# 330i 2008 , N53 engine add 1 litre of oil



## R7KY D (Feb 16, 2010)

Let me start with JESSSSSSSUSSSSSSSSS !!! I phoned 2 BMW dealers this morning and asked if I could speak to a technician with a question that would take 10 seconds to answer instead of someone saying to me bring the car in and we will make you sit around for hours whilst we check it , But if I could talk to someone for 10 seconds then I would get my answer , No you'll have to bring it in , thanks for your help


Anyway ........

Last service 8 months ago (this is when I bought the car) the oil readout on the idrive was about ¾ between min / max , So I look at it every now and then , Anyway on friday it came up with the warning light add 1 litre of oil as the readout was now showing oil at the minimum line , So I added 1 litre started her up and the oil now reads at maximum happy days

Now here's where I wonder , I do like to flick it into sport mode when I can and yes I do like to drive it spirited when it is in sport but I'm just wondering does anyone else have experience off having to add a litre of oil ? Is it normal for the N53 engine ?

I imagine from my last service that it may not have been given the full amount of oil hence the readout showing ¾ full so lets say for arguements sake that it was underfilled by ½ litre and my sprited driving has burnt the other ½ off .

There are no signs of any leaks , I've been under the car the weekend with a torch and all around the engine

Has anyone else (preferably with a N53 engine) experienced this


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## President Swirl (Oct 23, 2011)

If it still has a warranty on it, take it in and express your concerns to them. If it gets worse when the warranty expires, it could compound itself. Maybe run it a bit longer and keep an eye on the level, if it moves significantly, you may have a problem. Conversely, the oil may be fine and the problem may be with the idrive.


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## Mindis (Feb 2, 2011)

Not much help from me, but my friend had 335i and said that from time to time he had to top up oil


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

My last service was under oiled by BMW was annoyed was not even near the max it may be cost cutting activity


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Sometimes they do randomly use a little oil. 

You would be surprised how much oil usage is permitted in manufacturing tolerances. 

I've seen car manuals where 1l per 1000km is deemed fine. That would be expensive and scare me. 

Losing 3/4 of a litre over 8 months with spirited driving in cold weather is nothing to worry about. 

I bet it won't move again.


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## mistryn (May 17, 2007)

I know my 335d has not used a drop of oil in a year and I do too like a spirited drive. Bur I have read the N54 or N55 engines (maybe both) do tend to use oil and have read dealer has said its perfectly normal for it to reuquire top up every 2.5k miles

I know some garages dont understand how much oil is required so may have under filled it slighlty and level has dropped for it to throw up warning light.

For e.g when i was just pricing up an interim oil change i had one garage quote me 5.5 litres and admaent this was the correct figure, when i know mine take 8.5 litres.

I would try another dealer, not sure which area you are in but I have experienced excellent service from Rybrook Warwick


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

Many petrol six cylinder BMW's like a drop or two of oil.

8 months and 1 litre isn't much, jesus there are some cars out there (I think some Honda's like oil) that can use 1 litre every 1000 miles.

2.0TFSi VAG units used a bit too, and the 1.4TSi Charged units are very thirsty.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

My 2.0 tfsi is good on oil, in 40kI have never had to put more than 1 litre in it.


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## RD55 DUN (Dec 30, 2008)

robertdon777 said:


> Many petrol six cylinder BMW's like a drop or two of oil.
> 
> 8 months and 1 litre isn't much, jesus there are some cars out there (I think some Honda's like oil) that can use 1 litre every 1000 miles.
> 
> 2.0TFSi VAG units used a bit too, and the 1.4TSi Charged units are very thirsty.


My friends old integra used as much oil as petrol. He always carried a gallon with him. It was a fast one aswell. No smoke no poke.


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

SteveTDCi said:


> My 2.0 tfsi is good on oil, in 40kI have never had to put more than 1 litre in it.


You always find some do some don't but they are usually all well within tolerance.

Tend to use a bit if driven hard and when mileage is over 100k, mine uses about 1/2 litre every 8-9k, but that's over 1 year for me.


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

Have you noticed any leaks? Any white smoke from the exhaust?

Might be worth taking the under tray off and checking the bay for oil leaks etc


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## Shared (Mar 9, 2009)

Mines not an N53, in fact its an M52 6 pot petrol but BMW state in the handbook that "the space between the 2 dipstick marks represents approx 1 litre of oil" 

I'd imagine your handbook would say something similar, it doesn't sound excessive anyway.


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## Bulkhead (Oct 17, 2007)

1 litre every 1000 miles:doublesho where the hell is a modern engine losing that much oil? My old Series III Land Rover didn't use that much and that engine had tolerances measured in inches! I have never had to top oil up in the three years I've had the Focus. Mind you, judging by the cost of the oil I'm quite glad about that!


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## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

robertdon777 said:


> Many petrol six cylinder BMW's like a drop or two of oil.
> 
> 8 months and 1 litre isn't much, jesus there are some cars out there (I think some Honda's like oil) that can use 1 litre every 1000 miles.
> 
> 2.0TFSi VAG units used a bit too, and the 1.4TSi Charged units are very thirsty.


Yes, our Diesel Civic loves its oil. About a litre or a bit more between its yearly service. Om nom nom nom lol.


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## hibberd (Jul 5, 2006)

The 3 liter BMW diesel had a reputation that you needed to clear the sump ventilation filter regularly (it was a paper filter) later models had a cyclone filter. If the filter got blocked by oily vapour which would also freeze in winter it would blow oil via the turbo seals. Mine never used oil and then..boom..a liter in no time flat. It wasnt untill it really got bad I noticed it burning the oil because I couldnt see anything behind me due to the smoke..


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## kings.. (Aug 28, 2007)

bmw's do use oil, its the same with mini too.... personally when I have had a new car I don't run it in slowly I drive as normal when the engine reaches safe temperature this helps to ensure the rings seal and you don't get a lip form on the bores... the result is very little oil use. when I have owned BMW's which are pre-owned two out of three always use oil. My old cooper S used about 6-700ml a month! yet didn't smoke or have any noticable problems..


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