Modern BMW engine...

[Oilchange]

Apparently there are modern BMW petrol engines (possibly a 318i) designed without a dipstick, so that you can only check the engine oil using the on board computer.

Is this correct? I would be flabbergasted (sp) but if there is, there is.

I have googled said engine and they all have them. Daft idea not to really...

Anyone know otherwise?



Trying to justify my apparent rudeness
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by Oilchange on Friday 16th July 14:50

[Gad-Westy]

Not sure about that particular engine but the 3.0l Turbo doesn't have a dipstick and there are a fair few other manufacturers making similar. Seems daft to me but I'm sure there are valid reasons.

[steve singh]

Yes a lot of bmw's and porsches (as examples) no longer have dipsticks - though many would tell me the dipstick is in the drivers seat !

[Mermaid]

I believe the M3 CSL does not have a dipstick, or if it has cannot be accessed easily. Display on dash.

[john_p]

Most of the petrol engines used after 2006 (E90, E60 etc) won't have a dipstick. There are some exceptions, eg. the V8s in the 545/550.

You are supposed to use the iDrive / dash display to check the level.

They use an oil level sensor in the bottom of the sump, which usually breaks after about 5 years. I expect to see lots of 5 yr old BMWs breaking down with no oil.

Edited by john_p on Friday 16th July 15:17

[Oilchange]

that's good to know.

[stevesuk]

Our E91 325i doesn't have a dipstick, but as others have said, iDrive shows you the oil level.

Also, I think there is a separate warning light on the instrument cluster (if its anything like my old E46, amber means add oil at some point soon, red means "do it NOW!").

What I don't know is whether these two systems use the same sensor, or whether they work independantly.

I wouldn't mind checking oil level with the dipstick, just like I have on all the other cars I've ever owned (after all, you still have to pop the bonnet to check the coolant level, and to refill the washer bottle etc.), but I guess a lot of people never check!

[john_p]

Pressure and level(+temperature for M engines) are measured from different sensors, so red is a definite engine-off-now situation!

[130R]

No dipstick on my E63 M6 so you have to trust the reading it gives you. This is not progress in my book.

[steve singh]

130R said:

No dipstick on my E63 M6 so you have to trust the reading it gives you. This is not progress in my book.

Agreed - especially when my previous E46 had about 3 oil sensors as they kept on failing...

[Oilchange]

Now I really am stunned.
Relying on an electric gauge to measure oil levels is an absolute masterstroke by BMW.
I expect a lot of them to start failing about a month or 500 miles past the warranty...

[buggalugs]

I think there are a few advantages to doing it this way - its easy to mis-read a dipstick, read it on a hill etc. And your average joe might not be confident knowing what's low and what isn't, how much to add if it looks low etc. Might not ever check it. So you can see that a message that pops up on the dash that says 'put 1L in soon please' has a lot of advantages. Reliability is a fair point but the level sensor on my 1990 320i was working fine at 20 years old, as far as I know it still is (I ebayed that engine)

[theaxe]

My '09 535d has a dipstick.

[Huntsman]

No dipstick? that's nothing.

Read up on the BMW N52 motor on wikipedia. Technology is moving fast I tell yer!

[mike325112]

Oilchange said:

Now I really am stunned.
Relying on an electric gauge to measure oil levels is an absolute masterstroke by BMW.
I expect a lot of them to start failing about a month or 500 miles past the warranty...

dipstick

[Oilchange]

[saladdodger]

mercs are the same, when i delivered high end cars mercs were the ones i found confusing and thought it was lost hahahahah

[shah24]

mike325112 said:

Oilchange said:

Now I really am stunned.
Relying on an electric gauge to measure oil levels is an absolute masterstroke by BMW.
I expect a lot of them to start failing about a month or 500 miles past the warranty...

dipstick

Yes Indeed!

[dylan0451]

buggalugs said:

I think there are a few advantages to doing it this way - its easy to mis-read a dipstick, read it on a hill etc. And your average joe might not be confident knowing what's low and what isn't, how much to add if it looks low etc. Might not ever check it. So you can see that a message that pops up on the dash that says 'put 1L in soon please' has a lot of advantages. Reliability is a fair point but the level sensor on my 1990 320i was working fine at 20 years old, as far as I know it still is (I ebayed that engine)

fully agree, however it hardly reduces the bhp/tonne of the vehicle to leave the actual dipstick there. what if the electronics in the sensor don't actually die, hence i-drive not reporting a failed sensor but it becomes blocked/grounded to another reference voltage etc. seems madness to be forced to fully rely on an electronic component when you're juggling with the cost of a brand new production engine!

anyone have an idea how much an M engine would be to replace on a current model?!