540 Oil Leakage

[yaofeng]

If you can eliminate the source of the oil leak being the expensive Pentosin the next (likely only other) is the engine oil. Most likely one or more of the the braided hose connections is leaking oil or worse it comes out between the driver side engine mount and the block. The engine oil comes out of the block through the engine mount then through the braided hose to the oil filter housing. It goes in to the block the same way.

Of course to find the exact source isn't that easy. You may have to renew the braised hoses and the o-ring between the mount and the block.

You are looking at 6 o-rings and two braided hoses. The driver side engine mount has to be removed.

Looking at the pictures I found I was wrong. There is a hard line to the oil filter housing. It must be the supply line. The braided hoses are the returns to the block for each bank. So in addition to the o-ring connections mentioned, there are two more banjo bolt connections.

This is the back side of the driver side engine mount where the engine oil passes through.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/yaofengchen/BMW_95_540/DSC_2816-2.jpg

Here is a better view of the hose connection between the block and the oil filter housing on the M60.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/yaofengchen/BMW_95_540/DSC_2834-2.jpg

[nearle]

I have been trying to diagnose an oil leak on my 540i. I am looking at about 5-10 drops every time I park. I have eliminated the power steering reservoir and the hose connections at the bottom. It is definitly coming from the drivers side. Here is a picture from undernieth.

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/6789/oilleakageud0.th.jpg (http://img209.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oilleakageud0.jpg)

I am also getting an obnoxious whining noise that follows engine speed.

[Ross]

Looks and souds like the P/S pump connections or lines, maybe the pump. The whine is either low fluid or air getting sucked in on the low pressure side.
Get some brake cleaner and clean everything well. Once that mess is gone you should be able to spot the leak point.

[Jehu]

I found my Lower driver's side Timing Chain Cover gasket is leaking. The whine does though call to mind the power steering though if you say you're not low on fluid then that would rule it out.I am losing about a Qt every few weeks. P/S fluid too but i see that coming out from the cap . So though i have a quote of about $2,600 to do the gaskets,oil lines, p/s hoses and res, VC gaskets and all fluids i haven't had it done yet. The way i found this leak was getting it on a lift, removing the splash guard and observing with a goose neck light up thru the cross members. There was about a two inch section along the lower TC Cover seam which was clean where a drop of oil was visible while everywhere around that location was gunk-ed with oily dirty crud. pretty plain it was the TCC gasket.

[mattyb]

Which is the drivers side, left or right?

[pingu]

Have you got a manual or an automatic? (nudge: please put some more information in your profile!)

I used to get a whine, when the autobox was cold, from the transmission. A new filter for the autobox and a top-up of fluid cured this. Is your whine from the transmission or the power steering pump?

[mikell]

It would help to know if you're leaking engine oil or PS fluid - stick a piece of newspaper under there to catch the drip and see what you get. Should be easy to tell.
I agree with Jehu - those timing cover gaskets are a pain, and they do get tired and leak.

[yaofeng]

I have caught some of the drips but cant identify which fluid it is. It is reddish brown, It was darker than P/S fluid from the reservoir (maybe because of dirt). I could not identify it by smell.

As best I could tell, it is coming from the area below filter housing and PS hoses, though I am not sure which one it is.

Reddish brown is ATF I suspect. Pentosin is clear. At least when fresh it is. But the ATF should not get to below the alternator as the cooler is right under the transmission and plumbing is on either side of it.

[nearle]

It would help to know if you're leaking engine oil or PS fluid - stick a piece of newspaper under there to catch the drip and see what you get. Should be easy to tell.
I agree with Jehu - those timing cover gaskets are a pain, and they do get tired and leak.

I have caught some of the drips but cant identify which fluid it is. It is reddish brown, It was darker than P/S fluid from the reservoir (maybe because of dirt). I could not identify it by smell.

As best I could tell, it is coming from the area below filter housing and PS hoses, though I am not sure which one it is.

[nearle]

Have you got a manual or an automatic? (nudge: please put some more information in your profile!)

I used to get a whine, when the autobox was cold, from the transmission. A new filter for the autobox and a top-up of fluid cured this. Is your whine from the transmission or the power steering pump?


I have an automatic with steering wheel on the left.
I sounds like it is coming from the front and doesnt go away when warm.

[MBXB]

Looks like I've got one of these.
I had it up on a lift and couldnt see exactly where it was coming from, but it all points to the same area. And it IS engine oil.

What all is involved in getting to the lines?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HE63&mospid=47410&btnr=11_1090&hg=11&fg=30

Are No. 7s the O rings that go out?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HE63&mospid=47410&btnr=11_1401&hg=11&fg=10

No 4 the O rings on the engine mount?

What a major pain!!


Thanks

[bimmo_2007]

I saw oil drops same as these, it is coming from the ASC+steering fluid pipes, I checked the o-rings & they were torn. about the whine I'd say check the transmission fluid & filter.

[nearle]

I cleaned the area good, now the fluid is coming out clear, just how it looked when I put it into the power steering reservoir.

Where are the o-rings you are talking about? I cant really tell where the major source of leakage is, but it looks like most of the connections have some buildup on them. Thanks.

[MBXB]

yaofeng's shot shows the o-rings on the engine mount, the lower shot shows the 2 oil hoses to/from teh oil filter that also have o-rings.

[bimmo_2007]

I cleaned the area good, now the fluid is coming out clear, just how it looked when I put it into the power steering reservoir.

Where are the o-rings you are talking about? I cant really tell where the major source of leakage is, but it looks like most of the connections have some buildup on them. Thanks.

Sorry, as Ramon said "yaofeng's shot shows the o-rings on the engine mount" & for the ASC+steering it has a small clamp exactly under the small relay box, you can tell if it is leaking.