BMW M54 oil level checking

[Fox-]

You wouldnt think something so trivial could be such a source of frustration and confusion.

The oil level checking procedure in an M54 engined BMW is somewhat different to most cars in that the manual specifically tells you to check the level with the engine warm, approximately 5 minutes after shutting it off.

This is what I do.

Has anyone noticed the oil level is ridiculously sensitive to how level the ground is? I'm not daft, I don't check my oil on a ski-slope but I've noticed a massive discrepency between readings in two different locations which to my naked eye look as flat as could be expected.

If I check it inside the garage, which you'd hope has a completely level floor, the oil level is currently reading exactly half way between min and max. Excellent.

If I check it on the driveway, which certainly looks level to me, the oil level is currently reading exactly on the minimum marker.

Does anyone else ever have this issue or is it just me? I even managed to overfill the damn thing when I first got it because of the completely random oil level reading thing.

Do I really need to carry a structural engineer and a spirit level in the car with me to make sure the ground is 100% flat to within 0.0000000001% tolerance just to make sure I don't overfill with oil or run it below minimum?

[steve_bmw]

Never noticed this myself, every time I check the oil wether it be at the petrol station, my drive or anywhere it always reads the same. Full :-) half way on the dipstick to minimum is about half a litre, I think it would need more than a slight incline to move that much oil? Are you leaving it long enough after you turn off each time?

[Moar]

Don't worry about it till your yellow top up light comes on !

[Fox-]

steve_bmw said:

half way on the dipstick to minimum is about half a litre, I think it would need more than a slight incline to move that much oil?

Well thats what I thought! But it certainly seems like it does.

steve_bmw said:

Are you leaving it long enough after you turn off each time?

Yes - 5 minutes.

[fishman]

Parking and taking a reading on a incline does make a difference I found this out when I installed a s/c almost shagged the engine because it did not the minimum level of oil.

[fishman]

Moar said:

Don't worry about it till your yellow top up light comes on !

Dont assume this! the sensor does fail sometimes, like tyre pressure you should have a habit of regularly checking the oil level unless you dont like your car that is

[rich85uk]

M54 what is in the E46 330? if so i have had similar experiences and noticed the reading can be slightly different depending on which carpark (work or gym) or driveway, also how long it has been left to stand seems to give slightly different readings.

didnt realise it was only 5 minutes after switching off though, seems very soon? will give that a try from now on

[fishman]

Yes the 330i (e46) uses an m54b30 engine which is an awesome setup and was awarded Ward's Best Engine of the year..... 3years running 2001-2003.

[Moar]

fishman said:

Dont assume this! the sensor does fail sometimes, like tyre pressure you should have a habit of regularly checking the oil level unless you dont like your car that is

I was just joking!

My car doesn't even have a dipstick anyway!

[fishman]

Moar said:

I was just joking!

My car doesn't even have a dipstick anyway!

what do you mean you car doesnt have a oil dipstick? Is that another joke?

[Fox-]

fishman said:

what do you mean you car doesnt have a oil dipstick? Is that another joke?

No, the N52, 53 and 54 don't have one.

[Moar]

fishman said:

Dont assume this! the sensor does fail sometimes, like tyre pressure you should have a habit of regularly checking the oil level unless you dont like your car that is

I was just joking!

My car doesn't even have a dipstick anyway!

[fishman]

Fox- said:

No, the N52, 53 and 54 don't have one.

Wow i did not know that! how do you tell if it needs oil then? presumable a dash light comes on then?

[Zod]

There's an oil level display in iDrive.

[fishman]

So when Idrive or the sensor dies what happens then?? I assume followed by a very expensive garage bill

Zod said:

There's an oil level display in iDrive.

[Moar]

fishman said:

I don't know the full ints and outs but it doesn't run off a sensor per se. It's a lot more integrated in that it uses pressure and other things .

[motco]

Mine, a 2.2 M54 in a Z3, keeps telling to top up when it is already almost at the MAX mark. The yellow light comes on when I switch off the engine unless I allow it to idle for ten seconds before switching off.

[TX1]

Call me old fashioned but I hate the display on the Idrive for the oil check.
Find it so much quicker and convenient with the old fashioned dipstick.

[Moar]

TX1 said:

Call me old fashioned but I hate the display on the Idrive for the oil check.
Find it so much quicker and convenient with the old fashioned dipstick.

Really? I find I can check it whilst doing my journey so I find no minutes are lost standing outside the car.

[fishman]

Yeah Im old skool too I dont trust computers that much either and prefer to get dirty over the engine bay for all my sins.