M54 Oil Consumption - two possible fixes, which one is better?

[Bumpa]

Looking at the issue of M54 oil burning with regard to my 2002 2.2 Z3 I have found two different approaches short of stripping the engine and changing the oil control rings. In the first the guy installs a new piece of tubing to generate extra vacuum in the crankcase. This, he says, completely stops the oil burning.

In the other approach, the guy says that you need to replace your CCV valve and plumbing because it gets all crudded up.

Has anyone any experience of either or both jobs and if so which one (if any) works?

Mike

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo2rLSzNzt0

Second Link:-
http://www.e46zone.com/forum/topic/4142 ... 54-engine/

 

[5harp3y]

Replace the CCV first before bodging something

BMW knew what they are doing and masking the problem with more vacuum isnt the ideal solution.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Changed the ccvv soon after I bought mine (2.2 but same problem), made no difference, so a while later I changed the valve-guide oil seals. Managed to do it with the head on, fiddly but do-able, but that made only a slight difference which surprised me having seen the state of the old seals, must be same rubber they used for the cam-cover gaskets, brittle and cracked and badly worn. Come to the conclusion that one day I'll have to be brave and take the pistons out and change the rings. Not looking forward to that, was alright back when I was mechanicing for a living but never enjoyed working on my own motors, don't get paid for that.

 

[Brian4]

Agree change the CCV valve set up and if the outlet pipe from the cam cover is blocked might be worth taking the cam cover off and cleaning any gunge that accumulates under the baffle plate inside the cam cover.
You will have to change the cam cover gasket as well as this goes hard in time.

 

[Mazza]

Change it for a M44 supercar, and all your problems will be resolved.......

I would add that I am biased as I have one , and been drinking cheap Spanish beer, so may not be your best option

 

[Bumpa]

Change it for a M44 supercar, and all your problems will be resolved.......

I would add that I am biased as I have one , and been drinking cheap Spanish beer, so may not be your best option

Oh, but then I just love the sound of the six and it is so smoooooth!

 

[Mazza]

Can’t argue with that !!!

 

[Dickymint]

I changed all the CCV pipes and stuff and even the O-ring on the dipstick but at the same time I put a tin of BG44K in the tank and the oil consumption went from a litre of oil per couple of hundred miles to nothing used in the last 2 years, It also stopped that "thing" the engine used to do when you reversed or pulled away from a junction the revs would drop, I'm sure the ccv may have helped but I still think that the BG helped to free up the rings, after the work the further I drove the better the car felt and you could feel the car getting smoother and no I don't work for them

 

[Bumpa]

I changed all the CCV pipes and stuff and even the O-ring on the dipstick but at the same time I put a tin of BG44K in the tank and the oil consumption went from a litre of oil per couple of hundred miles to nothing used in the last 2 years, It also stopped that "thing" the engine used to do when you reversed or pulled away from a junction the revs would drop, I'm sure the ccv may have helped but I still think that the BG helped to free up the rings, after the work the further I drove the better the car felt and you could feel the car getting smoother and no I don't work for them

That's very interesting. Looks like the CCV job needs to be done. As for the BG44K, I've never heard of it but it sounds good. How much did you put in, considering that the Z3 tank isn't that large?

As for your comment about the "thing" when the revs drop, my 2.2 sport suffers from that too. It is dead easy to stall it when reversing slowly because the revs just seem to die away.

 

[abh29]

Recently bought ccv from c3bmw (via eBay) made by MEYLE complete with O rings and gasket. All fitted no trouble at all, I sent him my vin to ensure correct parts. £79.99 inc post , cheaper imports available but I did not fancy doing job twice.
WARNING----- ensure all the plugs are secured back as you rebuild ,saves taking it apart again.

 

[Dickymint]

I put the full load in, need a funnel though and put it in at the garage before I filled up and its also good to start it up when its cold and turn if off again so it gets sprayed into the chambers and gets time to soak, I used it on my diesel Alfa as well with even more impressive results so I'm a bit of a fan boy

 

[Foggy]

I changed all the CCV pipes and stuff and even the O-ring on the dipstick but at the same time I put a tin of BG44K in the tank and the oil consumption went from a litre of oil per couple of hundred miles to nothing used in the last 2 years, It also stopped that "thing" the engine used to do when you reversed or pulled away from a junction the revs would drop, I'm sure the ccv may have helped but I still think that the BG helped to free up the rings, after the work the further I drove the better the car felt and you could feel the car getting smoother and no I don't work for them

Hi, thank heavens I found your thread. I have the problem of 200 miles for a litre of oil also ,but my garage does not believe me ?? so came to the font of all wisdom For Z3s and more. BG44K -- I have never heard of ? can you educate me a little further please Happy motoring Foggy

 

[Nodzed]

Its just an observation but, another forum member with a 2.2 had the same issue but after a spirited run around Scotland for a week it stopped burning oil and smoking like Mr Bonds DB5. The conclusion was the oil rings were gummed up and allowing oil past and the long run did it a world of good and de-gummed them. The 2.2s maybe need to be given a hard run now and again, don't be scared to rev them hard occasionally (once warm) they don't seem to like continuous short runs and gentle driving all the time.

Just a thought before you go stripping the engine down.

 

[Foggy]

Cheers, I also took the car to Scotland last october for a good run and to walk up Nevis as well! it sorted me out well and trully but the car ?
no difference, so will buy BG44K ( any recommendations ie make ? ) and hope that works, what I cannot get my head round is that the MOT emissions are fine ? and no I do not wade in oil when passing through the garage ? But 15 litres in 3000 miles - Crazy
Regards Frank

 

[andyglym]

Meanwhile with the mighty M52, oil burnt in 7 years? Not a single drop

 

[andyglym]

Its just an observation but, another forum member with a 2.2 had the same issue but after a spirited run around Scotland for a week it stopped burning oil and smoking like Mr Bonds DB5. The conclusion was the oil rings were gummed up and allowing oil past and the long run did it a world of good and de-gummed them. The 2.2s maybe need to be given a hard run now and again, don't be scared to rev them hard occasionally (once warm) they don't seem to like continuous short runs and gentle driving all the time.

Just a thought before you go stripping the engine down.

A red line a day keeps the carbon (and oil consumption) away. Bang on mate

 

[motco]

Changed the ccvv soon after I bought mine (2.2 but same problem), made no difference, so a while later I changed the valve-guide oil seals. Managed to do it with the head on, fiddly but do-able, but that made only a slight difference which surprised me having seen the state of the old seals, must be same rubber they used for the cam-cover gaskets, brittle and cracked and badly worn. Come to the conclusion that one day I'll have to be brave and take the pistons out and change the rings. Not looking forward to that, was alright back when I was mechanicing for a living but never enjoyed working on my own motors, don't get paid for that.

My first three cars never needed an oil change as they burned oil at a prodigious rate and there was always fresh oil going in the sump. None of them seemed to suffer any ill effects. Probably not the best philosophy to apply to a modern complex machine like an M54; what works with a 1947 Morris Ten Series M may not be quite the ticket!

My M54 2.2 has <50k miles on it and whilst it does burn oil more than I would expect from a 21st century car, it is not yet at the point where I am especially worried. Nice to read about cures though, thanks chaps!

As an aside I borrowed a 1974 Austin Maxi (company car) some while ago and that used an amount that went from top line on the dipstick to oil light ON in a return trip to Wolverhampton from London, and my own company car at a slightly later time - a six cylinder 2200 Leyland Princess - consumed a gallon of oil (4.56 litres) in 400 miles entirely through the efforts of the Henlys Central School of Incompetence. Details on request if you're insomniac!

 

[Lee]

The two fixes listed above I've tried.

1) Introducing additional vacuum did work but the engine lost its crisp feel due to the drag of the extra vacuum it had a really horrible delay to the throttle pedal.

2) I used some American additives to try clean the oil control rings, again this did work to a degree but never cured it fully. I ended up changing the 2.2 lump for a 2.8TU as I wanted more power.

When we opened the engine on the 2.2 the control rings were very worn with the ring gap 4/5 times the size it should of been, it backs up what we've been reading about the bad design on the M54.