Why Does My BMW Always Need Oil?
Q. I have something of a mystery on my hands. I own a 2004 BMW 325Ci five-speed manual with 145,000 miles on it. I recently had quite a few repairs: the mass airflow sensor, oil level sensor, and water pump were all replaced. The problem is, one week later I needed to add oil and have been adding about one quart of oil roughly every 300 miles. There are no leaks on the garage floor and there is no blue exhaust. I took it to a garage in town “fixed’’ it for $1,000 by replacing the oil separator. I took it back after three weeks and three more quarts of oil. They checked the cylinders and “pressures’’ and found a minimal leak from one gasket that would not account for the massive oil loss. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
A. I believe the car is burning oil and it may be caused by an issue with the PCV (crankcase ventilation system). A malfunctioning PCV system can result in excessive oil consumption. I would go to either a BMW specialist or the dealer and have them test the PCV system for proper operation.
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