» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | | 02-09-2020, 08:58 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Washington DC Posts: 11 | Oil light comes on when accelerating and going around turns. Oil level looks fine and was changed recently. It's a 97 318ti with 123,000 miles. Any ideas? Is it safe to drive it home? | | | 02-09-2020, 10:17 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Dodging potholes in SoCal Posts: 454 | What weight oil? That would be a sign you're low....but if you've verified that the level is between the marks on the dipstick when cold, I'd assume you're safe. Maybe check the wiring to the light. __________________ '96 318ti California Edition- Montreal blue '68 1600-2-Caribe blue | | | 02-09-2020, 10:39 PM | #3 | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Washington DC Posts: 11 | Pretty sure its 5w 30. | | | 02-09-2020, 11:19 PM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | Could be a bad oil pressure sensor. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 02-10-2020, 05:47 AM | #5 | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Washington DC Posts: 11 | Turns out it was quite low. I had to wait longer for it to be cold and check it again. Not sure why its low but the light is off. | | | 02-12-2020, 05:19 PM | #6 | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Washington DC Posts: 11 | I have a major oil leak. I am going to auto zone to buy a Jack and Jack stand. Hopefully I can diagnose it myself. Any tips? | | | 02-12-2020, 07:22 PM | #7 | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Washington DC Posts: 11 | Oil Filter Housing? I think I found the source of the leak. Attached are photos. I think it's the oil filter housing. It's hard to get a good picture but I think you can clearly see the oil. I also included a couple of pictures of the oily mess underneath the car. You can see from the droplets appearing how much oil is leaking. I already wiped those areas off just a couple minutes before taking the pictures. I only had the car on for 1 minute today when I moved it to where I wanted to jack it up. I also posted a picture of what looks like a vacuum tube that is sheared off. Not a priority but I am curious if anyone knows what that is for, and where it goes. So I am going to commence on buying parts to repair the oil filter housing, unless you think I have misdiagnosed it? Please advise. | | | 02-12-2020, 07:59 PM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Dodging potholes in SoCal Posts: 454 | Yep, looks like you found the leak. Not a terribly difficult job, just follow the steps. __________________ '96 318ti California Edition- Montreal blue '68 1600-2-Caribe blue | | | 02-12-2020, 08:08 PM | #9 | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Washington DC Posts: 11 | Thanks for the quick response. The parts are ordered. I am a little worried because I don't have a torque wrench. I have used them in the past and I felt that I could tell when it was the correct tightness (through "feel") and have been correct. The bolts just seem to get harder to tighten all of a sudden. Is this a road to disaster, should I just buy a torque wrench?? I also don't have any o ring lube. I suppose I could just buy a tube. I do have a tube of white silicon grease that I used to lube the window tracks (after someone broke my window last year and I fixed it myself). I am guessing this is another road to disaster lol? | | | 02-13-2020, 03:51 AM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | Oil filter housing doesn't take much to tighten the bolts. I'd buy a torque wrench. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 02-13-2020, 06:15 AM | #11 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Dodging potholes in SoCal Posts: 454 | Definitely buy a torque wrench. Not too expensive at Harbor Freight. If it tightens too quickly that means you're stripping it. I usually just use some oil to lube o-rings. __________________ '96 318ti California Edition- Montreal blue '68 1600-2-Caribe blue | | | 02-20-2020, 02:34 AM | #12 | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Washington DC Posts: 11 | I did the job, I didn't use a torque wrench. The bolts holding the oil filter housing weren't very tight to begin with. The alternator and it's cradle, it was easy to feel how tight to put the bolts. We won't know until tomorrow if it's still leaking. The gasket looked fine but the O rings were completely hard and flat, so I assume that was the culprit. | | | 02-23-2020, 02:01 AM | #13 | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 | The best o rings are only good for 15 years under ideal Conditions. You should be fine for another ten or so now. | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |
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