E46 330i oil level always at minimum mark on dipstick

[LLC24]

I serviced it 2 weeks ago and put 6 litres of 5w-30 Castrol oil in which should put the level at the maximum on the dip stick. I have done roughly 400 miles since. The oil level was down to the minimum as it was when I bought the car at the beginning of the month. This morning I topped up about half a litre when I got to work. I have now checked at the end of my day without driving it at all and it’s still at the minimum mark. I can’t see any oil leaks anywhere in the engine bay and it hasn’t left a puddle of oil underneath either. It didn’t lose any oil over the 800 miles I drove it before servicing it after purchasing. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance

[E-bmw]

I know this will sound all prickly, but it isn't, you are checking it right aren't you?

They aren't always that easy to see & I am assuming that the level did go up when you put your 1/2 litre in.

Also you say you put in 6 litres, but did you fill it to the max level or just put 6 litres in?

[LunarOne]

Check your crankcase ventilation valve (CCV). If it gets blocked or if you have a vacuum leak, the M54 engine is known to get through oil at a terrific rate. Also the oil sealing rings on the pistons are weak and a common mod is to use the rings from the earlier M52TU engine which don't suffer from the same problem.

Biggest tip is to watch The 50s Kid's videos on youtube as he has built up a big library of E46 repair videos and is now doing the same on an E90...

[LunarOne]

See also:

[clarkson22]

As mentioned above watch the 50's kid , ccv or oil controll rings but surely if it's drinking that much oil you would have blue smoke all time out the exhaust!!
Unless you have a serious leak but then again you'd have puddles!

[d_a_n1979]

When are you checking the oil level?

IIRC for the M54 it needs to be done 10mins after the engine has been running, at temp, and then switched off

[330ti]

They take nearer 7ltr then 6 .

[LLC24]

E-bmw said:

I know this will sound all prickly, but it isn't, you are checking it right aren't you?

They aren't always that easy to see & I am assuming that the level did go up when you put your 1/2 litre in.

Also you say you put in 6 litres, but did you fill it to the max level or just put 6 litres in?

6.5 litres sorry. That’s supposed to be the maximum level it takes. I’m assuming I’m checking it correctly, this is my 6th e46 but second M54 engine, my previous used to drink oil but I could at least see a change in the level when I topped it up. In this one it just seems to disappear somewhere

[LLC24]

clarkson22 said:

As mentioned above watch the 50's kid , ccv or oil controll rings but surely if it's drinking that much oil you would have blue smoke all time out the exhaust!!
Unless you have a serious leak but then again you'd have puddles!

Previous owner said he had done the ccv but didn’t mention rings. There’s no smoke at all from the exhaust and I topped it up in the morning and checked it again the same day between the two checks I hadn’t driven so don’t think it’s burning it at an unusual rate. I assumed it would be a leak but then surely it should be leaking until it’s below the minimum level? It just doesn’t seem to fill up to the maximum. Almost as if whatever I’m putting in over the minimum is just falling out again.

[LLC24]

d_a_n1979 said:

When are you checking the oil level?

IIRC for the M54 it needs to be done 10mins after the engine has been running, at temp, and then switched off

I’ve checked it a couple different times and it was always on the minimum. After servicing it, it was half way between the min/max. Then checked it this morning, it was at the minimum again (couple hours after driving to work), then I topped it up with just under a litre so that should have brought it up near the maximum (if I’m correct in thinking the difference between the min/max is 1L?) but then checked it again on my lunch and it was at the minimum still. I didn’t drive the car in between these checks I might add.

[E-bmw]

What you are saying makes no sense at all, so I am guessing you are doing something wrong.

Warm the car up & stop the engine, remove the dipstick, remove the oil fill cap, wipe the dipstick & get a clean bit of rag/etc to help read the dipstick.

After a few mins for any oil in the dipstick tube to level out dip the oil & carefully roll the end of the dipstick on the clean cloth to see the level properly if it isn't fully clear what it is.

Fill up to maximum repeating the above & there is your base line to check again to see if you are actually losing any.

[JakeT]

d_a_n1979 said:

When are you checking the oil level?

IIRC for the M54 it needs to be done 10mins after the engine has been running, at temp, and then switched off

To be fair the M50, M52, M54, N52 and N53 engines all have a capacity of 6.5l, and 6l on a change will take them up to the max on the dipstick.


As others have said, check the oil on the flat, and 10 mins after shutting down a warm engine. If the car is nose up, the reading will be higher, and nose down the reading will be lower.

[330ti]

Capacity they give you is optimal which is half way between full and empty. They take 7 ltr. I change mine every track day . Done it dozens of times and always put 7 ltr in.

[InitialDave]

Is your driveway flat?

[JakeT]

330ti said:

Capacity they give you is optimal which is half way between full and empty. They take 7 ltr. I change mine every track day . Done it dozens of times and always put 7 ltr in.

If you can get 7l In and you’re happy that’s all that matters. Some people run a litre over full on cars that see track use to prevent oil starvation. As said, on all of those engines I add 6l and it takes the level to the max mark on the dipstick. If I were to add the additional litre it would be over full.

[330ti]

JakeT said:

330ti said:

Capacity they give you is optimal which is half way between full and empty. They take 7 ltr. I change mine every track day . Done it dozens of times and always put 7 ltr in.

If you can get 7l In and you’re happy that’s all that matters. Some people run a litre over full on cars that see track use to prevent oil starvation. As said, on all of those engines I add 6l and it takes the level to the max mark on the dipstick. If I were to add the additional litre it would be over full.

You’ve put your dip stick in up side down.

[LLC24]

330ti said:

JakeT said:

330ti said:

Capacity they give you is optimal which is half way between full and empty. They take 7 ltr. I change mine every track day . Done it dozens of times and always put 7 ltr in.

If you can get 7l In and you’re happy that’s all that matters. Some people run a litre over full on cars that see track use to prevent oil starvation. As said, on all of those engines I add 6l and it takes the level to the max mark on the dipstick. If I were to add the additional litre it would be over full.

You’ve put your dip stick in up side down.

It only goes in one way.

[JakeT]

330ti said:

You’ve put your dip stick in up side down.