I've come to loathe the word oil...

[nmwaldron]

After numerous days of leaking oil, and an expensive trip to the dealership, I was told that the oil leak was mostly being cause by a leaking valve cover gasket, but could also be a crankcase seal? or oil pan. I replaced the valve cover gasket, changed the oil and filter and the oil leak is now much worse. I've checked and a far as I can see, there is no leak coming from the valve cover seal but it's below that. I've enclosed a few pics which show where the leak is pooling under the car and dripping down, coming from above but I can't find the source. There are a few pipes, coming off the engine that appear to have leaks too at the part they join other pipes. I drives okay, sounds much better since I changed the oil and filter but plumes of smoke come up from under the hood on the passenger side and from under the car where the oil is dripping on the hot pipes when it's idling and an burnt oil smell is strong in the cabin.
As it is, I have no more money to sink into this thing so if anyone in pa or close to erie and is interested in getting the car cheap, I'm open to offers. Otherwise I'm going to garage it until I can afford to get it re-diagnosed.
I appreciate everyone's patience with me since joining the board and everyone's advice, I know I've posted a lot.
Thanks much and as always if anyone has any suggestions or wants to make an offer, just let me know. I can send pics of the car and most of its info and vin is included in my profile.
Thanks again
Nate

[Dave M]

Not so fast.

If that the best the dealership can do for pinpointing an oil leak, I would get a second opinion. The difference in cost between addressing these items is large. If it is all three, you're looking a lot of $$, assuming you're not interested in DIY. If it is just the head cover gasket, its a simple fix.

Question:

I replaced the valve cover gasket, changed the oil and filter and the oil leak is now much worse. I've checked and a far as I can see, there is no leak coming from the valve cover seal but it's below that.

Did you do the gasket replacement? Was it done properly? Is there a chance you're missing a leak at the cover gasket? Did the dealership mention the head gasket? Are you losing coolant? Is the oil ending up on the TOP of the manifold (exhaust pipe)?

The only other way, in my humble opinion, that oil will end up where it is in your third pic, is by dripping from the head cover or head gasket areas. If I'm oriented correctly, oil may be dripping onto the top of one of the manifolds. I don't believe its possible to end up there from either the rear main seal or oil pan gasket. It would have to a hell of a leak from the rear seal through bell housing to get tossed up AND forward.

Do me a favour, find some jackstands and wash the crap out of the passenger side of the engine, the oil pan, the engine to tranny area and whatever else is soiled. Run your engine and see where the oil is coming from. From your description, there should be significant leakage to cause that much smoking This is free, and might just give an idea.

Almost forgot:

There are a few pipes, coming off the engine that appear to have leaks too at the part they join other pipes.

Not familiar with any other sources. Below Ive posted two pics of the exhaust side of my clean M50. You'll see that there aren't many options for leakage onto a manifold. PIcture it tilted the other way as it would sit in your car.

EDIT: Just realized we're looking at the the exhaust from the top of the car and the oil is hitting just beyond the rear manifold. This may be a very leaky rear seal spraying oil out onto the exhaust at higher engine speeds. The second pic below shows how the flywheel lines up with the oil mark in your third pic

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/dave_macisaac/Bimmer/Engine/Block_Swap/Engine_3009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/dave_macisaac/Bimmer/Engine/Block_Swap/Mar112006005.jpg

Hope this is of some use. Keep us posted,

Dave M

[nmwaldron]

I'll try and wash it out as soon as I get a day off. It is definately dripping from the engine area on one of the pipes coming off the engine. I can see drips of it on those pipes in the 3rd pic. It's coming from the backside of the engine area and I can't see it properly at all. But it's all over everything on the underside (passenger side only) of the engine and is pooling at the joining bar for the tie rod ends (as in the pics). I did the valve gasket change and actually checked it all over again after it was still leaking.
Thanks

[nmwaldron]

btw..the dealership diagnosed a leaking valve cover, with a possible oil pan gasket and crankshaft seal leak....
...all that for $100...

[Dave M]

While you're down there cleaning, make sure the gasket is seated properly at the back. At the top of the photo below you can see two '1/2 moon' shaped portions of the gasket. The one on the left came unseated and leaked copious amounts of oil.

About my rear main seal hypothesis: I'm not sure the holes in the bell housing are oriented in a way to allow oil the trajectory needed to end up where it is on the exhaust. Its pissing rain outside, so i'll have a look tomorrow. Check that out while you're down there as well.

Good luck :)

Dave M

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/dave_macisaac/Bimmer/Valve%20Cover%20Gasket/Head_Gasket2.jpg

[Dave M]

btw..the dealership diagnosed a leaking valve cover, with a possible oil pan gasket and crankshaft seal leak....
...all that for $100...

So what they saw was a mess on the oil pan and bottom of the tranny. Those are great clues when diagnosing an oil leak. Gravity and roadspeed tend to put most oil in the same place once its escaped ;)

Dave M

[nmwaldron]

[QUOTE=Dave M]While you're down there cleaning, make sure the gasket is seated properly at the back. At the top of the photo below you can see two '1/2 moon' shaped portions of the gasket. The one on the left came unseated and leaked copious amounts of oil.

About my rear main seal hypothesis: I'm not sure the holes in the bell housing are oriented in a way to allow oil the trajectory needed to end up where it is on the exhaust. Its pissing rain outside, so i'll have a look tomorrow. Check that out while you're down there as well.

Good luck :)

Dave M

Will do, thanks.