Oil Everywhere

[CondorX5]

Some Xmas prezzie.......Xmas Eve, last minute nipping out to shops etc, Check Control message suddenly comes up while driving "CHECK ENGINE OIL LEVELS" - stopped quickly as I carry some Castrol Edge anyway and was astonished to see how low the level was, so headed off to Halfrauds for a larger can of Edge. Couldn't see anything at the roadside and the engine performance was flawless, no overheating before message, no funny business, no warning lights......

Within 10 miles-ish, the error flashed up again and when I stopped (close to home) I saw oil pouring from the drip pan - quickly poured some more in and drove the mile home with no messages or warning lights, although I did get a "Suspension Inactive" message just as I stopped and parked her up Massive oil loss.....its all over the place, car will have to be recovered to dealer via BMW Emergency I guess. I didn't see the point of calling BMW Emergency on Xmas Eve 6pm, or indeed Xmas Day or even today or tomorrow.....so it'll be Wednesday I guess. None the wiser as to what it is, can't think its the oil separator issue as the oil cap is absolutely clean with no build up behind it. Until the drip pan is removed I guess no-one will know. We have no BMW dealer in the horrid little Midlands town I live in, so the closest is 16 miles away in Derby (Stratstone). Wouldn't risk engine damage by driving that far. I guess it could be an oil filter gasket or a split plug or pump failure or hose or something, don't think its valve cover gasket or anything like that - top of engine absolutely clean and its not a dodgy sump plug as it seems to hold residual oil levels once standing. Anyway, its a tragedy, luckily one fully covered by the AUC warranty or I'd be even more devastated than I already am.

Fortunately, although I sold my beloved Rangie only 2 weeks ago, I kept my Audi S8 - she was languishing under a car cover with battery on charge indoors and quite happily awoke from her winter slumbers to save the day.....it was touch and go getting the summer toy - Merc SLK (RWD, of course!!) out the way as the ice had it in a pickle, but we managed.......no winter wheels on the S8, but performance has been excellent in the slush and ice here over the past two days. The S8 has 245/45R18 tyres fitted and I can get some winters 235/50R18....will these fit the alloys??

Hope your Xmas is less eventful than mine......I know I'm fortunate in having another decent car and the X is covered under warranty for what is undoubtedly going to be something expensive....and I've a company car arriving in about 2 weeks, but I'm still very dismayed

[motormender]

i run a small garage myself and last year we had a 2.8 z3 recovered with a very strange fault not unlike yours.
the guy went to start it after work and started fine and was left ticking over while he cleared the windows. it then started smoking like mad from the exhaust so panicing he turned it off. after a few checks tried to restart and nothing just a click.
it was recovered to us and we set to work on it.
when we removed the plugs the cylinders were all full of oil and i mean full. once this was sucked out and turned over with the plugs out we refitted the plugs.
As this car did many short journeys a lot of condensation had built up in the rocker cover and breather so we removed this finding frozen gunk and mess everywhere. upon refitting all was fine and has been since.
A bit of a strange one though never had it before or since.
could be your problem i guess
hope this helps
dave

[pvr]

Horrible when something goes wrong to the car like that, as you always fear the worst and there is noone available this time of the year to put your mind at rest what the issue is.

Have you got access to feel the filter at all to see if that has become undone? I had that once on my 7 series after BMW serviced it and had not tightened it enough.

[CondorX5]

Motormender....I think that sounds like the dreaded "hydrolock" which happens when the oil separator freezes up and blocks and somehow oil is sucked into the engine, it can apparently destroy the engine, so glad the Z was repaired ok. There are threads on that on XOutpost. Luckily, thank heavens, I don't think mine is the same.....car starts up fine every time, its just pouring oil. Its a known problem with lots of short journeys - I don't do that, generally very long commutes!!! Plus gunk usually builds up under the oil cap, mine is very clean. Still you never know!!

Pvr, I think it may well be the filter or a pump, as the loss is really only happening while the engine is running, when I stop it drops to a level and stays there. Unless I remove the drip plate, I can't see or feel anything. Everything I can see and get to, is dry and no sign of a leak. It seems to be coming from the drivers side. I'm hoping it is the filter, although will be mighty angry about it as its BMW serviced...... Its such an oily mess and still very cold outside so I'm not inclined to remove the drip plate!! Also wondering why the "suspension inactive" message flashed up, maybe oil obscuring or messing about with one of the sensors? I'm really devastated though .....never thought I'd be so upset by a car failure!!!

[pvr]

My suspension inactive flashed up last week, first time in years (after the software fix when it was new not had it since). I think that is temperature related as it was so cold.

Not had it since either.

[X5Sport]

Has anything hit the sump/pan at all?

I had a stone impact on a Skoda Octavia whilst on a motorway a few years back and discovered to my horror that the sump was actually an ally casting and it was cracked - and losing oil. Simple fix but!! No idea what the BMW one is made of.

[Lee4.8is]

Sorry to hear about this condor & i hope it gets resumed soon for you & also not to heavy on the wallet.

Own a tvr like me & you get constant car failure!!

You sound in a good place havin other nice vehicles to use...but want to see the x back on the road soon.

Hope everything goes ok for you.

[CondorX5]

I don't think its the sump as the oil seems to reach a level and stay there, so the leak must be a bit higher methinks......no, haven't hit anything other than snowy icy roads but nothing which could have caused that kind of damage. Whatever the cause, at least the expense won't be my problem with the warranty. Will keep you updated - I'm going to phone on Wednesday AM when there is a kind of stirring and yawning awake at the dealerships after a very long bank holiday, and have it recovered to the dealers by BMW Emergency.

Will keep you updated!!! I'm tired of this frozen stuff now, even the S8 now thinks 3 of its 4 doors are open when they are not!!!

[AW8]

For sake of 2 mins of visual checks it might be of interest to examin the dipstick & inside header tank for signs of oil/water mix so you can rule out head gasket failure.

Sorry to hear of this.

[Bungie]

Lets all have a Me thinks the dealers are going to be busy Wednesday morning

[AW8]

...........In all seriousness it may make a lot of sense to call as soon as they open on Wednesday to avoid delayed booking date.

As for S8 the following may help configurating tyre/rim options though do also check for adequqte load & speed index if appropriate.

Calculator Clicky

Calculator with table

[ITBarbie]

Hi Condor

Sorry to hear of your woes. I know how gutted you'll be as I know how you love it. Like previous advice be the first to call otherwise I bet you they will be all booked up. Your so lucky you've got your stable of cars to fall back on!

Good luck. Bet you won't get this with your Ford! Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CondorX5]

[quote=""AW8""]For sake of 2 mins of visual checks it might be of interest to examin the dipstick & inside header tank for signs of oil/water mix so you can rule out head gasket failure.

Sorry to hear of this.[/quote]

First thing I checked.....its all absolutely clean, no gunky oil/water mix.....and its running perfectly, no loss of power. Pretty sure its not the head gasket.
At least that's a good thing (I think).

I might phone BMW Emergency tomorrow instead and arrange for collection of the car on Wednesday morning, what do you all think?

[CondorX5]

[quote=""AW8""]...........In all seriousness it may make a lot of sense to call as soon as they open on Wednesday to avoid delayed booking date.

As for S8 the following may help configurating tyre/rim options though do also check for adequqte load & speed index if appropriate.

Calculator Clicky

Calculator with table[/quote]

Thanks for this AW8, its so useful you should make it a sticky!!!!

[jas328sport]

Just a thought but being that it is under warranty would it be best not to touch it. Wouldn't want them to try and find an excuse to try and wriggle out of anything.