[sadatkhan]

Have any of you guys had issues with your g30s losing/burning oil? It seems on my car i lose a quart every 5k miles. I get an oil change every 5k miles so when its low it’s getting changed out anyways. Dealer said they couldn’t find any leaks and some oil loss was normal. I have had to pull over on the side of the road before and fill it up though, luckily i had a quart in the trunk. I had an oil change scheduled for the next day too 🤣. It’s funny how BMW can recommend a 10k oil interval when the car loses a quart in 5k. Any of you guys have similar experience as mine?

[Alscoob]

How many miles on the car?

My 540 is on 32K & is 4 years old (2020 LCI) doesn't use any significant oil between changes, it's never needs topping up. BMW UK oil servicing is every 20K but I have an interim change every 10/12K miles.

My previous 340i F31 (B58) was similar, I bought it with 8K miles and sold at 72K miles oil always changed at 10/12K as the 540 and no issues with oil consumption on that one either.

[sadatkhan]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

How many miles on the car?

My 540 is on 32K & is 4 years old (2020 LCI) doesn't use any significant oil between changes, it's never needs topping up. BMW UK oil servicing is every 20K but I have an interim change every 10/12K miles.

My previous 340i F31 (B58) was similar, I bought it with 8K miles and sold at 72K miles oil always changed at 10/12K as the 540 and no issues with oil consumption on that one either.

It’s currently at 42k, oil check in idrive shows about 3/4ths filled of the top quart, last oil change was done at 40k. previous oil change before that was done at 35k, at 40k a quart was gone.

[Alscoob]

Originally Posted by sadatkhan

It’s currently at 42k, oil check in idrive shows about 3/4ths filled of the top quart, last oil change was done at 40k. previous oil change before that was done at 35k, at 40k a quart was gone.

Seems a lot of oil to me, no leaks means it's burning oil, I would be tempted to try a different dealer to see what they say. Manufacturers do have a tollerance of what is considered to be acceptable useage and excessive useage so the dealers should look into this and carry our the tests. I'm not aware of the BMW proceedure but on a Mitsubishi I had that used oil it was something like -

Mileage check, drain oil filter etc, flush engine, measured refill, road test, top up, log mileage and quantity of oil used. Then they give you the car back and you drive / use as normal and once you have covered the specific miles they tell you to do, you take it back and they check it. They check the levels, drain and measure the quantity of removed oil and see what has been used. If it's within tollerance then you just have to keep topping it up!

Out of interest have they checked the oil level sensor? In these days of no dipsticks you could have a faulty sensor perhaps? Also what grade of oil are you using are they all LL01 or LL04 spec? Some dealers will use 0w20 or 0w30 but you can also use 5w30. I'm no expert but a little resarch shows that 0w20 is used with efficiency in mind. A change in viscosity can help oil consumption, maybe look at some options?

Although not BMW cars but they do have the B58 engine, some discussion on oil typre here... https://www.theineosforum.com/thread...ines.12413734/

Hope it helps?

[Joe-BMW33]

I have not seen any reports of this on the B58/540, but it happens to people with the V8 and it is consumption. I used to have to add a quart between changes too, similar to your experience here, but after switching to the thick stuff (5W-40), I never do now. The thin stuff the dealer puts in (0W-30) is better for gas mileage, but it burns off naturally.

BTW, you usually only get that message when you need to add two quarts. iDrive used to tell me to add two quarts.

[Warp Ten]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

I have not seen any reports of this on the B58/540, but it happens to people with the V8 and it is consumption. I used to have to add a quart between changes too, similar to your experience here, but after switching to the thick stuff (5W-40), I never do now. The thin stuff the dealer puts in (0W-30) is better for gas mileage, but it burns off naturally.

BTW, you usually only get that message when you need to add two quarts. iDrive used to tell me to add two quarts.

Haha--I owned a lot of British cars over the years, so I have seen some serious oil loss, but I have neve had oil loss on a BMW 6 cylinder. As Joe suggests, a little thicker oil might help. I once had a 1954 Aston Martin DB 2/4 that I had to put 50 weight oil in to minimize oil loss. Worked and the car ran fine. But I don't recommend 50 for the BMW! --Bob

[Chappers 71]

I read that BMW maximum permissible engine oil consumption for a B58 is 0.7 l/1000 km (approx 1 litre/quart per 890 miles)

Obviously it’d be preferable if it didn’t need topping of every 5,000 miles but I don’t think I’d be concerned, unless there were obvious signs like blue smoke or evidence of oil leaks.
The harder a cars driven the more oil it’s likely to use…

[ezaircon4jc]

Be careful when increasing viscosity. The VANOS requires a certain oil pressure range to work properly. Personally, I wouldn't go higher than what's in the manual.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Be careful when increasing viscosity. The VANOS requires a certain oil pressure range to work properly. Personally, I wouldn't go higher than what's in the manual.

Good point, but as long as the oil is LL-01FE, it is approved by BMW. 5W-40 LL-01 is on the list for the N63, although a dealer will only do what came from the factory.

IDK, the way I look at it, how good for the engine can the 0W-30 be if it is so thin it burns off? I am not an oil expert though. I change mine every 5k anyway.

[Alscoob]

From the link I posted above this extract may be of interest....

So, several things:
1. BMW doesn't design engines around grade, but HTHS (High Temperature High Shear). From onset BMW engines are designed for minimum HTHS of 3.5cp. HTHS is resistance of oil to temporary or permanent loss of viscosity at 150c. That is basically most important parameter of an oil when it comes to protection. HTHS of 3.5 is achieved usually with very heavy XW30 oils or light XW40 oils. Some XW30 oils are ranging between 3.5 and 3.65cp. XW40 oils range usually from 3.6 to 3.9cp. Everything depends on base stocks of oil.
2. 0W20 oils have HTHS from 2.6 to 2.9. So why BMW is using this? Because EPA calculates consumption through CAFE requirements. That is it! This is a bet. How many BMW owners keep car beyond lease agreement? How many drive beyond city limits?
3. BMW engines, all of them, can use 20W60 oils if one wants. Why? Because 0W20 at 40c (KV40) is 3 times thicker than average 20W60 at 100c (KV100). So, no engine won't get damaged if XW40 oil is used.
4. APPROVAL IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS! Whether oil is XW30 or XW40 is irrelevant. What is important is that oil is LL04 or LL01 if someone wants to use heavier oils. Yes, there are differences between those oils. Some are better than others. But you are in the end buying high end oil that is approved.

(EPA is the Environment protection agency & CAFE is the corporate average fuel economy if you didn't know, (I didn't so looked it up)).

Oil grades are also chosen according to temperature so it will depend on your climate where you start with that. Hot summers thicker oil, cold winters thinner oil. If we're not careful those of us who use winter tyres will be booking an oil change at the same time as the summer tyre swop over as part of the winter set up and doing the reverse when the summer arrives

Oil in my 540i is 5w30 to LL standard, it does very little short stop /start city journeys so gets good long runs at nornal operating temperatures and is changed every 10/12K miles not the 20K miles recommended service period. If I were the reverse, i would consider a slightly thinner oil.

But back to the OP's point maybe a thicker oil would help his consumption?

[Krisztian93]

Hi Its 100% not normal! I have 540i g30 gen1 with 172tkm Stg2.5 mine consumes 0 oil!!! You have to get it checked !!! Could be the PCV Valve could cause oil consumption! You can change that easily i would start there Check Kern417 video about it easy… if its not that then go to independent shop take off Catalysator check turbo check inlet etc

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

From the link I posted above this extract may be of interest....

So, several things:
1. BMW doesn't design engines around grade, but HTHS (High Temperature High Shear). From onset BMW engines are designed for minimum HTHS of 3.5cp. HTHS is resistance of oil to temporary or permanent loss of viscosity at 150c. That is basically most important parameter of an oil when it comes to protection. HTHS of 3.5 is achieved usually with very heavy XW30 oils or light XW40 oils. Some XW30 oils are ranging between 3.5 and 3.65cp. XW40 oils range usually from 3.6 to 3.9cp. Everything depends on base stocks of oil.
2. 0W20 oils have HTHS from 2.6 to 2.9. So why BMW is using this? Because EPA calculates consumption through CAFE requirements. That is it! This is a bet. How many BMW owners keep car beyond lease agreement? How many drive beyond city limits?
3. BMW engines, all of them, can use 20W60 oils if one wants. Why? Because 0W20 at 40c (KV40) is 3 times thicker than average 20W60 at 100c (KV100). So, no engine won't get damaged if XW40 oil is used.
4. APPROVAL IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS! Whether oil is XW30 or XW40 is irrelevant. What is important is that oil is LL04 or LL01 if someone wants to use heavier oils. Yes, there are differences between those oils. Some are better than others. But you are in the end buying high end oil that is approved.

(EPA is the Environment protection agency & CAFE is the corporate average fuel economy if you didn't know, (I didn't so looked it up)).

Oil grades are also chosen according to temperature so it will depend on your climate where you start with that. Hot summers thicker oil, cold winters thinner oil. If we're not careful those of us who use winter tyres will be booking an oil change at the same time as the summer tyre swop over as part of the winter set up and doing the reverse when the summer arrives

Oil in my 540i is 5w30 to LL standard, it does very little short stop /start city journeys so gets good long runs at nornal operating temperatures and is changed every 10/12K miles not the 20K miles recommended service period. If I were the reverse, i would consider a slightly thinner oil.

But back to the OP's point maybe a thicker oil would help his consumption?

What, my "thick stuff" "thin stuff" description wasn't technical enough for you

A staple of any BMW forum - a good oil thread.

[Alscoob]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

What, my "thick stuff" "thin stuff" description wasn't technical enough for you

Always. - but good to get some detail at times that you can use when dip on the service counter tells you crap

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

Always. - but good to get some detail at times that you can use when dip on the service counter tells you crap

I actually enjoyed that article, especially since if confirms what I was saying, haha.

[aerof16]

I have 120k miles on my 2017 540i and it has never lost any noticeable amount of oil.

My 2019 X5 40i doesn’t lose any either at almost 60k miles now.

1 quart every 5k sounds excessive to me but I don’t know what BMW considers within spec.

[sadatkhan]

Thanks for the advice everyone, ill have the dealer take a more extensive look at my next oil change. On my service records it says the car takes LL-17 FE+ 0w-20. The problem is I can't leave my car at the dealer for too long because they can't give me a loaner because of my age . As for the point of the PCV on my car its a 2021 so i think its moved into the valve cover so its not easily accessed. I do about 50/50 freeway and city, and my car always has auto start stop because I can't turn it off. I guess I will have to look into whether a thicker oil will be better in my car. Where i live most of the year its pretty warm so takes less time for the car to get to operating temp

[Krisztian93]

Originally Posted by sadatkhan

Thanks for the advice everyone, ill have the dealer take a more extensive look at my next oil change. On my service records it says the car takes LL-17 FE+ 0w-20. The problem is I can't leave my car at the dealer for too long because they can't give me a loaner because of my age . As for the point of the PCV on my car its a 2021 so i think its moved into the valve cover so its not easily accessed. I do about 50/50 freeway and city, and my car always has auto start stop because I can't turn it off. I guess I will have to look into whether a thicker oil will be better in my car. Where i live most of the year its pretty warm so takes less time for the car to get to operating temp

Any update what was the issue??