Top up engine oil

[thom]

HI guysQuick question. Not sure if its a silly question. Today, the warning sign came on to top up engine oil when convenient. I havent gone thru the manual yet. Can one do it oneself or shd i bring it in to the workshop? Thanks in advance

 

[yoko9798]

That's normal bro.....which is why, usually, we will be carrying extra engine oil in the trunk.

Just add your engine oil....usually less than a liter will do.

Cheers

 

[infinityKL]

pls browse the e90 forum bro, quite a bit of discussion on the topic.


sorry, but i find this ridiculous for a bmw

 

[astroboy]

sorry, but i find this ridiculous for a bmw

These are trade offs for performance car. My Avanza no need top up.. :4:

 

[Fadhlan]

Stop by at your choice of petrol station (I prefer PETRONAS), buy a liter of fully synthetic oil and top up. I do that every time I hit 9000km.

 

[Hikaru]

I also need to top up but that's normally after an engine oil service where the mechanic only top up with 4 liters of engine oil. I have to top another one to half liters there after. Then no more top up until next service. I also carry a spare litre in my car, not to mention a bottle of water too in case of any water leaks.

 

[thom]

Thanks for the replies. Guess i have to pick up my manual and read thru it and DIY. Or maybe i'll just pop by quill and ask them to do it. Dun think its covered under BRSI

 

[astroboy]

Stop by at your choice of petrol station (I prefer PETRONAS), buy a liter of fully synthetic oil and top up. I do that every time I hit 9000km.

I would drain everything if the warning comes up at 9k km. What's the point of adding 1L for 1 more thousand km? Kind of waste. Do your oil change every 9k km la.

 

[VKS]

Just drive hard and replace fluid around every 10k and you wont have the need to top up.. 3 yrs of ownership without topping up here..Might avoid sludge building up in the engine as well

 

[feelgood]

I would drain everything if the warning comes up at 9k km. What's the point of adding 1L for 1 more thousand km? Kind of waste. Do your oil change every 9k km la.

True... I will do oil change every 10k km. if warning light pop up at 8-9k km, I'd rather change all. What if top up 1L sign show up just after 4-5k km? I saw few comments elsewhere where people top up with 1L different oil brand and oil grade, is this matter? I guess best is top up exact same oil.?

 

[astroboy]

True... I will do oil change every 10k km. if warning light pop up at 8-9k km, I'd rather change all. What if top up 1L sign show up just after 4-5k km? I saw few comments elsewhere where people top up with 1L different oil brand and oil grade, is this matter? I guess best is top up exact same oil.?

My N46B20 engine oil specified volume is 4.25L. Every oil change I only pour in 4L and top it up if I have excess top up oil under my kitchen cabinet. Even if I don't top up, it's not possible for the top up warning to come up after 4~5k km... unless there's a leak in the system because we are talking about 0.75/4 = 19% oil loss. If that happen, must identify where's the leak. Don't just blindly top up.

I last use Castrol 0w-40 (4L pack) and top up with Torco 5w-30.. Now I'm using Torco 5w-30 and top up with 10w-30 [workshop mistake].. :4:

Some say adding different brand or different grade oil may result in undesired result due to the incompatible additives but to me, it's more myth than fact. So I don't bother.

 

[alxy]

I seem to have a problem with this top-up sensor. Normally the first time I check the oil level (i.e. after car warms up first thing in the morning) I will see oil level is MAX. After traveling for a while, it shows around 1/2 to 3/4 level. If I go quite a bit (i.e. engine really gets hot), then it will show 1/4 or even give me the "+1l" warning. Next morning, back to MAX again. I just serviced car around 2 weeks ago (even before then it was showing same issues). So oil level should be quite full, and mech says no major leak. So should not be because of oil leak. Anyway, even if it is oil leak, next day should not be showing back MAX level.

Is this normal? i.e. oil level getting lower as engine gets hotter? I know oil sensor is not just level but permittivity, capacitance, etc... so oil temperature makes a difference to the reading. But by so much?? Or my oil sensor kaput?

 

[roy89]

I strongly believe that using Torco SR5 5w-30 would be able to last easily 10k. I've been using it since 2010..

My N46B20 engine oil specified volume is 4.25L. Every oil change I only pour in 4L and top it up if I have excess top up oil under my kitchen cabinet. Even if I don't top up, it's not possible for the top up warning to come up after 4~5k km... unless there's a leak in the system because we are talking about 0.75/4 = 19% oil loss. If that happen, must identify where's the leak. Don't just blindly top up.

I last use Castrol 0w-40 (4L pack) and top up with Torco 5w-30.. Now I'm using Torco 5w-30 and top up with 10w-30 [workshop mistake].. :4:

Some say adding different brand or different grade oil may result in undesired result due to the incompatible additives but to me, it's more myth than fact. So I don't bother.