BMW 320D Engine Oil

golfnuts

I was just wondering what sort of engine oil could I use on a BMW 2002 320 Diesel. The yellow oil light keeps coming on intermittently ??

richie_rvf

I don't know what oil type you should use but it is listed in the manual, you could also call BMW and ask.

Is it using much oil?

If the yellow light keeps coming on I would be inclined to check the level myself more often, better doing this than waiting for the light.

Is the level down when you check it after the light comes on?

Richie.

JohnCleary

I only use Castrol 0w-30 ... expensive but good stuff

Whatever you use make sure its either BMW LL01 or BMW ll04 it's the only stuff recommended by BMW and all the UK guy's use it because of weak turbo's. It will say it on the label if it's suitable

golfnuts

Only noticed the light in the last day or 2 coming on, especially when ignition is turned off after a journey. Didnt check the oil level as yet but will check it today. Only bought the car about 10 weeks ago, I was told it had gotten a full service before I bought it blaa di blaa di blaa di blaa usual crap trap you're told when buying a car.

richie_rvf

golfnuts wrote: »

Only noticed the light in the last day or 2 coming on, especially when ignition is turned off after a journey. Didnt check the oil level as yet but will check it today. Only bought the car about 10 weeks ago, I was told it had gotten a full service before I bought it blaa di blaa di blaa di blaa usual crap trap you're told when buying a car.

When that light comes on you should check the level as soon as possible, if you starve your turbo of oil you will be sorry!

How many miles have you done in the 10 weeks It is possible that the oil usage is completely normal.

My car uses a liter between 1500 and 2500 miles - depending on driving style

JohnCleary

BMW say anything upto 1l / 1000 mile is acceptable, which personally I find excessive

The yellow light comes on when your oil level is close to the MIN mark I think

Also those sensor's can be dodgy. Check your oil ASAP, if it's low then top it up. If it's at the MAX mark then you've a faulty sensor - easy to replace

richie_rvf

God point John - I did hear that now that you mention it, sensors have been known to fail.

On my car the light will come on when the level is in the middle of the two marks, I check very regularly though and I have only had the warning come up once, I wouldn't like to rely on it.

Richie,

golfnuts

I'll check it while on lunch today.
Thanks lads !

JohnCleary

golfnuts - Since you have a lovely new (to you) car thats only 10 weeks old, you should make a habit of doing weekly checks. Some of the basics that I do:

Coolant
Engine Oil
Brake Fluid
Power steering fluid
Tyre Pressure
Window washer water

Simple checks will increase your chances of trouble free motoring

golfnuts

Thanks for the advice John, half an hour at weekends wouldnt hurt I suppose.
Would Halfords stock the oil I need? its only up the road from where I work.

golfnuts

richie_rvf wrote: »

When that light comes on you should check the level as soon as possible, if you starve your turbo of oil you will be sorry!

How many miles have you done in the 10 weeks It is possible that the oil usage is completely normal.

My car uses a liter between 1500 and 2500 miles - depending on driving style

I've done about 4-5k mainly motorway miles !

golfnuts

Got the Castrol Edge 0w-30w today and gonna fill her up when I get some light in the morning.
Thanks again JC

maidhc

1L per 1000km means that the car will drain its sump at least twice between services. That isn't acceptable.

Feck that is all I can say. No car I own burns more than 1L between services and that includes a mondeo with 200k up and a 1974 Capri.

JohnCleary

maidhc wrote: »

1L per 1000km means that the car will drain its sump at least twice between services. That isn't acceptable.

Feck that is all I can say. No car I own burns more than 1L between services and that includes a mondeo with 200k up and a 1974 Capri.

Theres a difference between 1000 miles and 1000 km

But even at 1000 miles, I agree a 1litre drop is excessive. However BMW say that this is acceptable, so while it may be burning it, I wouldn't worry

JohnCleary

golfnuts wrote: »

Got the Castrol Edge 0w-30w today and gonna fill her up when I get some light in the morning.
Thanks again JC

Expensive stuff isint it?!

I bought 12l of the stuff from opieoils.co.uk which will do for 2 services. He gave me a nice discount for ordering 12litres, cost me 99 Sterling for the 12 litres and delivery was 10 Sterling. Delivery only took 3 days from the UK which was sweet. If you want to buy the stuff e-mail them they are good for discounts off the website prices

BMW has very high milage service intervals (12k)... I change my oil (I use genuine BMW filter, 18euro form dealer), oil filter and crankcase breather filter (50eur from dealer only) every 6k miles. Many people will say that this is overkill but I like to treat my car nicely, and I hope that it will do the same for me in return

Esel

^ €150 for a DIY oil and filter change (OK, you do the crankcase breather filter too) - FCUK THAT. You can keep your BMWs!

No wonder I have never noticed a BMW taxi.

richie_rvf

esel wrote: »

^ €150 for a DIY oil and filter change (OK, you do the crankcase breather filter too) - FCUK THAT. You can keep your BMWs!

No wonder I have never noticed a BMW taxi.

Eh?? that's the price of the oil - every car needs oil????

golfnuts

JohnCleary wrote: »

Expensive stuff isint it?!

I bought 12l of the stuff from opieoils.co.uk which will do for 2 services. He gave me a nice discount for ordering 12litres, cost me 99 Sterling for the 12 litres and delivery was 10 Sterling. Delivery only took 3 days from the UK which was sweet. If you want to buy the stuff e-mail them they are good for discounts off the website prices

BMW has very high milage service intervals (12k)... I change my oil (I use genuine BMW filter, 18euro form dealer), oil filter and crankcase breather filter (50eur from dealer only) every 6k miles. Many people will say that this is overkill but I like to treat my car nicely, and I hope that it will do the same for me in return

Expensive enough alright I'm a complete novice when it comes to car maintenence I'm not eve sure where the engine oil goes or how much....?forgive my ignorance !! Suppose if I look in the manual it'll tell....hopefully

Seth Brundle

esel wrote: »

^ €150 for a DIY oil and filter change (OK, you do the crankcase breather filter too) - FCUK THAT. You can keep your BMWs!

No wonder I have never noticed a BMW taxi.

Firstly, JohnCleary mentioned how the oil he ordered would cover 2 changes so thats €75 per change. The filters aren't required every time he changes the oil - he just does it!
Secondly, the oil cost isn't related to BMW - its related to that fact that he is putting in a good quality oil. Do other modern cars still happily accept 15W40 mineral oils? The filter costs are high but what are Lexus/Merc/VW/etc like for an oil filter?
Thirdly, there are more and more BMWs appearing as taxis nowadays for whatever reason.

DublinDilbert

richie_rvf wrote: »

On my car the light will come on when the level is in the middle of the two marks

Exactly the same as my E46... when it's down to about 1/2 way between the marks the yellow light will come on when you turn the engine off... when it's down to 1/4 of the way to min the yellow light will come on when your driving...

JohnCleary

esel wrote: »

^ €150 for a DIY oil and filter change (OK, you do the crankcase breather filter too) - FCUK THAT. You can keep your BMWs!

No wonder I have never noticed a BMW taxi.

Well let's see....
€18 for a genuine oil filter (including O ring and washer for sump nut) from BMW
€75 for proper Castrol synthetic 0w-30 BMW LL01 spec (6 litres)

That works out at €93. This only has to be done every 12k miles according to BMW, however I do it at every 6k. Why? Because I want to, it can only be a good thing changing the oil.

The crankcase breather filter is expensive alright at €50. However BMW only recommend this at every Inspection 2 (Anyone know what milage thats at?) however I also do it at every service. It's definately over-kill, however I like to play the safe card... the last thing I want is my crank over pressurising and busting the turbo seals.

I'd also expect that when it comes time to sell, it will be nice to show the potential buyer a case full of receipts for proper BMW filters and decent oil

Seth Brundle

JohnCleary wrote: »

The crankcase breather filter is expensive alright at €50. However BMW only recommend this at every Inspection 2 (Anyone know what milage thats at?) however I also do it at every service.

An inspection II would be every fourth service (oil service > inspection I > oil service > inspection II...) and if you are getting 12k between services then simple maths gives you a figure of every 48k miles (and you are doing it every 6k).

Esel

kbannon wrote: »

Firstly, JohnCleary mentioned how the oil he ordered would cover 2 changes so thats €75 per change.

I stand by my figure of €150. (£109/2 = €81)+€18+€50 = €149.

Sure he's doing overkill, that's his choice.

richie_rvf

esel wrote: »

I stand by my figure of €150. (£109/2 = €81)+€18+€50 = €149.

Sure he's doing overkill, that's his choice.

So what if it costs 150??

If you were to do the same service on any diesel car it would cost in or around the same - with the same amount of 'overkill' of course.

BTW, a liter of oil for my car costs €24 and it takes 8 liters for an oil change :eek:

Seth Brundle

But its worth every penny given what you drive Richie!

richie_rvf

kbannon wrote: »

But its worth every penny given what you drive Richie!

Shhhh.... my wife may be reading :rolleyes: she doesn't know!!

Mr.Diagnostic

Just to add a little detail to the level sensor issue. I have seen quite a few that needed the LCM re-flashed to cure the level light problem. Most are cured by fitting a new sensor.
Of course this is if its a false trigger of the level light. As others have said the level needs to be checked.