Oil consumption

[bmw5]

My car (X3 2,5 si) since the very beginning has been emitting white smoke from the exhaust.At the workshop i was told that this is normal,it is vapor which sits on the exhausts and when firing up it becomes smoke.This doesnt happen en route but after starting the engine.A week ago the yellow oil symbol along with an accoustic signal and the warning on the screen "add oil 1 littre" came on.I have only covered 1600 kms and i believe is very soon for the engine to complete 1 littre of oil.My quess is that the engine consumes too much oil hence the white smoke.The oil warning stayed on for a couple of kilometres and erased on its own.At the workshop they added some oil and neither were they alarmed for the oil consumption nor for the white smoke.In fact i was told that it is normal to consume 0,750 litres of oil at first 2000 kms as the BMW factory instructs but i have only covered 1600 kms.Any ideas for the white smoke and if is it normal to add oil at 1600 kms?Do you have the same oil consumption?

[AzNMpower32]

I didn't get the same results, but the consumption you describe is normal. During the break-in period, the walls of the engine need to be lubricated, and thus slightly higher consumption isn't anything out of the ordinary. Happens a lot to the X5 too.

[bmw5]

Thank you for your reply.I was getting to feel anxious and disappointed.

[bmw5]

The engine has a defect by factory hence the white smoke, the consumption of oil and the yellow engine light.The problem is at the fifth cylinder and the engine will be replaced.

[rebound]

Good thing it wasn't made in the U.S.!

[rayxi]

Originally Posted by rebound

Good thing it wasn't made in the U.S.!

They will be made in the US soon however.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070516/magna..._bmw.html?.v=1

[Rick in Prescott]

Mine didn't do that either. I think I might of added about 1/2 a qt before I did the first change at 7500 miles. After that, I've never had to add oil between changes.

[AzNMpower32]

Originally Posted by bmw5

The engine has a defect by factory hence the white smoke, the consumption of oil and the yellow engine light.The problem is at the fifth cylinder and the engine will be replaced.

That's new. I felt the white smoke was unusual, but the oil consumption is not, so I didn't think it was a problem. First time I've heard of an X3 getting a new engine though. Glad to see the issue diagnosed.

[bmw5]

I believe they should have found the problem sooner and not justifying with excuses the white smoke.I was told that the piston on the fifth cylinder has the problem and from there it was loosing oil.It is quite possible that damage was done at that part of the engine because of lack of oil.The consumption is normal for the first 2000 kms by adding 0,750 littres of oil and not one littre at 1600 kms.

[Rick in Prescott]

White smoke is usually an indicator of a blown head gasket or cracked head (burning coolant). Blue smoke would be oil. Our 00 328 started to use oil but in fact the oil was entering in to the coolant through a crack in the head between #4 and #5. BMW replaced the head with re-man and the probelm was gone.