Charles Russell
11-07-2006, 09:57 PM
Hello All,
I'm new to this forum, but not to BMW's.
After several years without one of these sweet driving machines, I recently purchased an '05 X3 with the 3.0i.
It had 26,000 on the clock when purchased, and because I drive alot, now has about 31,000. Anyway, here's the question:
After several tanks of gas (5 or 6), I stopped to fill up, and checked the oil. I was alarmed to see that the dipstick had NO oil on it! Added two quarts, and drove home for the night.
Next morning, before starting up, I checked the oil again...still just barely showing on the bottom tip of the stick...still reading about two quarts low, so I added two more quarts.
Then, next stop to get gas and what happens? You guessed it...now it showed WAY over-filled! Never the first warning light, and no logical explanation for the apparently false low readings.
Took the X3 to my dealer. The tech drains 4 quarts from the engine, and guess what? Dipstick STILL shows over-full. Tech politely explains to apparently dumb_ _ _ owner how the dipstick works, until I explain to him that I've been a hobby mechanic for years and have even built several of my own engines.
So what gives? Is there something about the 3.0i that causes the dipstick to read wrong? Please enlighten this otherwise experienced shadetree what I'm missing, and thanks!
CR
I'm new to this forum, but not to BMW's.
After several years without one of these sweet driving machines, I recently purchased an '05 X3 with the 3.0i.
It had 26,000 on the clock when purchased, and because I drive alot, now has about 31,000. Anyway, here's the question:
After several tanks of gas (5 or 6), I stopped to fill up, and checked the oil. I was alarmed to see that the dipstick had NO oil on it! Added two quarts, and drove home for the night.
Next morning, before starting up, I checked the oil again...still just barely showing on the bottom tip of the stick...still reading about two quarts low, so I added two more quarts.
Then, next stop to get gas and what happens? You guessed it...now it showed WAY over-filled! Never the first warning light, and no logical explanation for the apparently false low readings.
Took the X3 to my dealer. The tech drains 4 quarts from the engine, and guess what? Dipstick STILL shows over-full. Tech politely explains to apparently dumb_ _ _ owner how the dipstick works, until I explain to him that I've been a hobby mechanic for years and have even built several of my own engines.
So what gives? Is there something about the 3.0i that causes the dipstick to read wrong? Please enlighten this otherwise experienced shadetree what I'm missing, and thanks!
CR