e39 523i high oil consumption |
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sterly
Newbie Joined: 16-September-2010 Location: essex Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Posted: 16-September-2010 at 18:50 |
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hi all i have a e39 523i on a 97 plate.it is using a lot of oil.i am currently monitoring it just to see how much over a set milage. it idles perfect no smoke out of rear no power loss is there a way i can tell if it still has a nikkasil engine any help would be appreciated thanks |
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kbannon
Admin Group E39 525i Sport Individual Joined: 09-October-2002 Location: 64 Zoo Lane Status: Offline Points: 15508 |
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It would (unless previously changed) have a nikasil engine. What is your coolant like?
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Current: 2009 E60 520d "Sport" tractor
Previous: 1989 E30 320i SE 1997 E39 523i 2003 E39 525i Sport Individual |
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Dergside
Really Senior Member II Joined: 16-May-2004 Location: Mid West, Ireland Status: Offline Points: 4000 |
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Hi Sterly and welcome along. Sorry to say that it does have the ring of classic nikasil symptoms about it. While there was a spate of these type of problems a few years ago the rate of them has tailed off dramatically on this and other BMW forums in the last year or two. It seemed that most engines that had survived would continue to survive at this stage but your experience may disprove it. There is a formal leakdown test protocol to confirm if its a nkasil issue. Its a bit more rigourous that just a compression test, i.e. the engine should be tested from stone cold, etc. If you do a search on here with the keywords of leakdown test then you should find plenty of guidance from a couple of years back. Alternatively, most half decent BMW specialists should be able to perform the test for you. Just out of curiosity, what mileage has your car got? My old one (a '97 too) had 145k when I passed it on to a pal early this year and its now rapidly heading for 160k and still doesn't use a drop of oil between changes. I have a couple of images of a physical difference that will tell you if you have a nkasil or alusil block (on the nearside side of the engine block). Rather than trying to upload them somewhere, if you want them just PM me an e-mail address and I'll pop them off to you. |
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540 V8
Bavarian-Board Contributor Lick my badge Joined: 07-December-2005 Location: Running the asylum Status: Offline Points: 2280 |
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I think the signs of nikasil failing engines usually comprise of poor starting when cold too. Does your's start flick of the key first thing in the morning? if not there's a fair chance you may have the nikasil issue but as mentioned, a proper leakdown test will prove conclusively whether this is your problem or not.
Fingers crossed it's not but best to be sure rather than speculating. Mike |
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Current:E34 540i Touring 6 speed manual(Mpower bodykit & suspension)& Chrysler Voyager 3.3 V6 auto Previous:E34 530iSE AC Schnitzer suspension. E28 525e auto-Standard |
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Dergside
Really Senior Member II Joined: 16-May-2004 Location: Mid West, Ireland Status: Offline Points: 4000 |
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To my knowledge, the cold start problem usually occurs when the nikasil wear is very advanced. The bore wear means that the car struggles to gain enough compression to fire up. |
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Now: BMW 523i SE '00, 318i SE - e91 '07, 325i Coupe '93.
Prev: e46 328i SE Touring, 330Ci, 318Ci. e39 523i SE. e36 325i Coupe *2, 323i SE, 316iSE. e30 325iSE 2dr, 320i Conv, 320i 2dr, 316i. |
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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One easy way to tell if your car may be affected by Nikasil is to look at the build date which is on a black sticker on the inside of the nearside wing. Built after March 1998 and you are o.k.. A date before than can lead to a car having a Nikasil block. |
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Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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kbannon
Admin Group E39 525i Sport Individual Joined: 09-October-2002 Location: 64 Zoo Lane Status: Offline Points: 15508 |
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Chances are Andrew that a 97 plate car was built before March 98 The cars can and do use up to a litre of oil per 1k miles without BMW showing any concern (not that they showed a huge amount of convern with the nikasil issue). |
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Current: 2009 E60 520d "Sport" tractor
Previous: 1989 E30 320i SE 1997 E39 523i 2003 E39 525i Sport Individual |
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sterly
Newbie Joined: 16-September-2010 Location: essex Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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thanks for the info the car was built 96 starts as soon as you turn the key.i will take a look at the block and get back to you thanks again |
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sterly
Newbie Joined: 16-September-2010 Location: essex Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Its done 157k
i'd hoped at this milage it had survived this issue(is that possible?) if it is nikasil issue what can i expect to happen and how quickly? As the only sympton it seems to be suffering from is the high oil consumption at the moment thanks |
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sterly
Newbie Joined: 16-September-2010 Location: essex Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Coolant clean and oil free
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Dergside
Really Senior Member II Joined: 16-May-2004 Location: Mid West, Ireland Status: Offline Points: 4000 |
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Those are the images I mentioned above. To OP - if its starting fine and using less oil than petrol then just keep going. Having got this far, I'd expect it to continue to gradually deteriorate but there may well be 10's of thousands of miles before it gets to a point of failing entirely. When it does, as mentioned in another post, the compression will have diminished, probably on several cylinders, to the point when it can't muster up enough compression for a cold start. With my last 523i, the '97, I increased the frequency of oil and filter changes after it hit 100k miles. All servicing was done by the Service Interval lights but roughly at the half way point (6-7k in my case) I had an extra oil change with filter done. As I said earlier, that car is now heading for 160k miles and, service changes apart, the only time I ever put oil in it was a few months after I bought it in 2003. It took a half litre. So they can last quite well. There are plenty of nikasil cars about with well over 200k miles and still going strong. |
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Now: BMW 523i SE '00, 318i SE - e91 '07, 325i Coupe '93.
Prev: e46 328i SE Touring, 330Ci, 318Ci. e39 523i SE. e36 325i Coupe *2, 323i SE, 316iSE. e30 325iSE 2dr, 320i Conv, 320i 2dr, 316i. |
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sterly
Newbie Joined: 16-September-2010 Location: essex Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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hi sadly it seems block is nikasil(cant find brass nut) hopefully it has plenty of miles left in it thanks to all for your advice and time i will report back on oil usage and any change in behaviour thanks again |
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540 V8
Bavarian-Board Contributor Lick my badge Joined: 07-December-2005 Location: Running the asylum Status: Offline Points: 2280 |
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The cause of the nikasil failures was the high amounts of sulphur found in fuel which continued into the late 90's. The sulphur would react with the nikasil in the bores and cause pitting and imperfections in the smoothness of the bore which is what leads to the piston rings not being able to seal the bores properly. Fuel we use nowadaysismuch improved and the sulphur content was slashed for environmental reasons a number of years back. If your engine is a nikasil lump and is still runs ok, I see no reason why it won't continue to run without issue for many years to come.
So on the note..... HAPPY MOTORING! Mike |
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Current:E34 540i Touring 6 speed manual(Mpower bodykit & suspension)& Chrysler Voyager 3.3 V6 auto Previous:E34 530iSE AC Schnitzer suspension. E28 525e auto-Standard |
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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Rule #1 Read the original post, properly! |
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Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!
Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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Peter Fenwick
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0 out of 10. Detention for you |
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Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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Aye I'll just go and sack myself from this forum! |
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Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!
Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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jetsetwilly2000
Really Senior Member II Joined: 10-December-2003 Location: Cambridgeshire Status: Offline Points: 701 |
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Hi Sterly, welcome!
I just sold a 190k nikasil 540 which had no problems, so they can rack em up. I also think that the nikasil issue is a bit of a bogeyman, and tends to get the blame for any little niggle, leading to undiagnosed problems in other areas (eg plugs, coils, injectors, oil separator valves, engine mounts etc etc). Monitoring the oil usage is a good start, but I'd also do a leakdown test, just for peace of mind. As others have said, there is no reason why your bore lining should disintegrate today with today's petrol, so progression ought to be bearable even if the nikasil is to blame. |
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