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2010 2011 BMW 5 Series Forum F10 BMW 5-Series (F10) Forums Regional Forums UK 520d Breakdown on M6
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      04-06-2018, 04:39 PM   #1
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520d Breakdown on M6

So on the way back from Scotland on Monday, car warns low engine oil. Buy 4 litre bottle from Costco and I top up 2 litres up to max and drive. Another 60 miles, the warning comes up again and I top up another 1.5 litres. It is snowing heavily and really windy, I spill about half a litre in the engine bay.

100 miles further the low warning light comes up again. I stop at services and decide cannot carry on like this. Call the breakdown services and they tell me they can't tow all the way given that it is bank holiday and they're busy. They arrange a hire car for me to carry on home.

Having read on forums, it looks like it could be the Turbo but then I did not feel any loss of power or blue smoke from the back. Anyway, I am still waiting for the recovery of the car, it is Fri today and the car is still not delivered to me.

I will post an update once I get the car and find out what is wrong as it is just not normal for the car to go through that much engine oil. Car is a Mar 2011 520d - any ideas to throw in the mix?
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      04-07-2018, 05:18 AM   #2
Sp123
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Hi

Sorry to hear of this

Especially when doing a long trip it's the last thing you need!

Is your car serviced as per idrive

Any oil changes missed?

Main dealer serviced? You could look into some goodwill from bmw


What's your mileage?

Is it driven hard from cold starts?

Just trying to paint a picture

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      04-07-2018, 01:55 PM   #3
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Car was major serviced by independent garage in Dec at 97k miles, current mileage 102.5k. From memory I-drive said next oil change was due in 13k miles. However, I do not leave more than 10k between oil changes. Recorded history shows regular Long life servicing, no info on intermediate oil changes.

>90% of the time I start and drive off straight away (within 10sec) but wait for the temp needle to reach half way before driving hard.

Car recovery have said it has been a busy week so far because of school holidays so they still haven't been able to get my car back. I understand it has been moving down South in a tag team style from one depot to another due to the number of hours a single recovery driver can drive.
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      04-09-2018, 03:06 PM   #4
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Most likely the turbo or the turbo oil seals have gone.

If it is the turbo, then make sure that they replace the oil feed and return pipes to the turbo, as those being clogged up is what usually causes turbo failure. If the pipes aren't replaced then another turbo failure is highly likely in a few months.

That much extra oil being pushed through the DPF will probably have put another load of ash into that too, so the DPF may be close to needing replacement - especially given the mileage on the car too.
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      04-10-2018, 07:35 AM   #5
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Thanks, car is back now. Only a week later!

Now need to get someone to look at it and diagnose. Upon delivery, the recovery guy said it could well be the intercooler pipe leaking oil but wasn't sure. Another idea to throw in the mix.

I guess a proper diagnosis will reveal the actual cause.
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      04-13-2018, 08:33 AM   #6
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So looks like there is an oil leak from the rear of the engine. The cam cover is either missing or broken and there is a hole in there. The engine still turns so the timing chain is in tact.

What could have caused this and how to prevent?
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      05-09-2018, 07:54 AM   #7
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So looks like it was the timing chain. The tensioners had completely given in and the chain and had extended to such a level that it was hitting the rocker cover breaking it eventually and causing oil to leak.

I was lucky that the engine was still going and I chose not to drive any further in that state otherwise the engine would have needed to be opened which IMO would have been a debate between scrapping the car altogether.
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      05-13-2018, 08:13 AM   #8
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Another N47 timing chain failure. Very sorry to hear of your woes.
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      05-15-2018, 01:37 AM   #9
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Hi, out of interest did you have any other symptoms at all? And did BMW pick up the cost?
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      05-16-2018, 07:51 AM   #10
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No sound extraordinaire, well at least none that I could tell apart. Bear in mind the timing chain did not snap but the tensioners did on mine. No BMW goodwill, partly because the car has had non-franchise service history.

The whole episode has left me just shy of £2k light because I insisted on BMW parts (chain and rocker cover) and includes a turbo replacement (reconditioned).

Only thing left now is the tranny service (oil/filter change etc.).
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