Oil temp running high - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

doug · 3rd September 2007, 00:14

Last week I noticed my oil temp to be running ~10 deg warm. Usually it's a needle width to the left of 210... about 200 deg F, I guess. Water temp is unchanged-- needle is right in the middle where it's always been.

I also observed that if I keep the revs below 3000 the temp is normal. Bring it up to 4000, and the temp rises by 20 deg. Bring it up to 5000, and it rises faster (I slowed it down when it increased by 40 deg, and then only for a few seconds).

Any thoughts on what might be the problem?

Tin · 3rd September 2007, 00:33

hmm... when was the last time the oil was changed? is it topped up ok?
what were the outside temps like?

doug · 3rd September 2007, 00:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tin

hmm... when was the last time the oil was changed? is it topped up ok?
what were the outside temps like?

Oil was changed along w/ Service I. The problem started soon after the service. The level is correct-- a tiny bit high if anything. Outside air temps don't seem to affect it, but it was 72 deg F when I made the test at different rpm's.

I am going to bring it in for a checkup on Tuesday morning, but hopefully I'll get a few ideas before I head in. I don't know if anything would show up on a Peake reader (I should really get one).

Zow1 · 3rd September 2007, 02:53

From my limited personal experience, switching to a 'thinner' oil (e.g. 5w60 to 0w30) makes the oil temperature fluctuations greater with upper temperature dependent on a combination of engine revs and ambient temperature - but the oil temp never reaches a dangerous level.

In the service did they change the type of oil used?

doug · 3rd September 2007, 03:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zow1

From my limited personal experience, switching to a 'thinner' oil (e.g. 5w60 to 0w30) makes the oil temperature fluctuations greater with upper temperature dependent on a combination of engine revs and ambient temperature - but the oil temp never reaches a dangerous level.

In the service did they change the type of oil used?

Not that I am aware of... I've used the BMW 5w30 oil since the car was new. I've had no problems ever running her hard from 4-6k rpm for extended periods.

EMPEROR · 3rd September 2007, 03:13

M5inGA · 3rd September 2007, 04:08

When I switched from the 5w30 to the 5w40 I noticed my oil temp was about 10-15 degrees cooler...

YAD · 3rd September 2007, 04:26

Just recently my car was experiencing the same symptoms although the water temp was also going up to the 3/4 mark. Concurrently, I took it to the dealer for a general going over because the warranty was about to expire. I mentioned that the car was running little hot. They ended up reprogramming the computer because the auxiliary fan was not cutting in when it normally should have.

mottati · 4th September 2007, 19:44

have you checked your last repair order to see what oil they used. Sounds like what i see in my car if i use 10/60 vs bmw 5w30 (hotter temps with tws).

TopEnd · 4th September 2007, 20:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by mottati

have you checked your last repair order to see what oil they used. Sounds like what i see in my car if i use 10/60 vs bmw 5w30 (hotter temps with tws).

Sounds like the right thing to do!!!