BMW 5 SERIES - Excessive Oil Indicaton on 08 520D (2 litre)

AnswersSought

Hi, I have a 2008 520D (2 litre). At 20000 km the cars' diagnostics indicated that there was excessve oil in the engine.
I brought the car back to the dealership where I had bought it from. A mechanic there took some oil out of the engine
and the warning disappeared. I asked the mechanic why this warning woud have come on but he was not forthcoming with an
explaination - only to say that all was ok now.
The car now has 32000 km and the excessive oil indiction has come on again! I have brought it back to the dealership
again. More oil has been removed from the engine and the warning has disappeared again.
The dealership is now investigation it further.
Has anyone ever come across this problem before ?
If so how was it deat with and what was the remedy ?
What do you think is my best course of action ?

TURRICAN

maybe faulty oil indicator.has sombody being topping up oil without knowing when to stop?
maybe worn piston rings but i couldnt see that unless the engine gets the **** drove out of it.

AnswersSought

Thanks for reply Turrican
The car has bee driven normally. It was purchased new in July 08. The dealer's mechanics have checked the various indicators/sensors and they have all checked out ok. Other fluid levels (coolant , brake fluid etc) have all checked out as normal. The Dealer/garage are now going to analyse the oil from the engine (that was initiated over 2 weeks ago but no result yet) You would agree, that after 20000km (first ocurance) and again after 32000 (2nd ocurrance) that the volume of oil in the engine should have reduced instead of increasing ?

BrianD3

Diesel may be getting into the engine oil. I'm not sure what exactly would cause this but it may well be a serious problem with the diesel injection system. Luckily the car is still under warranty, keep pushing them over it as if this drags on until the car is out of warranty they may not be as helpful.

TURRICAN

AnswersSought wrote: »

Thanks for reply Turrican
The car has bee driven normally. It was purchased new in July 08. The dealer's mechanics have checked the various indicators/sensors and they have all checked out ok. Other fluid levels (coolant , brake fluid etc) have all checked out as normal. The Dealer/garage are now going to analyse the oil from the engine (that was initiated over 2 weeks ago but no result yet) You would agree, that after 20000km (first ocurance) and again after 32000 (2nd ocurrance) that the volume of oil in the engine should have reduced instead of increasing ?

that is correct yes the oil should be dropping.


@briand3
the diesel would be getting past the piston rings from the cylindre and then into the sump,then the oil level rises.

AnswersSought

Thanks Brian3D and Turrican
If Diesel were getting into the oil from injector system (and given that everything else seems o check out ok, it sounds like possibly the only other place the extra volume is coming from) this would be a very serious problem - right ? All the more reason that BMW get back ASAP with the analysis of the oil. I dont want something like this dragging on and the 2 year warrenty coming to an end. Is there any way of checking th injector system for such a fault ? Or is analysing the oil from the engine the only way ?

TURRICAN

AnswersSought wrote: »

Thanks Brian3D and Turrican
If Diesel were getting into the oil from injector system (and given that everything else seems o check out ok, it sounds like possibly the only other place the extra volume is coming from) this would be a very serious problem - right ? All the more reason that BMW get back ASAP with the analysis of the oil. I dont want something like this dragging on and the 2 year warrenty coming to an end. Is there any way of checking th injector system for such a fault ? Or is analysing the oil from the engine the only way ?

the injectors only spray diesel into the combustion chamber .this is where the energy comes from to move the various engine parts.but the diesel could be escaping down the cylinder and into the sump.
oli analysis and clyinder leakage test would be the tests id be doing anyway.

BrianD3

AnswersSought wrote:

If Diesel were getting into the oil from injector system (and given that everything else seems o check out ok, it sounds like possibly the only other place the extra volume is coming from) this would be a very serious problem - right ? All the more reason that BMW get back ASAP with the analysis of the oil. I dont want something like this dragging on and the 2 year warrenty coming to an end. Is there any way of checking th injector system for such a fault ? Or is analysing the oil from the engine the only way ?

Have a google for engine oil + rising + diesel, you'll find lots of pages about this happening in various cars, from Mazdas to Volvos. There seem to be a variety of problems that can cause it. eg have a look at this page
http://www.c30world.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7847

Leaking piston rings would be a serious engine problem. Also, if there is diesel in your oil for whatever reason that is not going to be great for lubrication. So yeah, it is a matter that should be addressed urgently.

AnswersSought

Thanks BrianD3 and TURRICAN for the replies and the link to all that info.

I was just thinking - my car does appear to be driving fine. I would have thought that if fuel was leaking into the oil from the piston rings that there would be a loss of power and compression. Could it be possible that an injector or some other part of the fuel system could leak small amounts of fuel into the oil without having a short term impact on the cars performance, eventhough smll amounts of fuel would compromise the oils ability to cool and lubricate the engine.
I do agree that for what ever the reason, this a serious issue. I dont want to prempt the results of the dealers analysis, but just looking ahead, would you agree that a engine/car replcement under warrenty should be sought ??.

mickdw

Does the car have a dipstick or is it just an electronic reading? Basically I mean is it certain that the level is rising. If it is, I wouldnt drive it any further tbh. If they find that diesel has been mixing into the engine oil for about 20,000 km, they would be obliged surely to fit a new engine under warranty as the defective oil would have reached every part of the engine and so possibly caused damage that would not yet be visible.

AnswersSought

Thanks mickdw
The car has both a dipstick and an electronic indication. The extra volume has been removed by the BMW dealers mechanic at 20000km and again at 32000km. So it has been established that there is an extra volume been seen in the engine. What is causing this extra volume or where it is coming from has not been established yet.

guest1952

Hi

I have a 5 series diesel and the car took off the engine went to full revs and would not switch off even with the key out.

The garage picked it up and said I had over filled it with oil. The oil supplied by BMW was still in the boot.

The engine was damaged and eventually BMW paid for it under warrenty
but would not admit it was diesel, but a mechanic told me he had seen it before the level in the sump get so high the engine runs on the oil diesel mix getting passed the rings.

Take it back and get it sorted out if all the other liquids are correct it can diesel raising the oil level. Also the diluted mix will not be lubricating you engine. Its also dangerous the car may take off like mine.

dragonsgates

Push for a new engine. Involve BMW Germany is you have to.