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      04-01-2013, 08:58 PM   #1
M3takesNYC
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Bad seal? Losing oil all of a sudden

My car has just over 40k miles on it and for the first 39k miles it literally burned NO oil at all. Always checked regularly and sensor always was perfectly filled between changes.

Lately I have noticed the past few weeks the indicator has dropped a bit and now today dropped more to about half or a little less. Does not tell me to add a quart yet but this is clearly different for my car.

If it burned oil from the get-go than I would not care and I don't care if I have to add oil etc but I care that it seems different for my car.

The thing I have noticed is a black "film" around the oil-fill cap and around the engine in that area.

Was wondering if perhaps the seal is gone on the oil fill cap and is causing vapor or loss of oil through there. I cleaned the film and it came back so something is causing that.

Any thoughts? No oil under the car or anywhere else in the engine bay. I looked all around with a flashlight
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      04-02-2013, 07:21 AM   #2
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I won't worry too much about the oil cap. But i would get a leak down and compression test ?
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      04-02-2013, 12:50 PM   #3
M3takesNYC
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well there is a bunch of black stuff surrounding the oil cap and each time I wipe it it comes back. Something is comin out of there
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      04-02-2013, 02:04 PM   #4
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I just topped mine up with oil today. I don't lift the bonnet very often but this time i noticed oil film just beneath where the cap sits. I cleaned it up, thinking nothing of it and then topped up with oil and refitted the cap.
Popped out for a drive and noted that the car couldn't display the level and the indicator was just continuously processing after reaching full operating temperature.
When i got back i lifted the bonnet and noticed fresh oil had come out from beneath the cap!
Having searched through posts on here i checked the O-ring to find it had kinked and split where it wasn't seated properly
I'll be off to the dealer in the morning to hopefully get a new seal. Beware in future that you should always check the O-ring is seated correctly before refitting the oil cap. Must be a common fault that they can work loose whilst the lid is being removed.

As for the level indicator??? Hopefully I've not over-filled it. I just put in about a quarter of litre as it was reading a little below the mid point of the level indicator.

Bob
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      04-02-2013, 03:33 PM   #5
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Your engine is probably fine and I doubt you are losing a significant amount of oil through the cap. I wouldn't worry about anything besides the cap. Although sometimes that doesn't solve the issue with the oil seep.
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      04-02-2013, 03:40 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M3takesNYC View Post
My car has just over 40k miles on it and for the first 39k miles it literally burned NO oil at all. Always checked regularly and sensor always was perfectly filled between changes.

Lately I have noticed the past few weeks the indicator has dropped a bit and now today dropped more to about half or a little less. Does not tell me to add a quart yet but this is clearly different for my car.

If it burned oil from the get-go than I would not care and I don't care if I have to add oil etc but I care that it seems different for my car.

The thing I have noticed is a black "film" around the oil-fill cap and around the engine in that area.

Was wondering if perhaps the seal is gone on the oil fill cap and is causing vapor or loss of oil through there. I cleaned the film and it came back so something is causing that.

Any thoughts? No oil under the car or anywhere else in the engine bay. I looked all around with a flashlight
The oil cap leak....check this out v v v
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=704497
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      04-03-2013, 04:45 PM   #7
Bob Santorini
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Replacement oil cap fitted today. Leak gone, lesson learned regarding seal...

Bob
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      04-03-2013, 05:04 PM   #8
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Try putting the cap on backwards (with the lettering facing the opposite way). Did the trick for me.
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      04-03-2013, 05:15 PM   #9
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If you lube the seal in the cap on both sides, it will prevent it from binding up when twisting it on as well. I think this is what happens, if you press hard while turning, you can feel it bind up.
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      04-03-2013, 09:39 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Santorini
I just topped mine up with oil today. I don't lift the bonnet very often but this time i noticed oil film just beneath where the cap sits. I cleaned it up, thinking nothing of it and then topped up with oil and refitted the cap.
Popped out for a drive and noted that the car couldn't display the level and the indicator was just continuously processing after reaching full operating temperature.
When i got back i lifted the bonnet and noticed fresh oil had come out from beneath the cap!
Having searched through posts on here i checked the O-ring to find it had kinked and split where it wasn't seated properly
I'll be off to the dealer in the morning to hopefully get a new seal. Beware in future that you should always check the O-ring is seated correctly before refitting the oil cap. Must be a common fault that they can work loose whilst the lid is being removed.

As for the level indicator??? Hopefully I've not over-filled it. I just put in about a quarter of litre as it was reading a little below the mid point of the level indicator.

Bob
If only 1/4L, you are give even if it says above max. Not enough to do anything, plus mine went back down to OK level after a bit
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      04-03-2013, 10:37 PM   #11
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Oil caps have had a recall on them. I have the same residue near the cap but no low oil indicator. Its a hit or miss thing. A buddy has an 09 with the old style oil cap and no oil residue.
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      04-04-2013, 04:26 AM   #12
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Had mine leak so much in a short amount of time (lost 1/2 liter). Replaced the oil cap, and cleaned out the oil. No more leaking.
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      04-04-2013, 07:24 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Benvo View Post
Try putting the cap on backwards (with the lettering facing the opposite way). Did the trick for me.
this.
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