question about engine oil top-ups

tranquility · 05-15-2022, 12:17 AM

I never really thought about it and it's maybe a silly question, but I go to an indy for basic stuff like oil changes, and to the dealer for more srs stuff. So I'm going to the dealer and they will top up all my fluids and I just realized that in the past they just used to put in 0W-30 when my indy uses 5W-40. Should I insist that they use the latter or they will just put whatever they think for my car? What happens if different types of oil are used? I don't think anything bad happened all these times.

paris1 · 05-15-2022, 09:18 AM

Nothing terrible happens. Chances are it won’t need a top up anyway. Don’t sweat the small stuff!

tranquility · 05-15-2022, 01:44 PM

I definitely need a top-up this time since it's halfway but tx for the assurance. So this leads to the question why do ppl bother w the different oil types if this happens every time one goes to different shops?

paris1 · 05-15-2022, 03:02 PM

Think about it; the dilution rate from adding 1/2 or even 1 quart of 5W-40 to 5.5 or so quarts of 0W-30 is insignificant. You use a specific oil brand/type because that's what the manual says or that's what you prefer. Besides, many (if not most) modern engines do not require "topping up" between changes. Neither my wife's Z4 or my Mazda 3 do for example.
PS: You have two alternatives
1) Take it to your indie shop to have oil added or
2) Get a quart of you preferred 0W-30; add it yourself and instruct the dealer to skip this step.
This isn't rocket science!

tranquility · 07-13-2022, 03:13 AM

Well, it's rocket science to me

Anyway, my car has always been good re not drinking crazy amounts of oil (always at full or near that) but just recently it is starting to drink LOTS, I just had recent servicing so it was topped up, but just a few weeks after it was at 75% full (between the MIN and MAX markers), now a further I guess 2 months it is now at 50% full...is this normal? Should I bother to top up or just leave it unless it instructs me to? What oil do you guys use? TIA.

B21 · 07-13-2022, 02:37 PM

When the oil level manager asks for oil it’s a quart / litre to top up.

BMW is paranoid about people over filling…

When it gets close to low / a quarter you could add a pint or 1/2 a litre..

Almost any modern motor oil in the 0w-30 area is best.

The 0w-20 oils are only really to eek out the fuel consumption figures.

The best thing you can do for your engine is to change your oil annually or at the latest every 8k..whichever comes first..

05-15-2022, 12:17 AM	#1
tranquility sportscars only 3230 Rep 3,191 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montréal iTrader: (0)	question about engine oil top-ups I never really thought about it and it's maybe a silly question, but I go to an indy for basic stuff like oil changes, and to the dealer for more srs stuff. So I'm going to the dealer and they will top up all my fluids and I just realized that in the past they just used to put in 0W-30 when my indy uses 5W-40. Should I insist that they use the latter or they will just put whatever they think for my car? What happens if different types of oil are used? I don't think anything bad happened all these times. __________________ The richest one percent of this country owns half our country's wealth, five trillion dollars. One third of that comes from hard work, two thirds comes from inheritance, interest on interest accumulating to widows and idiot sons and what I do, stock and real estate speculation...It's bullsh*t. I create nothing. I own. We make the rules, pal...Now you're not naive enough to think we're living in a democracy, are you buddy?
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05-15-2022, 09:18 AM	#2
paris1 Captain 89 Rep 745 Posts Drives: 2013 35i Space Grey over Coral Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Northern Calif. iTrader: (0)	Nothing terrible happens. Chances are it won’t need a top up anyway. Don’t sweat the small stuff!
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05-15-2022, 01:44 PM	#3
tranquility sportscars only 3230 Rep 3,191 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montréal iTrader: (0)	I definitely need a top-up this time since it's halfway but tx for the assurance. So this leads to the question why do ppl bother w the different oil types if this happens every time one goes to different shops?
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05-15-2022, 03:02 PM	#4
paris1 Captain 89 Rep 745 Posts Drives: 2013 35i Space Grey over Coral Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Northern Calif. iTrader: (0)	Think about it; the dilution rate from adding 1/2 or even 1 quart of 5W-40 to 5.5 or so quarts of 0W-30 is insignificant. You use a specific oil brand/type because that's what the manual says or that's what you prefer. Besides, many (if not most) modern engines do not require "topping up" between changes. Neither my wife's Z4 or my Mazda 3 do for example. PS: You have two alternatives 1) Take it to your indie shop to have oil added or 2) Get a quart of you preferred 0W-30; add it yourself and instruct the dealer to skip this step. This isn't rocket science! Last edited by paris1; 05-15-2022 at 03:18 PM..
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07-13-2022, 03:13 AM	#5
tranquility sportscars only 3230 Rep 3,191 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montréal iTrader: (0)	Well, it's rocket science to me Anyway, my car has always been good re not drinking crazy amounts of oil (always at full or near that) but just recently it is starting to drink LOTS, I just had recent servicing so it was topped up, but just a few weeks after it was at 75% full (between the MIN and MAX markers), now a further I guess 2 months it is now at 50% full...is this normal? Should I bother to top up or just leave it unless it instructs me to? What oil do you guys use? TIA. __________________ The richest one percent of this country owns half our country's wealth, five trillion dollars. One third of that comes from hard work, two thirds comes from inheritance, interest on interest accumulating to widows and idiot sons and what I do, stock and real estate speculation...It's bullsh*t. I create nothing. I own. We make the rules, pal...Now you're not naive enough to think we're living in a democracy, are you buddy?
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07-13-2022, 02:37 PM	#6
B21 Lieutenant 141 Rep 594 Posts Drives: E89 Atacama Yellow 35is Join Date: May 2022 Location: Scotland..God’s own country iTrader: (0)	When the oil level manager asks for oil it’s a quart / litre to top up. BMW is paranoid about people over filling… When it gets close to low / a quarter you could add a pint or 1/2 a litre.. Almost any modern motor oil in the 0w-30 area is best. The 0w-20 oils are only really to eek out the fuel consumption figures. The best thing you can do for your engine is to change your oil annually or at the latest every 8k..whichever comes first.. __________________ Much modified 2011 Atacama Yellow 35is…previously a much modified 2012 Atacama Yellow 20i MSport Change history here… https://www.dropbox.com/s/8h1vabklgz...0List.pdf?dl=0 Build thread here… https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=131886
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