E39 530d oil level
Discussion
In the drivers handbook I have always done as instructed and waited five minutes after switching off before checking the oil level. The thing that has puzzled me is that if I leave the car overnight then I get a clear reading which is much lower and yet I would have thought it should have been higher as the oil has had more time to drain down from the top of the engine. Can somebody please enlighten me! I ask the question as recently in a long right hand motorway exit when pressing on a bit I suddenly heard a distinct bottom end knock. Adding oil fixed that problem but the oil level now reads high after five minutes and down on the bottom mark after overnight!
Mike-tf3n0 said:
In the drivers handbook I have always done as instructed and waited five minutes after switching off before checking the oil level. The thing that has puzzled me is that if I leave the car overnight then I get a clear reading which is much lower and yet I would have thought it should have been higher as the oil has had more time to drain down from the top of the engine. Can somebody please enlighten me! I ask the question as recently in a long right hand motorway exit when pressing on a bit I suddenly heard a distinct bottom end knock. Adding oil fixed that problem but the oil level now reads high after five minutes and down on the bottom mark after overnight!
When was the last time the oil was drained?All I'm thinking is that oil & a Mann filter is cheap; sop I'd be tempted to drain the oil (via the dipstick tube if you have a pela pump), measure what comes out so you can see what's been in, and then top it back up with fresh oil using the dipstick as the measure, whilst it's going in and then that'll give you a correct fill
TBH I measure my oil level 10mins after switch off and also when stone cold and they're generally the same; but they've always been M54 E39s or my current 540i V8
And are you absolutely sure it was the engine and not a suspension knock etc? Could be the pressure on the part highlighted the issue when you were pushing it hard into that bend?
Edited by d_a_n1979 on Sunday 9th October 16:47
paradigital said:
Oil expands when warm, so the level when stone cold will be lower than when still warm. Hence the recommendation to measure after the oil has had chance to drain back to the sump, but not so long as to introduce thermal contraction as the oil cools.
Yup; 5-10mins is the recommended time, as per what the OPs said...d_a_n1979 said:
When was the last time the oil was drained?
All I'm thinking is that oil & a Mann filter is cheap; sop I'd be tempted to drain the oil (via the dipstick tube if you have a pela pump), measure what comes out so you can see what's been in, and then top it back up with fresh oil using the dipstick as the measure, whilst it's going in and then that'll give you a correct fill
TBH I measure my oil level 10mins after switch off and also when stone cold and they're generally the same; but they've always been M54 E39s or my current 540i V8
And are you absolutely sure it was the engine and not a suspension knock etc? Could be the pressure on the part highlighted the issue when you were pushing it hard into that bend?
The last oil change was about 9k miles and 2 years ago so I guess the oil may be getting a bit sludgy, that said it is still showing three greens on the dash. No question this was oil starvation, I lifted immediately and it stopped. It does get pushed fairly regularly and I've had it for 12 years now so have got to know all it's little quirks. The thing that really baffles me, as I mentioned earlier, is why the oil level appears to be lower the longer the car stands, until cold, and why it's so darn difficult to get repeatable readings when it is still warm. I'm nearly 80 years old now and I've had loads of different cars in the 60 odd years I've been driving but this is by far the most difficult car I've ever owned in this respect.All I'm thinking is that oil & a Mann filter is cheap; sop I'd be tempted to drain the oil (via the dipstick tube if you have a pela pump), measure what comes out so you can see what's been in, and then top it back up with fresh oil using the dipstick as the measure, whilst it's going in and then that'll give you a correct fill
TBH I measure my oil level 10mins after switch off and also when stone cold and they're generally the same; but they've always been M54 E39s or my current 540i V8
And are you absolutely sure it was the engine and not a suspension knock etc? Could be the pressure on the part highlighted the issue when you were pushing it hard into that bend?
Edited by d_a_n1979 on Sunday 9th October 16:47
Regarding thermal contraction I guess this is a possibility but I should have thought the difference between hot and cold would only be tiny.
Edited by Mike-tf3n0 on Sunday 9th October 23:00
Mike-tf3n0 said:
d_a_n1979 said:
When was the last time the oil was drained?
All I'm thinking is that oil & a Mann filter is cheap; sop I'd be tempted to drain the oil (via the dipstick tube if you have a pela pump), measure what comes out so you can see what's been in, and then top it back up with fresh oil using the dipstick as the measure, whilst it's going in and then that'll give you a correct fill
TBH I measure my oil level 10mins after switch off and also when stone cold and they're generally the same; but they've always been M54 E39s or my current 540i V8
And are you absolutely sure it was the engine and not a suspension knock etc? Could be the pressure on the part highlighted the issue when you were pushing it hard into that bend?
The last oil change was about 9k miles and 2 years ago so I guess the oil may be getting a bit sludgy, that said it is still showing three greens on the dash. No question this was oil starvation, I lifted immediately and it stopped. It does get pushed fairly regularly and I've had it for 12 years now so have got to know all it's little quirks. The thing that really baffles me, as I mentioned earlier, is why the oil level appears to be lower the longer the car stands, until cold, and why it's so darn difficult to get repeatable readings when it is still warm. I'm nearly 80 years old now and I've had loads of different cars in the 60 odd years I've been driving but this is by far the most difficult car I've ever owned in this respect.All I'm thinking is that oil & a Mann filter is cheap; sop I'd be tempted to drain the oil (via the dipstick tube if you have a pela pump), measure what comes out so you can see what's been in, and then top it back up with fresh oil using the dipstick as the measure, whilst it's going in and then that'll give you a correct fill
TBH I measure my oil level 10mins after switch off and also when stone cold and they're generally the same; but they've always been M54 E39s or my current 540i V8
And are you absolutely sure it was the engine and not a suspension knock etc? Could be the pressure on the part highlighted the issue when you were pushing it hard into that bend?
Edited by d_a_n1979 on Sunday 9th October 16:47
Regarding thermal contraction I guess this is a possibility but I should have thought the difference between hot and cold would only be tiny.
Edited by Mike-tf3n0 on Sunday 9th October 23:00
IMO that’s far too long for an oil change in an E39 and M57 engine. Personally I change my oil every 6/12 months without fail
Oil is cheap, as are filters. To do 2 oil changes a year is less than one full tank of fuel!
Any 5W30 oil that meets the necessary BMW LL01/LL04 specs and Mann filters are perfect. No need to pay through the nose for labelled oil.
Get it changed and see how it fairs after that
Had one of these cars for 10+ yrs. Checking the oil level and getting a meaningful indication from the dipstick was a crapshoot unless the engine was properly warm, had been left for 5 mins and the car was on a perfectly level surface.
I remember checking the oil level outside our Airbnb in Dorset the morning after 500 mile trip down from Scotland. Oil level registered minimum on the dipstick but the car wasn't on a level surface & stone cold. Checked it 150 miles later on a flat surface at a motorway service station (left for 5 mins) and it was 3/4 full.
Thermal expansion plays a part + avoid checking the level when the car is at a jaunty angle on your driveway or wherever.
On the other matter, Dan's right; you definitely need an oil and filter change.
I remember checking the oil level outside our Airbnb in Dorset the morning after 500 mile trip down from Scotland. Oil level registered minimum on the dipstick but the car wasn't on a level surface & stone cold. Checked it 150 miles later on a flat surface at a motorway service station (left for 5 mins) and it was 3/4 full.
Thermal expansion plays a part + avoid checking the level when the car is at a jaunty angle on your driveway or wherever.
On the other matter, Dan's right; you definitely need an oil and filter change.
Edited by Depthhoar on Monday 10th October 09:56
OK Chaps one and all, thank you for your thoughts, much appreciated. Pleased to see I'm not the only one to have this problem!!
I had been thinking it was about time to get the gearbox oil and filter changed so I think I'll book it in for both jobs.
Sadly, down here in rural southern France we don't have such things as non franchise specialists, it's either our utterly incompetent local BMW dealer or one of the small general garages none of whom have I ever heard being praised for their quality and enthusiasm!!
Thanks again.
I had been thinking it was about time to get the gearbox oil and filter changed so I think I'll book it in for both jobs.
Sadly, down here in rural southern France we don't have such things as non franchise specialists, it's either our utterly incompetent local BMW dealer or one of the small general garages none of whom have I ever heard being praised for their quality and enthusiasm!!
Thanks again.
Mike-tf3n0 said:
OK Chaps one and all, thank you for your thoughts, much appreciated. Pleased to see I'm not the only one to have this problem!!
I had been thinking it was about time to get the gearbox oil and filter changed so I think I'll book it in for both jobs.
Sadly, down here in rural southern France we don't have such things as non franchise specialists, it's either our utterly incompetent local BMW dealer or one of the small general garages none of whom have I ever heard being praised for their quality and enthusiasm!!
Thanks again.
Oil can be a very easy DIYI had been thinking it was about time to get the gearbox oil and filter changed so I think I'll book it in for both jobs.
Sadly, down here in rural southern France we don't have such things as non franchise specialists, it's either our utterly incompetent local BMW dealer or one of the small general garages none of whom have I ever heard being praised for their quality and enthusiasm!!
Thanks again.
Order something like this:
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Order the oil and filter and away you go
Just make sure the oil is nice and hot so it can be drawn out easier
Absolutely, and in the past I used to order stuff from Mick's Garage in Ireland, huge selection and very competitive on price. Since Brexit things have changed and the vultures have been feasting.
I have a VX220 and like many in the club I make / supply bits since nowadays there are almost no spares on the market. My contribution has been a set of gaskets for the sandwich plate assembly around the oil filter, I've been getting these made in the UK for the last 6 years and they have gone to VX owners all round the world. Pre Brexit it used to cost £18.60 to ship a small box of gaskets from the UK to France, I had a batch made a couple of months ago and this time FedEx charged me £65 for carriage plus a subsequent demand for another €78 import duty for the French customs. When I questioned that their response was to threaten me with legal action.
Another example of the ripping off now prevalent, some friends living down here made a trip to the UK and whilst there he sadly died. In his garage was his Lotus Elan which he had sold but it had not been collected. His widow sent me the key to the garage so I could deal with that in their absence, French customs charged me €30 import duty for that.
Unfortunately whilst some things, like oil and batteries, are easily available the supermarkets tend to carry filters and suchlike for French cars and very popular models from volume manufacturers like VW and Opel. Parts shops are rare and tend to sell a range of expensive poor quality stuff very often from unknown Chinese makers which often don't fit. Buying off Ebay and Amazon risks inviting the predations of the French customs, it's just easier to go to the useless BMW dealer where at least the parts are the correct part even if they don't know how to fit them!!
The advice is good and indeed we have other stuff on wheels which in the main I have been able to look after but now we are finding that UK suppliers, with very few exceptions, are simply not prepared to supply to Europe any more because of all the hassle with documentation and declarations and so on, this has got much worse this year. So, the last stuff I ordered was a set of Brembo brake pads for our old Micra and they cost me €26 from Germany and so far as the VX220 gaskets are concerned, most of the batch referred to earlier have now been sold and when the rest have gone there will be no more. Sad, but that is the the price of Sovereignty it seems!
I have a VX220 and like many in the club I make / supply bits since nowadays there are almost no spares on the market. My contribution has been a set of gaskets for the sandwich plate assembly around the oil filter, I've been getting these made in the UK for the last 6 years and they have gone to VX owners all round the world. Pre Brexit it used to cost £18.60 to ship a small box of gaskets from the UK to France, I had a batch made a couple of months ago and this time FedEx charged me £65 for carriage plus a subsequent demand for another €78 import duty for the French customs. When I questioned that their response was to threaten me with legal action.
Another example of the ripping off now prevalent, some friends living down here made a trip to the UK and whilst there he sadly died. In his garage was his Lotus Elan which he had sold but it had not been collected. His widow sent me the key to the garage so I could deal with that in their absence, French customs charged me €30 import duty for that.
Unfortunately whilst some things, like oil and batteries, are easily available the supermarkets tend to carry filters and suchlike for French cars and very popular models from volume manufacturers like VW and Opel. Parts shops are rare and tend to sell a range of expensive poor quality stuff very often from unknown Chinese makers which often don't fit. Buying off Ebay and Amazon risks inviting the predations of the French customs, it's just easier to go to the useless BMW dealer where at least the parts are the correct part even if they don't know how to fit them!!
The advice is good and indeed we have other stuff on wheels which in the main I have been able to look after but now we are finding that UK suppliers, with very few exceptions, are simply not prepared to supply to Europe any more because of all the hassle with documentation and declarations and so on, this has got much worse this year. So, the last stuff I ordered was a set of Brembo brake pads for our old Micra and they cost me €26 from Germany and so far as the VX220 gaskets are concerned, most of the batch referred to earlier have now been sold and when the rest have gone there will be no more. Sad, but that is the the price of Sovereignty it seems!
Mike-tf3n0 said:
Pre Brexit it used to cost £18.60 to ship a small box of gaskets from the UK to France.
Try Autodoc. They're based in Germany and send all their goods from there so shouldn't be too much hassle as they're inside the EU. If the order is over 120 Euros then shipping is free, below that it will be 9 or 10 Euros.Also, have a look at Mister Auto. They're based in France and ship from there.
Bought stuff from both of the above (shipping to the UK before the Brexit fiasco) but be prepared to wait 10 days for Autodoc stuff to arrive. Never had a problem with them but delivery is a little slow.
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