Bad oil filter Housing gasket & Profile Gasket

[mbogosia]

I have had a small leak on my wifes 92 e36 since we got it. It has an M50 non Vanos engine. After some research I found the oil filter housing gasket and profile gasket had gone bad. As you can see they were causing quite a mess. The undercarriage had oil blown all the way to the transmission pan. Big mess. It was only leaving about a drop or 2 a day also.



Here are the bad gaskets. They were flat and hard.



The housing once it was out of the car.




This is the side of my engine where the leak occured. I thought I had an oil pan or valve cover gasket leak at first. This one can trick you.

[mbogosia]

Those pics are huge. Sorry. Just right click and select View image.

[Akhil]

Did you also replace 2 o-rings which seats inside 2 valves in oil finter housing?

Thanks

Akhil

[ryan roopnarine]

i had asked previously on the board about how many hours it would take to replace those gaskets (for non mechanics) and no one was able to answer. how long did it take you?

[billb]

i had asked previously on the board about how many hours it would take to replace those gaskets (for non mechanics) and no one was able to answer. how long did it take you?

...but there's more stuff to move on the M50. I'll probably be tackling this project in the coming week or two Ryan, and can give pointers and specifics to the 525.

[Mendozart]

Will be awaiting your results also Bill, as I am going to tackle this fix also.

[billb]

...sequence of events:

• remove negative battery cable
• remove airbox and disconnect airbox heater hoses from airbox (10mm bolt)
• remove fan shroud, fan clutch and fan from water pump
• loosen belt tensioner, and release (don't have to remove) belt from pulleys
• remove alternator (two bolts, one behind the idler,the other down low with a locking nut on the back); remove battery cables
• (note; this is a good time to check out the brushes in your alternator...mine were good at 134k miles, original alternator)
• remove power steering pump (two bolts in front, one on the back into the oilpan)
• remove tensioner assembly (more for cleaning up than anything)
• remove oil filter cover, allow oil to drain back into block
• remove filter
• remove banjo bolt holding vanos hose to oil filter housing
• disconnect oil pressure switch (leave in housing)
• unbolt filter housing from block
• remove filter housing
• clean up housing and mating surface, replace profile gasket (similar to that seen on the E36 below)
• reinstall filter housing
• replace the crush washers on the vanos oil line
• installation is the reverse of removal, for the most part

After it was all over, I Gunked it all down, then cleaned with Greased Lightning. Not convinced yet that it's completely stopped, but that was the leak point. Wiped the oilpan clean and we'll see what comes next.

Then, I did about 1/2 pint worth of Seafoam treatment. Always scary to get the CEL and code 1222 when doing that, but it sure does seem to run better afterwards! Oil change to 0W40 M1 tomorrow.

Total working time was about 2 hours...had some other errands/chores throughout the day.

[ryan roopnarine]

thanks bill. i was hoping that it would be a <4 hour affair. will be doing soon then.

[billb]

Changed over to M1 0W40 last night, and I didn't notice any new wet spots down the oilpan. Got her all ready for the trip to Asheville over the weekend (aired up the tires, checked the lights, changed the oil, crossed the fingers that the tranny's up to the trip).

Seems a little peppier after the Seafoam treatment the other day. Will advise on any mileage improvements.