The dreaded Oil light

[327]

On the way home tonight, the oil light came on so I drove very slowly to a petrol station about a 100 meters away, checked the engine oil and the dip stick was dry. I filled 2 litres of oil but the light didn't go off. I drove the 3 miles home very slowly and the light remained on. Is this terminal ?

[Theo]

Which oil light? One on the instrument cluster (oil pressure) or the overhead check panel (oil level)?

[327]

Oops, just realised this should be in the technical help forum

[327]

Instrument cluster

[Theo]

That is the dreaded light

It might be a sensor/wiring fault, if it isn't the engine has probably got very hot and bothered.

[327]

Thank you Mods for moving this

Theo25 you have a PM

[Brianmoooore]

checked the engine oil and the dip stick was dry.

If the dipstick was dry, you either have a considerable oil leak, or don't deserve to own such a quality vehicle as an E30!
If the dipstick was dry, I don't think you're going to get any joy from checking the wiring, either.

[Simon13]

sounds bad either way to me! the shells will be cooked in 3 miles with no oil pressure even if it's still running.

No oil will kill the engine or pressure or both will see the engine off very very quickly

[gareth]

didn't clobber your sump recently did you?

[B7]

As Si says, It will have cooked the bottom end in 3 miles.

[327]

Brianmooore thats harsh Mate, I asked for help and advice not insults.
I did not drive it 3 miles without oil, as soon as the light came on I coasted it in neutral to the nearest petrol station 100 meters away. I then added the 2l of oil and then drove it home a further 3 miles (the light stayed on all the time).
Gareth, I have not damaged the sump since owning the car from April this year.

[march109]

Brianmooore thats harsh Mate, I asked for help and advice not insults.
I did not drive it 3 miles without oil, as soon as the light came on I coasted it in neutral to the nearest petrol station 100 meters away. I then added the 2l of oil and then drove it home a further 3 miles (the light stayed on all the time).
Gareth, I have not damaged the sump since owning the car from April this year.

When was the last time you checked the oil?

Even on idle the un-lubed components would have been cooking to death. IMO its imaterial how far you went or under what load as soon as the light came on there is damage occuring inside the engine. The light doesn't actually come on until its usually too late.

The 2litres of oil you added may not have been enough either depending on how low it got, if it did raise the level to an acceptable level you have bigger problems because the oil light is now on because of low oil pressure due to low oil pressure with correct level. Rather than the much less worrying scenario of just low oil level causing low pressure, which normally can be sorted by topping up.

Have you noticed any oil escaping under the vehicle? That is an awful lot to 'use' since april, or whenever you last checked the level! Its either burnt off or leaked somewhere it doesn't just dissapear.

[327]

I checked the oil when I bought the car and then again at the begining of July when Nelly the slave cylinder on my clutch. Thanks for the information all, the next step will be to change the engine, Theo325 has kindly offered me a solution

[carson218]

Bit harsh for you mate!! BMW should have set the alarm setting for the low oil pressure at a setting that gives you time to act upon the alarm rather than telling you your engines f@cked!!!!

[SteSE]

Possibly not related but mine use to loose a lot of oil through the oil filter housing. It never left any oil on the drive as it would only leak once the engine was running.

Sorry to hear this

[327]

Agree Carson218. SteSE I looked at all the spots that I park in and there was no trace of oil as well so it may be exactly the same issue.

[Gibson]

Nothing harsh was said by Brianmoooore. he is merely pointing out that the only way the dipstick could end up dry is if you have reasonable sized oil leak or if you have not checked the oil in months.

For the record. any amount of time driven with the oil light on is too much. when the light is on, there is little or no oil circulating the engine and this is therefore doing it damage

[SteSE]

Rub your finger on the underside of the oil filter housing. It's under the manifold between cylinders 1-3

If it's been leaking there should be some evidence. It seems strange that your check control didn't pick up on the fact that the level was low before it (would appear) to late???

[327]

don't deserve to own such a quality vehicle as an E30! = you have not checked the oil in months
My mis-interpretation then

[hongkongfuey]

i don't think he was being anal, it's just people on the zone generally are passionate about their cars.

i check my oil once a week aswell as my tyres, coolent etc. i think the messege is if you have an e30 look after it.

have you topped the oil up to the max mark??? is the light still on???

[murran]

if you have the overhead check system the level light should come on well before it runs dry. i wouldnt right the engine off yet.
put the level up to max and get an oil pressure guage, remove the pressure sensor and fit it in there. if i shows 60psi plus when cold on idle and no less than 20 when hot on idle and picks up to 60 plus at 2000 rpm then your ok, and need to be looking for a broken wire etc.
oil pressure light was on when i bought my 320/6 e21........ was a broken wire!

an engine doesnt last long with no oil pressure, if i hasnt got a big end death rattle after 3 miles thats a good sign!???

[B7]

if you have the overhead check system the level light should come on well before it runs dry. i wouldnt right the engine off yet.

Agreed, Mine comes on before it hits min on the dipstick.

[327]

hongkongfuey, I fall into that category of being passionate about my car which is why i felt insulted, its all cleared up now so no point dwelling on the post. Murran, thanks for the info Mate, The overhead light did not come on . I am having the engine changed today but I will keep the old one to strip and learn more about E30s.

[Brianmoooore]

If you're passionate about your cars, you will have been checking all fluid levels and pressures weekly, so I won't have 'insulted' you.
If the last time you looked at the dipstick was months ago, and the oil level has dropped by natural consumption, then what I wrote stands.

[327]

Brianmooore, the last time i checked the oil was two and a bit weeks ago, it was NOT months ago! I've moved on from your comment because I see no point, or wish to argue, as life is too short for that Mate. I will continue to own an E30 irrespective of YOUR OPINION

[old_skool]

I would be looking to get to the bottom of the dynamic oil level sensor (for the check control) and why that didn't work first. In my experience of them they can require removing and flushing out. Regardless, the check control is not infallable and a good old dip can save your skin.

You don't say in your original post what the level was when you added two litres? Either way I wouldn't write anything off until you carried out a pressure test.

[E30Mark]

Might be worth double checking you also have the correct dip stick, they do change between models.

[hennabm]

if you have the overhead check system the level light should come on well before it runs dry. i wouldnt right the engine off yet.

Agreed, Mine comes on before it hits min on the dipstick.

Yes I agree if the car is a six pot then the check lamp function should have warned of low oil level long before the dipstick went dry.

[march109]

if you have the overhead check system the level light should come on well before it runs dry. i wouldnt right the engine off yet.

Agreed, Mine comes on before it hits min on the dipstick.

Yes I agree if the car is a six pot then the check lamp function should have warned of low oil level long before the dipstick went dry.

Nothing is infalable and if this topic has shown you anything its don't rely on the idiot lights.

[327]

Thanks for all the comments and advice everyone, I had the engine changed yesterday by Theo325 and he is going to carry out a "post mortem" on the knackered one just out of interest.

[murran]

Thanks for all the comments and advice everyone, I had the engine changed yesterday by Theo325 and he is going to carry out a "post mortem" on the knackered one just out of interest.

ive got a fiver says its fine! or its just touched the bigends.

[gooner1]

Agreed, Mine comes on before it hits min on the dipstick.

Yes I agree if the car is a six pot then the check lamp function should have warned of low oil level long before the dipstick went dry.

Nothing is infalable and if this topic has shown you anything its don't rely on the idiot lights.

Spot on, in fact your.e a dipstick if you do.

[Theo]

There was an evident knocking from the engine, so the big ends are no doubt knackered. Further interesting discoveries included a sump gasket composed purely from some nasty sealant, (no doubt there will be aload of this in the oil pump pickup) and a melted spark plug on cylinder four.

[Brianmoooore]

Any indication yet of where more than two litres of oil have disappeared in less than a fortnight?

[Theo]

Rear main seal is very wet with oil, as is the front of the engine! Additionall there's evidence of water and oil mixing.