Hi there

Something rather worrying has happened to my e36 328i SPORT.

Having changed the oil back in feb, I recently checked the dipstick to find that the oil level is quite high. A good 5 mm above the top dot....

I have no idea what’s causing this?

There are no warning lights and the car is running ok – also diagnostics seem to be fine….

Any thoughts as to how I can trouble shoot this.

Someone suggested a faulty injector could be leaking fuel into the sump or the ECU is telling the injector to stay open – but how would I ever know this?

Cheers

kbannon wrote: Just double checking but had the engine been off and the car on the flat for a while before it was checked?

Thanks to you both - BUT

cooling level FINE & has been for ages.....

AND car was parked overnight and on a flat street.....

any other ideas :)

In order to see if an injector is faulty then you would probably need it diagnosed but I would have thought that the ECU would pick up on it. I can't really see the ECU telling the injector to stay open but stranger things have happened.

I'd change the oil anyhow and watch it from there. Any more increases and head over to your local indy.

I've only heard of diesel inflicted BMW's having fuel leaking into the sump to increase the oil level.  That is usually a sign of fuel pump failure and up to a four figure bill to sort.

Wouldn't petrol that got into the sump be vapoirsed and then drawn out thru the crankcase breather systems once the engine is up to temp?

You need to check the oil on a level surface about 10 mins after the car has been parked (to allow oil to flow back to the sump) after a run of sufficient length to get the engine fully up to operating temperature.  Pull the dipstick out, do not look at the oil level as it will not be a true reading, wipe it clean with a non fluffy cloth, stick it back in fully wait a few seconds then pull it out and inspect the oil level.  Do this atleast twice.  Make sure it isn't just oil that has found its way back up the dipstick that is contaminating the top of the measuring parts on the dipstick. Or oil getting back on the dipstick when you withdraw it from the tube.

If you measured it in the morning when the engine was stone cold it could just be oil that would its way up the dipstick tube running back down to the measuring part.

If above checks out then I would put money on it being a blown CHG as Dergside suggested.  How's the engine temp?  Is there white stuff under the oil filler cap? Does the coolant smell of petrol or like exhaust gas?

Andrew

Andrew Rolland wrote: I've only heard of diesel inflicted BMW's having fuel leaking into the sump to increase the oil level.  That is usually a sign of fuel pump failure and up to a four figure bill to sort. Wouldn't petrol that got into the sump be vapoirsed and then drawn out thru the crankcase breather systems once the engine is up to temp? You need to check the oil on a level surface about 10 mins after the car has been parked (to allow oil to flow back to the sump) after a run of sufficient length to get the engine fully up to operating temperature.  Pull the dipstick out, do not look at the oil level as it will not be a true reading, wipe it clean with a non fluffy cloth, stick it back in fully wait a few seconds then pull it out and inspect the oil level.  Do this atleast twice.  Make sure it isn't just oil that has found its way back up the dipstick that is contaminating the top of the measuring parts on the dipstick. Or oil getting back on the dipstick when you withdraw it from the tube. If you measured it in the morning when the engine was stone cold it could just be oil that would its way up the dipstick tube running back down to the measuring part. If above checks out then I would put money on it being a blown CHG as Dergside suggested.  How's the engine temp?  Is there white stuff under the oil filler cap? Does the coolant smell of petrol or like exhaust gas? Andrew

Andrew

Thanks for all the info - here's how it happened.

My mate looked at it the other day and said "oh that looks high" but i had just stopped the car after a short run, only a 10 min run. SO i waited until thre next morning and checked again and sure enough ti was still high, i wiped and checked about 5 times or so becasue I was unhappy.

More confusing is that there is NO mayo under the oil filler cap. I CANNOT smell fuel from the dipstick and the coolant level is solid and has been for 5 months. Also it takes about 15 mins to run up to temp and one sitting dead centre (ok perhaps 1 min past dead centre) it does not move - even on really hot days.....

So I am out of ideas?? Any other tell tales for a blown gasket?

Also I would agree that fuel would evaporate in the case, but filling the tank every 10 days and my MPG has gone from about 24 to 21 and my driving has not changed.....

Hmmm.

You had done all the right things with checking the oil then...hmmm.

It doesn't sound like you have blown the CHG nor does it sound like it's over heating. 

Change the oil and monitor level?

Your fuel consumption has dropped by quite a bit, wonder if that has to do with sump being too full? 

I know oil shouldn't expand or contract much with heat or cold but by any chance did you last do an oil change during the severe winter cold spell? 

I'm pretty much with Andrew.  Other than the oil level itself, it sound like all is healthy with the usual suspects.  An oil and filter change, filling to a level half way between the min and max levels with regular monitoring for a while could be a good idea.

The extra fuel usage could point to a heak gasket leak. Your best bet is a compression check.

Petrol and oil are miscible so although most of it would gas off and exit via the crank case breather some of it will remain in the oil. It would only take a small amount of the petrol over a reasonable period of time to affect the oil level.

bmwcare wrote: Could it just be simple? Overfilled at last oil change? --- Change oil & take it from there... Kind Regards, Eddie.

yeah that would be my guess......

BUT

when i did the oil change i only got about 5..5 ltrs in it and then after running it for a couple weeks i re-checked and it was low so i popped in a few hundred mm and it was fine..... It only raised recently with the increased MPG????

i have a huge work plan this weekend though...

Oil change

New coils

Injector cleaning

New AMM

New Lambda

New Supersprint exhaust...

I will also carry out a compression test

So i will keep you all posted and let you know if i find anything.

Good luck with the work and I hope the weather holds unless you have a garage. 

If you are oiking out the coils would you not be as well as changing the sparkers too, saves going back to remove the new coils to do the spark plugs in the future?

What's an AMM?  Air mass meter?

Just out of interest how are you cleaning the injectors?

With all those bits of new kit and cleaning you should notice an improvement to the engine start up and running characteristics.

ok guys -

have so far done

new air mass meter and new hose (which had a big split... :(....) in it

New plugs and coils - plug 5 hadnt been tightened correctly so a bit of leakage, perhaps contributing to power loss - but all good now.

No sign of any fuel smell in oil and still draining it. and compression test came out all fine -

replaced the passenger window motor - all working now - this is a hard job....

new supersprint exhaust - looks ace - injectors still away getting cleaned to not heard it yet.

NOW - can anyone tell me a good product to use to re-lube and re-condition the main door seal rubbers as they are just a bit old and squeeky - BUT NOT perished so done need replaced - cheers

ok guys

all work above now completed - car is going like a TRAIN - really an great improvment.....

Fantastic.

PS if anyone ever has to change an electric window motor - then put aside a whole day - those steel rivets are a pain......

The split in the air hose an potentially the loose plug will have not helped with smooth running.

Who cleaned out your injectors?

Andrew

guys

after completing works - my car is going amazing - 2nd gear 400 rpm - punch the throttle and away WEEEEEEEE go - it is awesome....

The supersprint exhaust is also really good, nice and quiet and subtle but give it the beans through a tunnel and it sounds amazing.....

if anyone can comment on why my fan does still NOT work even after doing the capacitor replacement i would really appreciate it.

Cheers

andrew - a place called injector tune .co.uk did my injectors - made a good job - but he messed up posting them back and sent them to the wrong location costing me a day at work and then causing me car to be off the road 4 days longer than it should have been until i recoved them. simple mistake but caused chaos....