318 Ci Flashing red oil light

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    I am coming to the end of a love affair with my 2003  318CI 91K belching black smoke on the over run and set off after standing at T lites etc - using 5 L oil ( 5/30) per 1000 miles 
 I have been topping up  with oil and  was prepared to live with this as part of the costs of  enjoyable  motoring  but I am now getting flashing red oil warning light on tick over after a relatively short  run.  Starts flashing intermittently  and then becomes more solid  as I leave on tick over . Up the revs to 3k   and  the light goes out . I have had the CCV done at high cost  to no avail - is this warning of   low oil pressure as the oil levels are good ?Am I about to blow up on a dark and stormy night  in the middle of nowhere ?( I live in deep dark rural ) 
 I am told the only option is an engine rebuild ? I hear there are significant issues with this M42 B20(?)  engine and whilst the rest of the car is A1  is it now time to walk away ?
 Any advises appreciated and if anyone wants to take her on ...  we could have a no fault divorce ?

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JADBMW Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Member Joined: 21 Nov 2014 Location: Cumbria Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote JADBMW Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: 318 Ci Flashing red oil light Posted: 26 Nov 2015 at 5:38pm
	I am coming to the end of a love affair with my 2003 318CI 91K belching black smoke on the over run and set off after standing at T lites etc - using 5 L oil ( 5/30) per 1000 miles I have been topping up with oil and was prepared to live with this as part of the costs of enjoyable motoring but I am now getting flashing red oil warning light on tick over after a relatively short run. Starts flashing intermittently and then becomes more solid as I leave on tick over . Up the revs to 3k and the light goes out . I have had the CCV done at high cost to no avail - is this warning of low oil pressure as the oil levels are good ?Am I about to blow up on a dark and stormy night in the middle of nowhere ?( I live in deep dark rural ) I am told the only option is an engine rebuild ? I hear there are significant issues with this M42 B20(?) engine and whilst the rest of the car is A1 is it now time to walk away ? Any advises appreciated and if anyone wants to take her on ... we could have a no fault divorce ?

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DJ Syxx Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Club Member Joined: 07 Sep 2012 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 208	Post Options Post Reply Quote DJ Syxx Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 Dec 2015 at 8:53pm
	If its flashing red or staying on that's your oil pressure low which likely means your oil pump is not working properly. And yes these particular engines on the E46 are notorious for giving problems, mainly headgasket. If its also using a lot of oil which 5 litres per 1000 miles is excessive then you may have piston ring/bore wear so yeah essentially its goose.


JADBMW Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Member Joined: 21 Nov 2014 Location: Cumbria Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote JADBMW Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 Dec 2015 at 9:53pm
	thanks - just had an indy check it over- Strange.... no flashing red lights for a while?! never does what it should when you need it to - he has done a short service and an oil change and added a sealant to the oil- says as you do- an issue with this engine- I thought he E46 was bullet proof??! Says we should just run add oil as necessary and ''see ''but engine runs sweetly and rest of car is fine - so we live in hope that it will give a few more miles yet- not worth a re bore or new engine tho at 16 years old