Oil Burning Issues

[JAlfredPrufrock]

Hey guys, took the E34 on a 2000+ mile drive this past weekend roundtrip Milwaukee-New Orleans for Mardi Gras festivities.

Good times were had by all.

Anyway, I was a few hundred miles from home making the last stop for gasoline when the driver's display under the tach/speedo displayed I had low oil pressure. I got this message a few months ago when I unknowingly used an m50 2.5L filter when I assumed the Parts Dept was competent enough to get me the right filter when I said "E34 535i." Anyway, that is another story.

So onto the topic at hand... my mom's boyfriend is a very handy mechanic and on a ride with him a while back he said he smelled a very faint burning of oil. I nor any of my passengers I ask can smell it but he smells a burning of oil coming from the engine.

I am thinking this may be coorelated with my low oil level I found coming back from New Orleans.

Before making the trip down, I did an oil change with non-synthetic 10w-30 Mobil 1 and made sure the level was between the two lines on the dipstick with the oil at operating temperature. At the gas station downstate when it displayed a low oil pressure warning the oil was just at the lower line on the dipstick after just shutting the engine off. I added 2 quarts to err on the safe side of things and have not had any pressure warnings since, but I am going to do another oil change this weekend with an OEM Mahle filter instead of the aftermarket one I had laying around. The oil level when I checked it today was a little on the high side at the top line on the dipstick so I am kind of worried, but I'm sure I can make the trip home this weekend fine.

I was wondering, where are the common places for oil to leak and burn externally on the M30B35? I don't think I am burning oil via piston blowby because my power/compression don't seem to have changed, and I don't have any bluish exhaust gasses (I recently passed SMOG). It seems like oil is leaking onto an external surface and burning off when the engine is running, there is no leak when the car is sitting.

What would be a good checklist of things to do once warmer weather rolls around? I'm thinking I want to do a D'sylvia (sp) chip but I want my engine in as tip-top shape as possible... my M30 pulls very nice as is but I know there is more torque to be made with a proper minor overhaul come spring.

Sorry for the long post, I am somewhat concerned. Any insight is appreciated.

[632 Regal]

synthetic it for a couple of chanes, it will wash the crap off from under and in the oil rings and they should start workin right again. Conventional oil no matter what brand isnt good enough to put in anything I own. Synthetic cleans, dont break down and lubricated way after any conventional is done.

[Kalevera]

Are there any VISIBLE signs of an oil leak? Mine has leaked twice: once at the valve cover (gasket) -- caused a bit of steam and smoke at operating temp from that area; once at the timing cover bolt (see KMS's site - http://www.koalamotorsport.com/tech/...30oil.leak.htm). Both were highly visible.

good luck!

best, whit

[JAlfredPrufrock]

This is going to sound dumb but...

When you say they were visible, Whit, you were looking with the hood up right?

I mean, yeah, it would make sense... don't know why I'm asking.

[JAlfredPrufrock]

Jeff I'm going to start running synthetic once the cold weather dies off and I can actually work on the car should a leak develop... really paranoid about drips from synthetic, I want to be prepared for the conversion over.

[Paul in NZ]

Jalfred honestly i dont think you have got anything to worry about.The low oil level?? ensor goes of at about the level you said.When you change the oil make sure you top it up to the top mark.Most of our cars leak a bit of oil,.I think one of the most common places for the m30 to leak is actually the crank position sensor mounting bolt....I have seen a write up somewhere.....