E30 Zone

I just bought my second 325i sport Tech 2. tonight Drove 250 miles to see it and was shocked at how mint it was for the price. Dolphin grey with air-con, grey leather and not one mod even original radio and bbs alloys. Original paint and only one rust bubble over license plate and not a scratch or mark insight. Like it came out of the factory its so good.

I was actually saying to myself this car must be flipping priceless!!

I took out back seat checked under carpets everywhere for rust, left it running over for ages and then took it for a long spin incase it was overheating and left it running again. One thing I didnt check and Im kicking myself was oil level, did around 200 miles on the way home and oil light came on. I pulled over straight away and am going back tomo with oil. Lets say the guy was genuine and hadnt much oil in it, would I have done damage letting it run low and I didnt drive it hard on the way home??

Was it the oil pressure or level light that came on?

Faulty oil pressure senders are not uncommon.

As long as everything was getting oil at pressure then it's unlikely you've damaged it.

IF the pressure is low then it was already damaged, but I'm sure the engine would be knocking and rattling by then!


Welcome by the way!

Unlikely to have caused any serious engine damage if you weren't ragging it at the time, even if it was the pressure light working properly and doing its job.
Even if the engine bottom end is shot, it's no major disaster! M20B25 bottom ends are cheap enough.

Brianmoooore wrote:Unlikely to have caused any serious engine damage if you weren't ragging it at the time, even if it was the pressure light working properly and doing its job.
Even if the engine bottom end is shot, it's no major disaster! M20B25 bottom ends are cheap enough.

I went back to car this morning with oil and found only a litre of oil missing, so it cant have been that. The oil light that is on is on the computer and not the can on the dash. Its driving fine so I drove it home at 2000 revs and will take it to garage tomo, driving great!! Is the oil can the serious light or is it the computer one??

DRIFTBOY wrote:Was it the oil pressure or level light that came on?

Faulty oil pressure senders are not uncommon.

As long as everything was getting oil at pressure then it's unlikely you've damaged it.

IF the pressure is low then it was already damaged, but I'm sure the engine would be knocking and rattling by then!


Welcome by the way!

Thanks
I went back to car this morning with oil and found only a litre of oil missing, so it cant have been that. The oil light that is on is on the computer and not the can on the dash. Its driving fine so I drove it home at 2000 revs and will take it to garage tomo, driving great!! Is the oil can the serious light or is it the computer one??

The one on the check computer is for the oil level, and the fact that it needed a litre adding sounds about right.

The only thing to think about is where the oil has gone. Presumably there aren't great clouds of smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe, or lots of gunk in the coolant, so keep an eye on the level & if it goes down again there must be a leak somewhere.

I certainly wouldn't be worrying though!

ahhh nowt to worry about it's the dash one that is the one that you should panic about.. it's an old motor it will use a bit of oil

mossyobrien wrote: and found only a litre of oil missing, so it cant have been that.

Only a litre! That's nearly a quarter of its total capacity, and about where the light comes on.
Has the light gone out, now that the oil has been topped up? Won't happen instantly, as the oil level sensor is inside a nearly sealed can, and it takes a while for the oil level inside to rise.
No need to take it to any garage, since you don't know how much oil was in it when you bought it. Just keep an eye on the level, and the level of all other fluids, until you get to 'know' the car.

This is silly geez! just change the damn oil...thats the first thing you should've done. FYI the oil light on the check computer just lets you know when you are just a quart low and you can drive normally. Just top it up as soon as possible. It's a pretty handy active monitoring system with regards to oil level, washer, brake lights, etc
The oil light on the dash monitors oil pressure and thats the one to worry about. Pull over immediately if that one comes on.

And you're main seal is probably shite so you're probably burning oil, that's why its low....its nothing to worry about its old age, just keep an eye on the level before real damage is done!