My brother has a 91 330T with the M54 3 litre engine, and it uses a lot
of oil. He changed the oil last week and after only 200 miles the low oil
warning light came on. Took over a litre to bring it back to full. Most of
those 200 miles were spent towing a caravan.

No obvious signs like smoke from the exhaust. No leaks. Mileage approx
80,000. Runs just fine.

My 528 has never needed topping up between oil changes and has done the
same sort of miles. Is there anything easy to check like a blocked
breather etc that could be forcing it to burn this much oil? Although when
I've had this happen it tends only to force oil into the bores at high
revs - and as I said this car is used most for towing.

Sadly he lives at the other end of the UK so I can't help check things -
and of course it's not the same engine as mine.

Alternately, anyone know where you can buy the correct spec oil in bulk
cheaply? He estimates it's costing over 300 quid a year in top ups.

--
*If you think this van is dirty, you should try having sex with the driver*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying:

He changed the oil last week and after only 200 miles the low oil
warning light came on. Took over a litre to bring it back to full.

Really silly question - he did re-check the level after starting it and
allowing the filter to fill...?

Alternately, anyone know where you can buy the correct spec oil in bulk
cheaply? He estimates it's costing over 300 quid a year in top ups.

Try www.opieoils.com - if he registers on the site as being a member of a
club/forum, he'll get an even better price.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
My brother has a 91 330T with the M54 3 litre engine, and it uses a lot
of oil. He changed the oil last week and after only 200 miles the low oil
warning light came on. Took over a litre to bring it back to full. Most of
those 200 miles were spent towing a caravan.

No obvious signs like smoke from the exhaust. No leaks. Mileage approx
80,000. Runs just fine.

My 528 has never needed topping up between oil changes and has done the
same sort of miles. Is there anything easy to check like a blocked
breather etc that could be forcing it to burn this much oil? Although when
I've had this happen it tends only to force oil into the bores at high
revs - and as I said this car is used most for towing.

Sadly he lives at the other end of the UK so I can't help check things -
and of course it's not the same engine as mine.

Alternately, anyone know where you can buy the correct spec oil in bulk
cheaply? He estimates it's costing over 300 quid a year in top ups.

A 91 330T? Eh? Wassat then?

Sounds to me like a rings / bore problem. Oil can't just vanish, it's
either being burnt or leaking. I had something that did this, used about
the same amount of oil but you couldn't see it being burnt unless you
gave it full beans whilst looking in the mirror - that's not something I
do often as it's a tad dangerous.

Plugging it into an emissions tester revealed the awful truth...

--
Pete M - OMF#9

'62 Rover P4 100
'61 Rover P5 3 litre
'72 Rover P6 3500 Auto
'78 Escort 1300 Sport
'99 Audi A6 V6 Quattro Avant


"It's an Alfa, it will go wrong, it will **** you off, why should your
Alfa experience be different from everyone else's.
Now get back out there and swear at it before something else breaks."

In article ,
Adrian wrote:
He changed the oil last week and after only 200 miles the low oil
warning light came on. Took over a litre to bring it back to full.

Really silly question - he did re-check the level after starting it and
allowing the filter to fill...?

I assume so since he's been doing his own oil changes for 40 years. ;-)
And see below anyway.

Alternately, anyone know where you can buy the correct spec oil in bulk
cheaply? He estimates it's costing over 300 quid a year in top ups.

Try www.opieoils.com - if he registers on the site as being a member of a
club/forum, he'll get an even better price.

--
*Toilet stolen from police station. Cops have nothing to go on.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Pete M wrote:
Alternately, anyone know where you can buy the correct spec oil in
bulk cheaply? He estimates it's costing over 300 quid a year in top
ups.

A 91 330T? Eh? Wassat then?

Estate car. For a very small estate.

Sounds to me like a rings / bore problem. Oil can't just vanish, it's
either being burnt or leaking. I had something that did this, used about
the same amount of oil but you couldn't see it being burnt unless you
gave it full beans whilst looking in the mirror - that's not something I
do often as it's a tad dangerous.

I asked on another group and it seems problems with the oil separator is
common leading to crankcase pressurization. In some cases blowing off the
rocker cover. ;-) It happens most in cold climes and when the car is used
for short journeys. Both of which apply - the SIL takes it 1/4 mile to the
shops and 1/2 mile to walk the dog. Often.

Plugging it into an emissions tester revealed the awful truth...

It did pass an MOT recently.

--
*Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Pete M gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying:

A 91 330T? Eh? Wassat then?

T-for-Tourer, not T-for-Turbo.

Adrian wrote:
Pete M gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying:

A 91 330T? Eh? Wassat then?

T-for-Tourer, not T-for-Turbo.

They made 330s in '91? That's what got me.

--
Pete M - OMF#9

'62 Rover P4 100
'61 Rover P5 3 litre
'72 Rover P6 3500 Auto
'78 Escort 1300 Sport
'99 Audi A6 V6 Quattro Avant


"It's an Alfa, it will go wrong, it will **** you off, why should your
Alfa experience be different from everyone else's.
Now get back out there and swear at it before something else breaks."

Pete M gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying:

A 91 330T? Eh? Wassat then?

T-for-Tourer, not T-for-Turbo.

They made 330s in '91? That's what got me.

Mmm. Good point. No, they didn't. 325 would have been biggest, wouldn't
it? With 328 coming later, into E36?

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
My brother has a 91 330T with the M54 3 litre engine,

I doubt it as the M54 was only introduced in 2000. Do you perhaps mean a
2001 330i Touring?

Wasn't there an issue with this engine and high sulphur petrol because of
the nikasil block or am I misremembering?
--
Dave Baker

"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
My brother has a 91 330T with the M54 3 litre engine,

I doubt it as the M54 was only introduced in 2000. Do you perhaps mean a
2001 330i Touring?

Wasn't there an issue with this engine and high sulphur petrol because of
the nikasil block or am I misremembering?

Seems so after some Googling. It was the M52 with the Nikasil bores and the
M54 had cast iron liners to solve the problem. Drat, a mistake and I'd got
nearly three quarters of the way through the year as well. Start from
scratch again in 2010 and try harder.
--
Dave Baker