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Help! Who's drinking my engine oil?

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Old 01-08-2010, 05:33 PM
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I just drove back from school today and when I arrived at home, the warning light came on, it said "engine oil at minimum level"

Who's drinking my oil? I'm sure someone's really thirsty

My car is a 2004 530I 89k miles with no sign of leaking.
Old 01-08-2010, 06:30 PM
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Ummm clearly your car is... pour in a quart and you're fine.
Old 01-08-2010, 06:59 PM
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Originally Posted by EBMCS03' post='1087004' date='Jan 8 2010, 10:30 PM
Ummm clearly your car is... pour in a quart and you're fine.
Yup, mine needed 1/2 qt. today, 6,000 miles after my last oil change. I blame the lack of dip stick more than anything else.
Old 01-08-2010, 09:11 PM
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Check the oil level when the car is cold. Preferably at least 10 minutes after it has been shut off.
Old 01-08-2010, 09:28 PM
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Ive had a few bimmers, when u take them up to high rpm's and drive the car decently hard, you will blow through oil no doubt. Just keep a bottle of synthetic in the trunk. Its not the end of the world, just means your running your car pretty hard.
Old 01-09-2010, 06:04 AM
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It is normal for BMW's to consume some oil. especially if driven hard. There is actually an acceptable amount that is considered normal by BMW. I believe it is 1/2 quart every 6000 miles or something like that. I don't recall that exactly. This was told to me by one of the field engineers when I worked at BMW
Old 01-09-2010, 09:08 AM
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Our engines will drink oil especially if revved hard. In 17k miles since new, my 550's engine has drank 2 quarts in addition to the regular oil changes. Hard running at high rpms at meets really does consume the oil.
Old 01-09-2010, 10:02 AM
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Originally Posted by Triple5NYC' post='1087060' date='Jan 8 2010, 10:28 PM
Ive had a few bimmers, when u take them up to high rpm's and drive the car decently hard, you will blow through oil no doubt. Just keep a bottle of synthetic in the trunk. Its not the end of the world, just means your running your car pretty hard.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions, and special thanks to Triple5NYC Now, I know why the engine oil is decreasing and you are right, I was racing A modified Toyota Tundra 5.7L 2 days ago
Old 01-09-2010, 05:03 PM
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Originally Posted by porsche911targa' post='1087011' date='Jan 8 2010, 10:59 PM
Yup, mine needed 1/2 qt. today, 6,000 miles after my last oil change. I blame the lack of dip stick more than anything else.
lack of dip stick? don't they all have one
Old 01-09-2010, 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by ethan' post='1087470' date='Jan 9 2010, 09:03 PM
lack of dip stick? don't they all have one
Nope. My LCI 2009 550 has no dipstick. I get to monitor the oil level via iDrive.


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