Bmw 318ci e46 2003 82 on clock.Regarding oil light flashing on idle.1 day ago I was change my oil and oil filter.Oil Castrol 0w30 slx.And till 2day evenig I did about 270 miles and light not flashing.will let you know if anything happen.From now will change my oil every 6000 max 7000.And never again will use cheap oil.Thank you for all advise.regards Gregory.
You can fiddle with thiis and check oil pressures but best is sump off, thorough clean, teardown the pump thoroughly clean it and pickup and replace it if any wear or the pressure releif spring is weak.You have given no mileage and no information on the oil used nor whether in a really hot area or 'where'?..there are several considerations ranging even into worn bearings...Of course with acceleration motor speed increases oil pressure...that's why light goes out (unlikely but possible the sender unit is faulty...but try replacement of that first if you want...) It doesn't take a lot of pump wear to cavitiate and drop oil pressures.
oil is 0w 30 or 5w 30 but not a good brand.
mileage is 82.000
I live in Scotland (Inverness)
BMW recommends BMW LL-98 or LL-01.spec'd oil. I extracted this good advice also from a site with plenty of bad advice also: "Mobil 1 0w-30, 5w-30, and 10w-30 are NOT ACEA A3 or BMW LL approved oils. This is because they all are thin 30 weight oils (approximately 9.8-10 CST@ 100c) and have HTHS of approximately 3.1. Mobil 1 0w-40 and 15w-50 are A3 rated and the Ow-40 is BMW LL-01 approved. For 99% of climates and users 0w-40 or 5w-40 is the appropriate grade. There are some 0w-30 and 5w-30 oils (like the BMW 5w-30) that are formulated on the heavier end of the 30 weight scale and are accordingly rated A3. These oils will work well also. LOOK FOR THAT ACEA A3 rating. If the oil doesn’t have it, pass on it."
Don't make decisions for yourself on "equivalents".It's where oils are NOT equivalent even if meeting certain standards which may have caused the manufacturer to recommend one and not another. Go to your manufacturer and use what he recommends. BMW oil and filter changes each 5000 or 6000kms is a good stanrt too.Don't let it go to 10,000-12,000.
Having said that what I wrote before is still valid. If you want to do this yourself you can go the experimental way...here's a start.
Examine as best you can the wire to the sender unit and see if there are any shorts to frame or engine. Remove the wire from the sender and drive the car...see if the light comes on and flashes. If not it's almost certainly not a short in the wiring but oil sender units get damaged from...cheap types, incorrect installation (especially over tensioning) incorrect calibration, and age.
Buy a new, genuine, oil sender unit and carefully install it (tighten to recommended tension) . This is likely to give accurate results. You can if you like NEATLY have installed an oil pressure gauge or have the pressure checked by a mechanc at that point.
If the light still comes on after that and replacing the sender with genuine and correct type, you can drain the sump completely, change oil filter (fit to recommended tension or with clean dry hands to "firm"...or rubber seal can leak through distortion) for genuine one,fill with BMW recommended oil in terms of specification and viscocity (quite likely 5W 30 but check with their booklet or call them) and reinstall the sump plug (use a new copper washer) to recommended tension.
When sump oil level reaches "full" crank engine say 20 times turning BUT with ignition disconnected. Check oil height again..probably will need a top up as some oil will now be in the filter. drive the car and see what happens. If all is now well its been a cheap fix...and no damage has been done.If not the new oil can be carefully and hygenically saved for later use if required when the engine sump is pulled-off to check pump and bearing condition.
Your mileage is not massively high but 82000 miles IS heading for 170,000 kms and your car may have been run hard, overheated or for some reason run on low oil or oil of the wrong viscocity thus causing excessive wear. Sometimes other mechanical distortion or looseness in the valve train can cause low pressure problems in any car, not just BMW.
These cars typically recommend mineral oils so don't go synthetic just through fashion ...though 40% synthetic 60% mineral base is becoming more commonly used ...Get this completely straight and abide by it..your manufacturer knows best what oils to use in its motor make sure it is not just the viscocity recommended but meets or exceeds the BMW stated specifications AND is the make recommended.
Other than that it's a mechanic's workshop skills you need....oil pressure can be checked in various ways and it may simply be that your crank bearings are a bit worn and an early replacement (of them and rod bearings) might give you a longer life than continuing the wear.
If in fact oil pressure IS too low at idle the bearings will have inadequate film of oil between them and the crankshaft causing a minimal but important increase in wear...and every time you accelerate from there oil will for a second, be VERY inadequate to prevent further, excessive, wear as combustion forces increase and the engine is under heavy load to move the stationary car. Does this help you?
I forgot to say that on my checking that Inverness rarely falls below "0" degrees of temperature. Very low starting point viscocity is unlikely to ever be needed. I'll repeat myself and say check with BMW for its recommendations...they will be in the handbook. If you have no handbook see if you can get it and even the full BMW brochure, book set from a wrecker.
Thank you very much,just phoned BMW regarding oil (CASTROL EDGE 5W 30),oil filter and pressure swich-all in total 127£ I have appoitment on Thursday,will let you know.
Thank you very much for your opinion.Regars Gregory.
Ok Greg, I know it costs money but it's an investment in things which are not wasted. Once you get the matter sorted you'll then know your paramenters and will also know 'what I did was good" it's not like floundering around never seeing what makes the changes, what actually "was" the problem. ..you wonder forever. I have sent good money after bad and so realise the point of having a goal and knowing when to stop and say "enough" I am faced with that right now with a car I gave my son.....I am only human too but I have "been around" cars a long time. Let me know what happens....and if the sump has to come off you might look for a well reputed mechanic and check his hourly rate against BMW's..because then it becomes straight tradeswork to drop sump check pump, bearing etc. You can mic a crank in-situ if the bearings are worn and decide what to do about it all. Sometimes a GOOD low mileage motor swap is the best idea...BMW isn't so hard to do swaps...but then is that economical or can one buy most of a better car for the money...questions, questions......You can then repair your old motor at your leisure if you want the original engine back in it ...Cheers tony
Thank you again Tony.will let you know asap.One thing more if my engine need to be replaced can I fit 2.5 instaed of 1.9.Hope dont have to do that.On thursday I am going to bmw garage so then will see.Also I have a very good garage which repairing just bmw so they can do for me a good cleaning.One time more Thanku you very much for your advise.regards Gregory.
No problems..thanks. The 318 is a 4 cyl and the 325 is a 6. It can be fitted pretty straight forwardly if same year or series. You are now firing 6 cylinders instead of 4 so that isn't going to happen on its own. Talk to your mechanic who will outline the problems there even if a motor shoes in easily mechanically and all bolts up. The 320 was probably best power to weight but the 325E the "best potential" motor. Changes in weight and engine weight placement require changes to springs and someties to braking systems to work well, You'd get springs and shocks computer and wiitng form from same wreck..but greg, wouldn't it be easier to sell the 318I (a great and balanced car ) save and buy a 325E? optioned so it holds value and have it original.A car with motor mods...except in some circumstances...is harder to sell, more drama'd, more problematic and will not hold price...particularly with engine swaps. Another example ..the famed Ford Cosworth sedan. People run the original motor up to around 700hp using more and more intrusive after market gear. They can't handle the power in most cases especially on wet and icy roads so these cars come up for sale regularly and some were notated "can't handle the power" . Most have notes like "Pounds sterling 12000 spent, 480hp, and list a long dissertaion on the parts used and bought and changed....Pounds Sterling 3200 ono. Same happens with the brilliant SaaB 9000. Increased power is usually tested out increasing wear. Typically by the time the person wants to hot the car up there is considerable driveline wear but even if good, rapid acceleration, particularly from standstill, or if one is a complete moron, doing doughnuts and burnouts, adds to drivetrain stresses and even axles and flanges in fwd's were not made to handle the power. In "real" cars ..rwd like BMW ..one can shear off axles and exacerbate transmission and diff wear through not so much the conversion but through what the driver wants to experience BY the conversion. Buy the factory version is my advice.Someone with all the gear and engineering knowledge put it together in the perfect environment. When you have it serviced or when you sell it there are no dramas. When you buy a car try to get the original engine in it. A lot of history might be behind an engine replacement.
I loved driving the 735's , they had great performance for a large car but there are other very high perfomance BMW's, such as 328, 535 which you don't have to drive like a racer but which have a mystique and desirablity. Get a really good one, examined by an expert, of whatever you buy...and by the way the seats and interior tell a lot about how a car was used or abused or even cared-about. Full of dog or cat hair is also a "???" As I was writing...get a good one in the colour you really like , with all the options if possible, treat it well and look at it as "a collector's car" keep it garaged and dry .If you are just going to flog it around then get one which doesn't have a service history of thousands of pounds....he may well have loved it...true,,but probably has had enough and is looking for someone to take over the burden Cheers Tony
Hello I got a 2004 bmw 330ci with 68000 miles for my son. I replaced oil cooler, water pump, oil/filter and one of the coils. Car runs awesome but a red oil light just stared flickering off and on about 2 weeks ago. we've been checking the oil; even put a little more in to see if it would go off. I removed oil sensor connection to see if oils was leaking but it was good. Not sure what else to do. does it when at a red light the most. The temperature is mid 80's where we live. I'm thinking about replacing idle control valve but shooting in the dark.. Again car still runs awesome but I need to know my son is driving something safe and dependable. HELP
×
U need to get ur bmw thoroughly checked by a dealer.
829 views
Usually answered in minutes!
×