmed e bhamjee]

Its nice to learn something new thanks for the info ahmed.

Hey Sankekur

You're Welcome.You only give what you receive!!!!
Hope that was helpful to all.

What i don't understand though is,must my oil temp also be up to operating temperature?I'm sure heat gauge should be in the centre,which is normal operating temp!But what about oil temp????

Even after consulting the Manual i'm still unsure because if you google it,theres some who say cold and some who say hot!!!:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

 

[ANiMOSiTY]

ahmed, is it an M?

 

[ahmed e bhamjee]

ahmed, is it an M?

Hey ANiMOSiTY

Yip ACS M coupe with S54 engine

 

[ANiMOSiTY]

ahmed, is it an M?

Hey ANiMOSiTY

Yip ACS M coupe with S54 engine

Then that's why it states that the oil needs to be hot