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      09-12-2018, 12:45 AM   #1
RL325xi
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Does your 35i burning oil?

Purchased 12' 35i with 44k miles couple months ago. only driven few hundreds miles so far. But noticed oil is missing half of quart since I last checked.

Did an oil change today. Took the belly pan off to carefully examined the underside. It was bone dry with no visual oil leaks.

Is it common for n55 burns oil with such low mile?

Last edited by RL325xi; 11-16-2023 at 02:48 PM..
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      09-12-2018, 08:37 AM   #2
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How many litres came off when you did the oil change?
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      09-12-2018, 09:59 AM   #3
TheCoolX3
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N55s do burn oil but to my knowledge. However, its not nearly that much. Do not quote me on this, but I believe N55 burns about a quart per 10,000 miles.

A guy with an f30 said "...I have a F30 335i that was build in 2011. I bought it used at 23k miles and from the beginning it consumed oil. Nothing worrying but still more than I have tried in other engines...The car used more oil the faster I drove it or the heavier the load was.

However, unfortunately my engine decided to eat its crankshaft bearings and I had to get a new engine/turbo and transmission 10 months ago"

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1360100

If your case is similar, I would take the car to the dealer and see what they say. Do not want any X3 brethren to have to pay for a new engine and tranny!

Best wishes!
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      09-12-2018, 11:06 AM   #4
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n55 do burn oil, but for me it's like nothing, since my audi burn 1L every 5000km or so. Which is ''normal'' for a audi....

since there's no dip stick, its hard to evaluate.

I put ''around'' 5L , and the sensor does not tell if its 100% full, or 110% or 90%.

It just say full, then throw a warning went it miss around 1L.

So this is hard to tell if it burns a liter, 1.2 L or 0.200 L.
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      09-12-2018, 11:09 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oVeRdOsE. View Post
n55 do burn oil, but for me it's like nothing, since my audi burn 1L every 5000km or so. Which is ''normal'' for a audi....

since there's no dip stick, its hard to evaluate.

I put ''around'' 5L , and the sensor does not tell if its 100% full, or 110% or 90%.

It just say full, then throw a warning went it miss around 1L.

So this is hard to tell if it burns a liter, 1.2 L or 0.200 L.
That's why I asked how much oil came out during the change...
That's the only way to accurately measure it.
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      09-12-2018, 12:29 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OnerDriver View Post
That's why I asked how much oil came out during the change...
That's the only way to accurately measure it.
yeah this would be accurate, but the thing, even with a brand new Honda Accord that vitually doesn't ''burn'' oil, you wont have the same amount after xxxx miles.

- Viscosity take volume. Old oil will loose volume
- all engines burn oil, if not, the piston ring will self seize. small amount of oil need to go in the combustion chamber to lubricate the rings and valves.
- losses from PCV
- contaminants added (water/gas/etc),

still those are small %, but for sure , you wont get 5.0000L out after 5000miles, even new.

The accurate way to do it, is to do it every oil change since day 1 brand new and compare the losses.


Also, on bmw engines , it could be a great idea to put a magnetic drain plug. (past engine rod bearing wear). will help to keed the engine clean from harmfull metalic abrasive.
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      09-12-2018, 03:33 PM   #7
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My wife and I own two 2016 X3 35i and change oil every 5K to 7K miles. I have not had to add any oil between oil changes for either of my X3. Oil consumption in my experience is less than 1/2 quart in 5000 miles.

Owners on other threads have reported a wide range of oil consumptions for the N55 engine. The link below covers a range from very little oil consumption to perhaps a liter every 2000 miles in the N55 engine. How the engine was broken in and is driven may affect oil consumption. Some owners report that the electronic device for measuring oil level is not always accurate. Overfilling the engine with motor oil may cause problems, such as when excess oil is whipped into a froth that offers poor lubrication. Some owners suggest not adding oil until the level is down about a quart.

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1074877
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      09-12-2018, 05:59 PM   #8
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2013 X3 3.5 with no oil issues. 130K miles. I change the oil at about 6K - 8 K miles.
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      09-12-2018, 10:11 PM   #9
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Thanks for all the feedbacks. It drained approximately little over 6 quarts only. Will monitor the oil level and see how much does it burn.
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      09-14-2018, 11:15 AM   #10
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Check for oil leaks especially around the oil filter housing.
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      09-14-2018, 01:32 PM   #11
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I had some oil going awol after about 3000 Km (about 1/2 qt to 1qt) on different BMW's I owned and own. About 3-4 years ago I started to add Liqui-Moly Ceratec. It's a friction modifier, but what it actually does, it coats the moving parts (piston to cylinder) with nano particles - ceramic, preventing direct contact metal-to-metal. Also fills in the micro gaps in the cylinders. On all cars, after the 1st use, the oil consumption went down (first oil change), and after the 2nd oil change (no more Cratec added - supposedly last for +/- 50,000 Km), the oil consumption stabilized to 0.
As time goes and once I see oil levels dropping again, I will do another Ceratec oil treatment to whichever car will start "burning" oil again, meaning the ceramic coating has worn off.
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      11-06-2023, 03:38 PM   #12
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grammar

Can everyone please be careful with your grammar so I can understand what everyone is saying. I spend more time trying to decipher the sentence than understanding it. Thanks

And while I'm more proficient in grammar, I know nothing about my '12 X3 35i, except everyone and their brother is trying to milk me for money when my car is running smoothly at 116k miles. I bought it 4k miles ago and did my own oil change. What the heck is this statement: well, it's a BMW. Yean, But, it's the same transmission in 1,000's of other cars. 700 for a flush? You're killing me. I happened onto a beamer without looking and never knew anything about it. Except mine has been maintained by the previous owner and the piranha are circling. lol...not!
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      11-06-2023, 04:15 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seethebeauty View Post
Can everyone please be careful with your grammar so I can understand what everyone is saying. I spend more time trying to decipher the sentence than understanding it. Thanks

And while I'm more proficient in grammar.....
Yean, But, it's the same transmission in 1,000's of other cars.
Welcome to the forum...
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      11-07-2023, 10:23 AM   #14
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3.5i M Sport, 10,000km oil change cycle. Exactly 1 litre every 10,000km. Thats my indicator for oil change, i get low oil message.
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      11-07-2023, 11:47 AM   #15
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you are supposed to change the oil? i thought all BMW's had lifetime fluids
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      11-07-2023, 09:28 PM   #16
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2012 X3 35i and it varies between .5 to .75 quart every 10K.
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