Measure no.

US 62494310-01
Status date (mm/dd/yy)
3/17/16

Date created (mm/dd/yy)
3/17/16

Release date (mm/dd/yy)

Subject

Oil consumption
Status

Accepted

Created by

Carsten Gruetzmacher

Approved by

Organization
US, MOT

PQM Problem reference

Dealer release

Allow automatic release

Vehicles affected

E series

247 247/81 247/85 247/85RT
247/91

247/M 247E 247E/87 247E/88
247E/91

248 259 259/E 259/RS 259/RT
259C 259C/02 259C/03 259E
259R

259S A15 BOUT C1 E169
E169/MU E169/S EXX K14
K14/02

K15 K16 K17 K18 K18/11

K19 K19/11 K21 K25 K25/02
K25/03 K25/11 K25/12 K25/31
K25/32

K25/HP K26 K26/02 K26/11 K27
K27/11 K28 K29 K29/HP K30
K40 K40/11 K41 K42 K43
K43/11 K43/HV K44 K44/31 K46
K46/11 K46/12 K47 K48 K49
K50 K51 K52 K53 K54

K569 K589 K589/03 K589/96
K589/96RS

K589/RS K589/VV K70/11 K71

Engine

Body

K71/11

K72 K72/11 K73/02 K73/03
K73/11

K75 R13 R13/31 R13/40 R21
R22 R259 R28

Production period (from/to) Feedback (all cases relating to
(mm/dd/yy) Comment on production period measure up to) (mm/dd/yy)

/

Complaint

Oil consumption too high

Cause
Possible Causes
- Due to larger thermal variations of components, engines without water cooling can have

a significantly greater oil consumption than engines with water cooling.

- Sealing problems in the area of the engine housing vent (sealing rings, gaskets, etc.).

- The engine housing (crankcase) venting system is restricted.

Background: The engine housing venting system directs the gases passing by the piston
rings ("blow-by") out of the crankcase into the intake area. Blowby contains engine oil.

In some models (e.g. K40, K43, K44, K48), a cyclone separator is used to extract the oil
from the blow-by and return it to the engine. See attached image; the cyclone separator
consists of a conical body in the area of the intake silencer with two hose connections;
the top connection directs the blow-by out of the crankcase. The bottom connection
returns the separated oil to the oil sump.

+.Cyclone separators do not consistently separate the oil throughout the entire engine
RPM range. Therefore the oil consumption can vary depending on individual riding style.
Additionally, cold weather can result in condensation of an oil-water-emulsion in the
cyclone separator and the oil return line. This can restrict the return of oil to the oil sump
which can result in this emulsion being drawn in together with the blow-by, thru the intake
silencer and burned by the engine. Oil consumption is thereby increased and combustion

residues accumulate in the combustion chambers, ports and on the valves.

- Sealing problems in the area of the secondary air system (seals to the oil chamber in the

area of the cylinder head).

- Piston/piston ring/cylinder lining damage.

- Sealing problems in the area of the valve guides (valve stem seals, worn valve guides).

- Production/manufacturing errors (e.g. from factory, missing or wrongly mounted piston

rings).

Measure
The recommended sequence for processing of the customer complaint "excessively high

oil consumption":

A) Are there any visible oil leaks?

B) Clarify whether the customer often tops up to or above the MAX mark.

If there are no visible oil leaks and one is sure that the engine is not run with levels

above MAX:

C) Perform a leak-down test (e.g. using the MBOX)

D) Perform a compression test (e.g. using the MBOX)

E) Are there any unusual amounts of engine oil in the intake silencer?

If the leak-down and/or the compression test fails: Disassemble and inspect the engine.
For good leak-down and compression values, but still larger amounts of oil in the
intake silencer:

- Check the engine housing vent (e.g. check whether cyclone separators are installed
and is the oil return blocked).

(- An oil level above the MAX marking overwhelms the venting system and the oil

transfers into the intake silencer.)

F) In as far as no cause could be determined in points A to E:

Perform an OIL CONSUMPTION MEASUREMENT.

A number of oil consumption complaints are due to an incorrect measuring procedure.
An oil consumption measurement should be performed at the earliest after 3000 miles
(5000 km). It is only then that the run-in process of the engine is essentially complete

and the engine oil consumption stabilized.

The engine oil consumption can only be determined by the customer based on the
quantity of engine oil needed to be topped up.

It's recommend to allow the engine oil level to drop close to the MIN mark and only
then top up the missing amount of engine oil. The distance between the MIN and
the MAX mark represents about 0.3 to 1.0 liter depending on the engine type.

The instructions for checking the engine oil level can be taken from the respective

rider's manual.

Exact oil consumption measurements requires weighing of the drained oil because
gas always finds its way into the oil during engine operation which falsifies the
volume measurement.

It is assumed that suitable weighing equipment of adequate accuracy is available at

motorcycle workshops.

If, as an alternative, the volume of the drained oil must be measured: please ensure that
no additional measuring errors occur when a respective oil residue is left in the different

collection containers.

PREREQUISITES:

- The engine must be oil-tight.

- The engine oil may only be drained at operating temperature condition. The engine oil
temperature (not to be confused with the coolant temperature) must be at least 90°C

(oil temperature can be read off for some vehicle types using the BMW diagnosis system).

ABL:

. Clean off any leaks and traces of oil before determining the engine oil consumption.
. Allow the engine to run until the engine oil temperature is at least 90°C.
. Do NOT unfasten the oil filter or oil filter cover.

. Open the oil drain plug.

2.

3.

4.

5. Open the oil filler plug.
6. Allow the engine oil to drain for 15 min.

7. Install the oil drain plug with a new sealing ring according to guidelines.

8. Pour in an exactly measured amount of engine oil (e.g. using a measuring cup with a
fine scale).

Please note: reduce the prescribed amount of engine oil by about 100-200 cm® since the
oil filter was not removed.

9. Drive the vehicle for about 300 miles (500 km); an increase in the mileage produces a

significant improvement in the measuring result.

MEASUREMENT:
10. Check the engine outside for leaks and, if leaking: The oil consumption measurement
is not valid.

1

. Prepare a measuring container to catch the oil quantity.

12. Allow the engine to run until the engine oil temperature is at least 90°C.

13. Do NOT unfasten the oil filter or oil filter cover.

14. Open the oil drain plug.

15. Open the oil filler plug.

16. Allow the engine oil to drain for 15 min.

17. Install the oil drain plug with a new sealing ring according to guidelines.

18. Weigh the drained quantity of engine oil; the density of the engine oil at room
temperature is about 0.86 g/cm*. When balancing out please make sure you do

not accidentally add the weight of the measuring container!

Formula for calculating the oil consumption by balancing out (weighing):

Poured in oil quantity (cm*) - (drained oil quantity (g) / 0.86 (g/cm*))

= engine oil
consumption

(mileage at draining) - (mileage when pouring in the engine oil)

AN EXAMPLE:

Volume of the poured in oil quantity at 11400 km: 3400 cm*

Weight of the drained off oil quantity at 12140 km: 2530 g

3400 cm’ - (2530 g / 0.86 g/cm*)

12140 km - 11400 km

= 0.62 cm%/km

Or in normally used words: The oil consumption is 0.62 | / 1000 km.

Complaint
Fault location

Electric motor

Fault type Fault place

Oil consumption too high

Cause

# Fault location Fault type Fault place

1 11/00 Engine oil

Repair Task Special Clearance Area
No Powertrain

Fault code
Progman / DIS / ISTA /ISTA/P.
System State Version

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