More Oil Than Filled -coolant top off

[jsoto]

Was just adding more washer fluid to the X last night

Since I had the hood up, I figuered I would check fluids

Oil seems about 1 QT higher than when I filled it up. I think...
In looking at the records, i changed the oil back in Aug 2015.
I must have wiped the dipstick 4X and took 4 measurements as I thought my eyes were going bad. But the oil reading is above the ~bulb~ of the dipstick.
Car's been running like a champ though....


BTW, how often are you guys topping off coolant in your rides...
I've done it throughout the years....
I sorta stopped keeping a mechanical record of things on the X, but do keep on them. If memory recalls, I changed out the reservoir about a year, maybe a year and a half ago. Since day 1 of ownershop, valley pan has been dealt with 2X already.

Anyhow, presume the level was on the high mark on the reservoir tube back in fall. Between then and today, I topped off another 22 oz. How normal or not do you think this is.....(back of my mind is saying, no more VP jobs).

---Post Update---

Just remembered I did a alt swap late fall. I suppose maybe that's where the coolant level went...

[bcredliner]

Did you replace the filter when you changed the oil? Was the engine hot when you checked the oil? How many miles have you driven since the change? Did you replace the oil per the specs of oil capacity? Does the oil look normal? Look at the inside of the oil fill cap and see if has anything there other than what looks like oil.

The cooling system is a closed system. Unless there is a leak somewhere or the engine has overheated there should be no need to add coolant. However, if you filled the coolant beyond the recommended level, which is easy to do, the lack of space for the coolant to expand can cause the system to 'spit' out coolant until there is room for pressure not exceeding the pressure cap maximum.

[jsoto]

Filter was replaced. Engine was stone cold when I checked.

A wild guess on mielage - about 6K
I could just do a early oil change to alleviate the *thought*....but it's been running just fine.
Oil looks fine....and drains/fill is always 8.5 qts.


Yes, I'm aware the cooling system is a closed system...
Actually, wait a minute. I did change the alt late fall. Maybe some circulation post alt install, it took some of the coolant.

[bcredliner]

Oil should be checked with the engine at operating temp giving time after the engine is off to allow for drain down. The stick is hard to read. Look for the lowest point that is clean of oil. Check it as many times as it takes to find a constant read. If you added the proper amount of oil, changed the filter and there is no indication of coolant in the oil that narrows down the possibilities to a misread of the dipstick or that inadvertently more than 8.5 qts. was added when the oil was changed. That assumes you have not added oil since the oil change.

[jsoto]

Make me a liar or make me a f00l....
Just got home and decided to just check the fill level.
And lo and behold...it was where I thought it should have been, on the correct level, which is a inkling below the high mark. Car has not started or moved since I checked it yesterday.

It must have been a oil clot just hanging on the dipstick cause I swear, it was pretty ~full~ past the plastic bulb if not thensome on the metal portion of the dipstick.....and I wiped it down and reinserted at least 3-4X thinking I was crazy.

[g300d]

In all the vehicles I've ever had oil level is always higher stone cold than at operating temp.

I'm guessing it was simply a difference in level from cold vs operating that threw you off there.

[jsoto]

I always tend to check when cold. Same like tars.

Temp wise, it would be the same. Car has not move since last night ...
Unheated garage. Wild guess on ambient would be 30's -40's.

The only difference I could suppose is the sun beating on the garage which does it make warmer, but not much..

It was very odd. I mean literally, the oil level was above the plastic....
The 1st time I wiped it down, assuming the 2nd insert/pull would show it to be more accurate. Got the same results 4 ducks in a row..

[TECN1K]

Don't feel crazy - Mine does it too. Same spot in my driveway, hours apart - oil level high... then oil level in the middle of the marks.


There's gotta be an explanation. I'd like to know the design of the dipstick tube, and where the stick actually "reads"... is it immersed in the pan, or does the oil level sit within the tube to a certain degree.

The latter may explain some amount of expansion due to temperature. Who knows.

[David.X5]

Funny. Had this happen last week and thought I was just being a dumb ass. (No criticism implied. Talking about me).

Checked oil, level in the garage, warmed up and off for a few minutes to drain back as I was taught. Read low. Very surprised... Added 1 Qt. ran it and checked again. Now it's way over the top mark. Sucked 1 Qt out with a little pump. Back to reading normal. WTF?

Maybe the cold is doing something, drawing oil into the dipstick tube under certain conditions?

Next time I will make a point of venting the cap and dipstick while I let it sit before reading the level.

[4.8isX5]

Ive always found the X5 dipstick hard to read. Same issues as stating above you'll check it and its fine... Later on you pull it theres no oil on it at all, check it when hot and let it sit for 5-10min, now its full lol.

I have to agree with BC on the X i feel the oil reads best on the dipstick consistantly if i check after it was driven.

Funny thought if it gives us DIYers that can work on these cars better then a shop issues, maybe why BMW sacked the dipstick on the newer vehicles.