Oil Filter Housing Leak fix DIY [Archive]

robcarync

09-05-2008, 07:44 PM

Worked like a charm...once I finished the job!

I got everything disassembled and was amazed that nothing had gone wrong yet! I thought to myself: "This might be the first time I work on my car without some unforseen misfortune!"

Then as I was torquing the bolts back into the oil filter housing, I sheared the bolt by tightening it too much by accident! I had half a bolt stuck in my engine. and only about 2 mils were sticking out, making it hard to extract this bolt. It was at an awkward position to try and drill it out. Several hours later and two cans of freeze off and several pairs of pliers later, I managed to actually twist this bad boy out!

Then I had to wait a week for new bolts to get shipped to me!

On a side note, make sure you keep track of which bolts go where. Not hard if everything goes smoothly, but after being carless for a week, I was glad I labeled all the bolts!

Ray B

01-07-2009, 02:15 AM

Nice I have the same leak and am doing this tomorrow, Do you have to buy the bush or will the old one be ok? I had to order everything and i only ordered the gasket and oring, wish I had seen this first. Well done

jg e36

01-07-2009, 03:12 AM

The old one should be ok

Mopho

01-16-2009, 06:07 PM

The old one should be ok

That's good, I only got the o-rings and gasket too. Good to know which direction the bush goes in, whoever worked on my ti before I bought it, didn't do anything right. Even the valve cover gasket I just replaced was in wrong at the rear, making it leak like a seeve. Got that fixed, now to change the oil filter housing gaskets/o-rings...
Then it looks like the front crankshaft seal is leaking too...possibly the rear also...
Sigh...
:frown:
This is the first Bimmer I ever owned that leaked so bad.
Even my '84 325e Coupe with 217K didn't leak...
Goes to show, if you get a bad mechanic working on something, (I even had two stripped valve cover bolts, one one the rear spark plug valley on the ti) they can sure fudge things up...
By the way, if you run into this problem with stripped bolts, (threads gone inside engine or head) what I did was use slightly longer bolts to catch the good treads. I ran a tap in first, to clean up the threads, and blew them out with compressed air.
:wink:

jg e36

01-16-2009, 09:39 PM

This may not be your case, but when I first noticed the leak it looked like the front crankshaft seal was to blame, that was before I discovered the oil puddle at the base of the filter housing. What happened was that the oil leaking from the housing ran down and behind the crank pulley making me believe that the fron seal was bad. Once I got the area cleaned up and the rings and gaskets replaced there is no evidence of any oil around the housing or the front crankshaft seal.
I recommend you to clean the area and do the housing fix, then drive for a while and re-check to see how's everithing looking.
Good luck
jg

Mopho

01-16-2009, 11:07 PM

dave45056

02-26-2009, 12:15 AM

A little advice for everyone... The Bush comes with both o-rings and costs about 8 bucks. O-rings bought seperately cost 5 bucks each. So it's cheaper to buy the Bush.
(that just sounds wrong).
Also, this problem seems so crop up when cold weather hits.

Mopho

02-26-2009, 01:22 AM

I am going to replace just the gasket to the block.

That is what is leaking.

If you take the o-rings in to any reputable auto parts store (NOT Checker/Kragen/Pep Boys type) they will match up the o-rings for about a buck apiece, that is if you need the bush or o-rings in the first place. I have a box of o-rings I bought from Mac or Snapon Tools years ago (can't remember which it was so long ago), and it has paid for itself 10 times over.

JMHO

Xenocide

02-27-2009, 12:20 AM

just buy the bush, its cheap, and comes with the o-ring

patriot

03-04-2009, 10:56 PM

Am I correct in assuming that the M42 with the M42 style(aluminum) oil filter housing doesnt need the valve("bush")?

spidertri

03-07-2009, 12:59 AM

Notes for M44 Owners from at '98 318ti.

-Secondary air pump needs to come out

-The belt tensioner on my car required a Torx T50 to rotate counter-clockwise

-The lower bolt that holds the alternator to the cradle hits the power steering reservoir, that needs to be moved out of the way to take out and put in the alternator bolt.

-The belt tensioner does not need to come off of the alternator cradle, once all cradle bolts are removed the entire assembly (cradle, belt tensioner, power steering pulley/pump) can be pulled up and towards the fender and tied off with some twine/whatever you have. Be gentle with the power steering hoses though.

That's all I can think of, none of my bolts broke and everything came out relatively easily. My gasket was bonded to the block and the bush o-rings were flat and hard, there was oil everywhere, lol. Well worth spending the time rather than $583 the shop quoted me. Thanks for the great write up dave!

Ray Cism

03-11-2009, 04:26 PM

Thanks for the write up. I got the parts from BMW last week for under $20 and changed the gaskets in about 2 hours. No more oil drops on my driveway. :wink:

Kaliimc

05-01-2009, 02:00 AM

Mahalo! Great write up! I'm monitoring the car now to check results of my work.

Was lucky that a former BMW of Honolulu mechanic and now independant shop co-owner helped out tremendously with diagnosing the problem area, and giving me the gasket and o rings for free!

Took me 3 hours to complete, the hardest part was putting the alternator back on because of the precise clearance for the bolt. :biggrin:

Mopho

05-18-2009, 10:51 PM

Well, finally got tired of the mess in the driveway, had the parts sitting on my retired toolbox (I stay away from it as much as possible since I retired from body shop) and I changed the o-rings and gasket. It took me about 8 hours...but I cleaned everything, polished the housing, alternator, super cleaned belts, pulleys, etc.
Typical bodyman, I am into detail. I also ran a tap in all threads and blew them out (I mean, I got these tap and die sets just gathering dust, what can I say...) and polished all the nuts and bolt threads on my bench wire wheel ...
Things sure torque better when all the threads are the same and CLEAN.

Seems to have fixed the problem. NO more leak at the housing. And man, were those o-rings hard and flat. They broke trying to take them off the bush (I used the old bush, new o-rings and gasket sealer ont the gasket). I also put the oil filter housing on a flat piece of glass with some fine sandpaper, and made sure it was flat and clean). Soo, that's why I took 8 hours....+ to get-er done.

One thing to mention. Make sure you have a mental or phyisical picture of how the serpintine belt goes...LOL!
Thanks for the info everyone.

Helped to be able to see what someone else had to do instead of relying on the Bentley manual...
:wink:

exiledan

06-26-2009, 03:39 AM

awesome write up, im doing this tomorrow morning, mine started to leak in the winter, care would warm up and no leak....now its summer leaking all the time...i can clean it all up, start the car and watch it seep out as in the pics above...thanks alot...

eurohb

09-10-2009, 12:56 AM

i did this and it worked thanks again:)

Mopho

09-10-2009, 05:07 PM

Wellll,
I sold the white ti, and found a nice green one (1996 also, owned by a lady schoolteacher that bought a Mercedes to replace it :eek: ) that is in MUCH better shape than the white one was, and with 139K instead of 184K...

It must be an "Active" since it has the power sunroof, leather interior, side ground effects, and cruise control. I had to replace the power window regulator on the passenger side when I bought it, but only paid $2200 for it.

It has the typical leak at the filter housing, but now that I have done it once, it will be easier to change the second time. I just bought the o-rings and block gasket the last time, worked out well, no leaks.

Thanks again for the photos and writeup. Helped a bunch.
Mopho
:wink:

projekt EPiK

02-22-2010, 06:28 PM

just wanted to add how great this writeup is. I did the fix on my 95 ti back in November when I got it.. installed the new gaskets and bushing.. degreased everything on the front of the engine with Simple Green and drove around the corner to the car/pressure wash. Nice and shiny clean, and not a drop since.

I just started working on my 97 318i race car and it needs the fix BAD. Oredering parts today. Thanks again for a great post.

sauerkraut

03-25-2010, 02:43 AM

i just did this today no more oil leak thanks for the right up:biggrin:

Mopho

03-25-2010, 06:11 PM

I finally got my greenie done, when the water pump went out. Unfortunatly, I blew a head gasket overheating it, so it's in the shop getting the head redone. I will find out this week if the head is cracked.
A fair warning: My car did not start running funny or anything. Just overheated it for a minute, and wallla. Blown head gasket.
Watch your tempertures, guys and dolls. This is gonna cost me (with a complete valve job and resurfacing the head, new valve guide seals etc.) over 2 grand for a minutes overheating.

2MIZ129

04-07-2010, 04:11 AM

Recon427

04-07-2010, 05:44 AM

i have this same leak ive had it for like a week is a serious leak should i deal with it now? i have no money or tools to do this right now..
i guess id have to go to a shop if its a serious thing.. if so how much do you guys think they would charge me

If you go to an independent shop they would probably quote you about 2 hours worth of labor at least.

The parts are cheap [less than $10 total] and it would take you about 3 hours to do on your own if you took your time and studied everything. Take you 1 hour if you were just replacing the gasket and getting out of there. But I like to clean all the parts I take apart and clean the surrounding area. So I spent half a day doing this.... but my engine looks nice now :D

Remember the alternator is a pain to get out. I filed down the mounting brackets on the alternator and lined them with white lithium grease for easy installation and and future removal. just and fyi .

Good luck ;) Save the money and try this yourself. Spend the money you would spend at a shop on some neat upgrades :D

2MIZ129

04-08-2010, 04:26 AM

i will def try this on my own, but is it a serious leak ? should i deal with it now or can it last another month or so.. i keep putting oil in cause it gets low but not low enough that it needs the whole bottle

Recon427

04-08-2010, 02:22 PM

Well I would not be a great judge of what is considered a "bad leak."

You say you have to put more oil into the car? At what frequency? If it is once a month then your leak is not severe. Is it every week? Then, yeah, get this fixed pronto.

By the way, careful when you remove that alternator..... just like the How To guide states: Don't hit it with a hammer. :biggrin:

2MIZ129

04-08-2010, 07:34 PM

i have to like once every 2 and half weeks just 1 quart bottle i check the dipstick everyday, but when its low it doesnt seem to go below the the last line it stays in the middle between full line the reason i put more in is so it stays on top way.. full. think it last another month? lol

Recon427

04-08-2010, 08:42 PM

Umm what do you mean by "full line" You mean, at the top of the number range?

The oil level should not be at the "full" mark. It should be in between the full and low mark. Too much oil will actually cause damage to your engine...

In any case, as long as you have oil on hand [keep a bottle in your trunk] and you check it regularly then it sounds like you will be fine for another month. However, try not to post pone this repair for too long.

2MIZ129

04-08-2010, 09:40 PM

yeah i dont fill it up that much its right where it should be sorry
and thanks for the help i will have to do this soon for sure
cause its getting mad oil all over the bottom sucks cause just got it steamcleaned a month ago

2MIZ129

05-13-2010, 03:29 AM

finally getting to it, this weekend but i got some questions..
im ordering the parts from pelican are they legit ? same as bmw original parts?
i have a 96 ti auto m44.
im ordering
http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=11-42-1-709-800-M17&catalog_description=Gasket%2C%20Oil%20Filter%20Housing%20to%20Block%2C%20E%33%30%20%33%31%38i%20M%34 %32%2C%20%33%31%38iC%3B%20E%33%36%20%33%31%38i%2Fis%2FiC%2Fti%3B%20Z%33%20%31%2E%39

and this

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=11-42-1-432-228-BOE&catalog_description=BUSHING

thats all i need? im just confused because on the info in pelican parts it says gasket "e30 318i m42" so i dont know if im ordering the right stuff... help! thanks.

tiFreak

05-13-2010, 03:35 AM

the E30 and E36 318's used pretty much the same engine, so plenty of parts were shared between the two

2MIZ129

05-13-2010, 03:39 AM

thanks! wish me luck.

cooljess76

05-13-2010, 03:52 AM

You don't need to replace the "bushing", just order the paper gasket and two o-rings.

dave45056

05-13-2010, 04:36 AM

You don't need to replace the "bushing", just order the paper gasket and two o-rings.

Probably but... The Bushing comes with both o-rings and costs about 8 bucks. O-rings bought seperately cost 5 bucks each. So it's cheaper to buy the Bushing.

goundena

07-09-2010, 09:58 AM

thanks for the excellent write. gonna try this tomorrow.

iananderson02

10-19-2010, 02:45 AM

is there a specific reason not to hit the alternator with a hammer?

Mopho

10-19-2010, 03:07 AM

is there a specific reason not to hit the alternator with a hammer?
well, the best way to get the alternator to fit back in is to clean up the surfaces that are binding. Then line it up right, and you can tap it into place using a leather mallot or a hard rubber one that will not crack the housing on the alternator.
Caution is of upmost importance, patience is a necessity, and have fun.

I ended up shaving a few thousandths off the alternator and bracket mounts to get mine to press fit back in. Just make sure you have them lined up properly, and don't tap too hard. I think I used an old hammer handle I keep for just such occasions.....Putting a block of wood between the alternator and your hammer would also work. I cannot stress how important it is to make sure you have it aligned right.
I have been working on cars since 1967 when I got out of high school. I still had a bitch of a time getting mine in, someone had overtightened mine at one time or another. (probably the factory)) :cool:

joejac

11-13-2010, 11:24 PM

Wow, this looks like it could work for me. Thanks Dave for the complete step by step.

the brit

12-21-2010, 07:56 PM

Thanks for the write-up, and for saving it as a PDF so the images aren't lost. Hopefully between this job and a new valve cover gasket the driveway will stay clean for a while!

Mopho

12-27-2010, 07:19 PM

While you have it apart, check belts, change water pump and hoses. I got mine done earlier this year only to find out someone had changed the lower radiator hose and put it on backwards so it occaisonally rubbed on the pullys, started leaking, blew the head gasket and cost me $2500 for a top end gasket set and a valve job (while it was apart, had 145K on the motor).

osu_ti

12-30-2010, 08:34 PM

Thanks for the write up. A couple of things that help me:

The o-rings are metric size 24x3. Any decent auto parts store should carry a set of metric o-rings with this size. Should be cheaper and easier than ordering from bmw. Also helpful to know if your local BMW dealer has the gasket but not the bush or o-rings in stock.

I didn't detach the power steering pump from the large bracket that it and the alternator mount on. I just removed the 5 bolts (4 into the block + 1 pivot) and moved the assembly (bracket, pump, and tensioner) out of the way enough to get to the 6 bolts holding the filter housing on. That made things go a little more quickly.

slow_ti

02-06-2011, 12:57 AM

hey guys, great write up, but im stuck, i have everything off, and have the the alternator unbolted and im stuck because on the back off the alternator, there is the rubber flap, i pulled that back and took the of the bolts, 10mm and 13mm. now the plastic piece on the back of the alternator wont budge, how would you take this off with out breaking it? i know it has two wires inside it, any tips and suggestions would be great! thanks so much

spidertri

02-06-2011, 01:34 AM

IIRC, the plastic piece is a tray for the wires, just pop the wires out of it. The plastic piece and rubber flap stay on the alternator.

Mopho

02-06-2011, 02:10 AM

IIRC, the plastic piece is a tray for the wires, just pop the wires out of it. The plastic piece and rubber flap stay on the alternator.

Yep. A little hard to reach, but if you have the right tools no problem.
I think I used a 1/4 drive ratchet and sockets. Be careful to not disturb the
wiring too much. Might have something crack or short out later.
I'v done 2 of them now, ain't it fun?

:smile:

slow_ti

02-06-2011, 02:15 AM

Haha. Thanks guys. And I'm trying to be as careful as I can. This job sucks first time round lol. How would I disturb the wiring? I hate electronics, scares me. Haha

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mopho

02-06-2011, 02:40 AM

Haha. Thanks guys. And I'm trying to be as careful as I can. This job sucks first time round lol. How would I disturb the wiring? I hate electronics, scares me. Haha
Just try to not bend the wiring too much. On older cars, the wires get brittle, and you may not notice it but problems will arise later with arching, cracking, etc. Same is true with any kind of hose. Vaccum, air, or coolant hoses should either be replaced or treated gently.
Good luck.
I had to have a valve job/head gasket (blown) done last year ( lack the ambition, youth or patience to do it my self any more) and I had ALL the belts, hoses, etc changed that I hadn't already done beforehand.
I'd still pissed he didn't change the one water outlet under the intake manifold. It has over 150K on it now with no problems, (fingers crossed).
:cool:

slow_ti

02-06-2011, 04:28 AM

Just try to not bend the wiring too much. On older cars, the wires get brittle, and you may not notice it but problems will arise later with arching, cracking, etc. Same is true with any kind of hose. Vaccum, air, or coolant hoses should either be replaced or treated gently.
Good luck.
I had to have a valve job/head gasket (blown) done last year ( lack the ambition, youth or patience to do it my self any more) and I had ALL the belts, hoses, etc changed that I hadn't already done beforehand.
I'd still pissed he didn't change the one water outlet under the intake manifold. It has over 150K on it now with no problems, (fingers crossed).
:cool:

Very nice. Thank you for all your information. I did know that about the wires, ;) I have one broken wire or hose, it connects to I think maybe it's a oil catch can or something? I'll post a pic In a few. Maybe you'll know that it is. Thanks !

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

DataTraveler

03-08-2011, 08:36 PM

Printing out for reference when my parts get in. Thanks a ton for this write up. Very much appreciated. :)

GreeleyGal

03-19-2011, 08:35 PM

Followed the write up and the fix went great. No broken bolts and took about an hour and a half, the hardest part was getting the alternator off and then lining up the bolt holes when it came time to put it back on. The old gasket was really hard and brittle and came off in pieces. Massive oil leak is gone! Thanks for the helpful write up!

trikzta

03-19-2011, 09:08 PM

i did this on mine and well it was awesome just hated the taking the alternator part out mine wouldnt budge took me a good 15mins just taking it out and no lie a good 40-50mins putting it back on didnt wanna kill it but yeah for some reason i still see a leak idk if its jst the collected oil that i forgot to clean dripping or still have a leak somewhere on my engine block is not major tho tnx alot for this write up

UberWagen

05-11-2011, 01:44 AM

Finally got around to doing this today. When I finally got down to the housing, looks like I have a leak from my timing cover:mad:. I guess I'll see though.

E30dewd

10-08-2011, 04:43 AM

Just bought my first ti Last week, always been my favorite body style, i have had 4 e30s and this is the first time i got something different, so two days after i got the car it starts losing a qt of oil a day... looked up from underneath and was certain the front main seal was gone... until i chased it back up the engine and found a pool sittin around this housing. Came home from work looked some stuff up online and found this thread, you sir, saved me on this one!

E30dewd

10-16-2011, 06:52 AM

I found out the hard way, def buy the bush cause even if it's not leaking and you replace the gasket, it has a much higher chance of leaking after you reinstall everything... Its a common part some local BMW dealer should have one in stock, just call around. On the bright side what took me 3 hours to do on one night only took an hour the second night lol!

bimbim

11-23-2011, 04:23 PM

I gotta say, my leak was SEVERE, and this fixed the problem completely. I used black rtv sealer on everything including the o ring...not gobs, just a light coating on all contact areas...

geetarspaz

11-23-2011, 05:21 PM

count me in as having this problem, my leak was pretty severe too. i got it fixed though, no more rainbow driveway :)

97TI

12-01-2011, 07:40 AM

Followed this write-up today replacing the gasket and bushing/valve with new orings.
I thought it was going to be harder than it was. Took me about 2 hours to complete.

Thanks to the OP for the write-up.

kziemann

12-22-2011, 01:09 PM

Glad to have joined this site as a new member to trade experiences.
I just replaced the oil filter housing gasket on my 98 318i, and added the O rings. I placed the rings on either end of the cylinder as "end caps" rather than fitting/seating them on the piece itself. In other words, after extracting the cylinder, I placed one O ring down in the open cylinder, and placed the other O ring in the empty housing cylinder before putting it all back together again. When I took the filter housing off, the cylinder didn't have any O rings on it, so I put them into what I thought was the most logical place after calling Bavarian Auto recycling and talking to one of their guys. Everything seems to be working fine (stopped major oil leak) but was curious if anyone has had the same experience. Should I take it all apart again to set the O rings in the appropriate place (seated on the cylinder) as per the ordered part pic? Any advice is always welcome as I am a novice at this (trying to do as much as possible myself). Thanks

bimbim

12-22-2011, 04:53 PM

you better check again about not seeing any O rings, they may be there but hard to tell with all the oil. Other than that if it stopped leaking and you have good oil pressure, I guess its ok...

dave45056

12-22-2011, 05:19 PM

I would take it apart and put the o-rings in the right spot. Installing them as you did may not seal correctly, even if it is sealing for the moment.
Putting the o-rings in at the end of thepart makes the stacked height of the cylinder taller, so it may crack the housing or just leak out of the gasket.
Also, the old o-rings probably look like they have a square cross section as they have been installed for so long under heat and pressureThe pic in the write-up shows what they look like new and where they are to be installed.
I would not have bought a part like this used. They are so cheap from the dealer(bushing and gasket cost me $11)
The good news is, doing this job for the second time will take half as much time as doing it the first time.

max911

01-05-2012, 08:02 PM

Recently purchased a '96 ti.
Front of engine was a mess. Engine oil and power steering fluid.
Looked at paperwork that the previous owner had and there was a bill from a BMW dealer that also listed other items that needed repair. There was an estimate to replace the front seal.
While cleaning things up I noticed a clean spot along the oil filter housing. Clean, as in washed with engine oil; not black crud like everywhere else.

Did the repair following the instructions in the DYI. Everything went well, and yes, the alternator is tight on the mounts!
O-rings were square and as hard as the plastic bush.

Thanks for sharing the knowledge!!

max

Mic10is

03-12-2012, 04:42 AM

Does the Bush screw in or does it just push in. It looks likes there are threads to screw in and mine is still stuck on the Block.

I havent bothered to pull really hard bc I didnt want it to snap if it was screw in.
I need to remove it tomorrow so I can install new one and get car back together.

Screw or push/pressure fit?

dave45056

03-12-2012, 04:56 AM

There are no threads on the bush.
Give it a twist in both directions to loosen then pull it straight out.

Mic10is

03-12-2012, 01:22 PM

cool. thanks

Mopho

03-14-2012, 08:28 PM

I have done both 96 ti's I've owned, and the greenie I still have, after having the valve job done (blew head gasket when it overheated from former owners mechanic putting the lower L shaped radiator hose on backwards when the radiator was changed, making it rub on the pulleys, dumb sh-t).
If you change the o-rings and gasket, you will have no more leaks. I can park on my new driveway, not a single drop of oil leaks now (after about 20K).
I thought it was the front crank seal leaking NOT- don't fall for mechanics telling you to change it.
According to my BMW mechanic at BMW dealership, the front crank seal never needs replacing unless you are rebuilding the entire engine.
With 162,000 miles on mine, I use about a quart of oil every 5-7 K now.
So when the oil gets a quart low, it's time to change it (definately run synthetic, it will last longer).
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. :wink:

slade13

03-15-2012, 06:15 PM

i did this repair a few weeks ago too.simple.

tiFreak

04-27-2012, 05:01 AM

just did this on my track car, it went smoothly up until I went to put the belt back on and stripped screw on the tensioner, turns out it's a T50 and not a 6mm allen :doh: at least I was able to use a pry bar to get the belt back on

AllHands

05-17-2012, 07:56 PM

Hey guys. Newbie here. I love the post and walk-through. I encountered the same broken bolt hitch as Dave45056. In addition, the housing seems to be frozen to the broken-off bolt. All the other bolts have been removed and the housing moves pretty freely; pivoting on the broken bolt. I have wiggled, PB-Busted, even pried a little behind the housing. I can not get it to slide off. I'm on day three of just trying to get the housing to slide off the 1/2" of the bolt that remains hanging out of the block. I know other than the broken bolt its just the Bush holding it on.

So.... ideas? I don't want to pry too hard on the housing and damage it... Nor do I want to pry on the gasketed surfaces.

Help!

AllHands

05-18-2012, 05:01 AM

Well.... I did it. And I was right. The bolt had frozen to the inside of the housing. So what would you have done?

I took the long piece of the bolt that had broken off and turned a 1/8" hole all the way through it on a lathe. I used it as a guide to to drill a pilot into the frozen section of bolt ((careful not to go to deep)so I would have enough bolt to grab with my vise-grips when I got the housing off) Then, without the guide I stepped the bit size up 1/32" of an inch at a time until it was so flimsy the housing pulled right off. The remaining bolt chunk was finger tight in the block. While cleaning the housing I noticed there was still a collar of bolt clinging to the inside of the housing. So I drilled it out too.

Question: When I removed the housing (I'd post pics if I were allowed) I noticed the block and the housing base were divided into several small "chambers". While the filter and filter housing were clean as a whistle.... the upper most chamber in the housing and the block side were full and I mean full of a frightening gritty black sludge (GBS). Of course I cleaned it all out while being careful not to allow it to fall into the impeller area. This is not my first time turning my own wrenches, but... it is my first BMW: '98 Titansilber sunroof delete manual base with sport body. Nice to meet you. What mysteries lurk ahead associate with the GBS? I'm going into the valve cover Monday... wonder what I'll find. There is no smoke... so I doubt it choked back a handful sand.... coolant and reservoir smell oil-free so I doubt it ever ate a bite of head gasket. Curious...

The O-rings on the bush were completely flat. I feel good this thread helped me find and fix my leak.

Thanks Dave45056

mf13368

02-23-2013, 07:42 PM

Thanks to Dave for posting this, just did it and it made the job much easier. Interestingly, I had more trouble with the nuts on the alternator wires than anything else. Getting the alternator on and off was a pita but I guess was expecting it so it didn't seem too bad. I think I still have another leak but maybe this will solve the worst of it.

Mark

MINIz guy

12-01-2013, 05:50 AM

I have a leak coming from my housing now. Does the bush breaks easily when you remove it?

It seems that many get a new bush. I'd like to save a few bucks by just replacing the o-rings. Would it be risky to assume the bush would be fine upon removal?

teetime4one

12-01-2013, 11:44 AM

The gasket is going to need to be replaced as well. The gasket and two O-rings will set you back close to $20. Are you trying not to spend over the 4 or 5 bucks for the O-rings?

MINIz guy

12-01-2013, 03:41 PM

The gasket is around $2. The o-rings are about $1 each and readily available at any auto parts store.

I'm just asking if the bush breaks often, and that is why people replace it, or if people just don't get the individual o-rings.

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dave45056

12-01-2013, 05:21 PM

For me, I only wanted to do this repair once.
I also looked at just replacing the o-rings, but at the time, 2 o-rings from BMW cost more than the bush which includes the 2 o-rings. Also, I am not sure what material spec the o-rings are or their durometer.
To answer your question... I have never seen the bush break. But think about this. It's a plastic part that gets heat cycled often much like the dreaded cooling system parts. So it cannot last forever. Also it's CHEAP. Current price is 7 bucks-ish from the dealer, too.
I understand about wanting to save money; I'm the same way. So if you want to save 3 bucks on a 2-3 hour job, that's on you. But I would not recommend it.

MINIz guy

12-19-2013, 03:20 AM

1996 328ti

12-19-2013, 09:41 PM

Ok, so I'm midway through this whole DIY and decided to stop before my fingers get frostbite.

I just need to put my gasket and bush back on and reassemble.

Do you guys recommend putting some RTV silicone between the housing and gasket to help seal it? I still have the whole tube of red high temp RTV silicone from my valve cover job and I really don't want to go and do this again if it does start leaking again.I haven't done this yet but I generally always use a light spray of a gasket seal to simply hold the gasket in place.

Additional photos and comments
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056958297&page=2 beginning with post 26.

MINIz guy

12-19-2013, 10:16 PM

I ended up with putting some of the red RTV on both mating surfaces. I'm giving it the full 24-hour cure period before firing her up. Here is my quick DIY video on it.

BEAzWJtmM30&feature=c4-overview&list=UUcTDknBFKnvNkA-3KHQhHAg

I found getting the alternator on tricky. I did use a 6" c-clamp and large socket to try and push out the nut/bushing that holds the alternator to its bracket. Once you do that, insert the bottom attachment points first and bolt it in lightly. Then go at the bracket from the top, since it can only pivot in one way. I used a rubber mallet to coerce it in and a screwdriver to align the bolt holes perfectly.

I used a smear of antiseize on the alternator cradle and alternator bolts too.

1996 328ti

12-20-2013, 01:01 AM

Video is very helpful. THANKS!

1996 328ti

12-21-2013, 01:27 AM

I had lots of crud towards the top of the assembly.
I cleaned it up. Just wonder what it was?

1996 328ti

12-24-2013, 11:47 PM

Fairly easy job. Hardest part is getting the alternator back in.
Forgot to plug the oil pressure sensor until after. A real pain.
Be sure to plug it back in before reinstalling the alternator.

Sprayed the oil filter assembly area and timing chain cover with simple green and sprayed with water.
Need to clean the under carriage.

Once it's outside in the cold overnight I'll know if it fixed it.

Thanks for the writeup and tips.

Fubar6701

12-25-2013, 06:55 PM

Great write up! the layout is perfect!

Little Green Car

02-27-2014, 06:13 AM

Awesome info guys! Thanks a million! Just replaced my radiator, then the starter and coolant flange on the back of the engine, not its this project for an oil leak that has been there for quite a while. But its gotten worse. Great pic write-up and video.

projekt EPiK

12-15-2014, 06:04 AM

I posted back in 2/2010 about this repair, which I had actually done in 11/2009 when I first picked the car up at 170k miles.

Lately I have been noticing an ever increasing leak, so since it is about 55k miles later, just shy of 225k, I figured maybe it was time again. Bought the gasket and bushing and popped them in there. Still leaking.. actually worse now. Terrified that maybe I got sidetracked and put the bushing in backwards, I pulled it apart again today. Nope. Done right. I always second guess myself. I did find some grit that was kind of hanging out by the top of the housing, and under the bushing, so I figured that maybe it got in between. I cleaned it all super well, degreased everything again and let it dry. I even used some spray copper on the gasket. Put the housing back on, and fired up the car again. Within a few minutes it was seeping again.

Once again I pulled it apart. Super clean this time. Everything was seated well so I cleaned the oil out and looked deeper. That is when I found it. The o-ring INSIDE the housing. This ring actually creates the seal to the bushing..and boy was it dry and hardened. In fact it was so dried out that it cracked when I pulled it out.

So boys and girls and fellow DIYers..take my advice. Replace that 24x3 o-ring also when you do this job.

I can't be mad though. The car is just shy of 225k miles, and that o-ring is original. As I said earlier, I had already replaced the gasket and bushing 55k miles before..lol and it still hung in there for another 5 yrs!!
]

projekt EPiK

12-15-2014, 06:24 AM

Pics of the o ring location
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l33/jdm2ner2/black318ti/20141214_160237.jpg

No this is not an "I heart my 318ti" statement. :frown:
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l33/jdm2ner2/black318ti/20141214_160313.jpg

1996 328ti

12-15-2014, 04:36 PM

Common to 2nd guess. Any first time DIYers, I'd recommend a torque wrench also.
It doesn't take a lot to tighten those bolts.

And while the assembly is out, inspect the knock sensors for cracks.

bazar01

12-19-2014, 03:11 PM

i am about to do this again after only about 70k miles after the first replacement.
There must be a better way to reseal this housing.
My driveway is starting to get oil stains plus the fact the engine and car underside is getting oil soaked.

projekt EPiK

12-19-2014, 03:47 PM

Most likely the o ring I'm showing above is at fault, unless you replaced it last time.

bazar01

12-19-2014, 08:05 PM

Yes I replaced the o-rings too.
Now it is leaking again.

I already have the o-rings and gasket ready for tomorrow.
I will use a thin layer of hylomar gasket sealant this time.

bmwman91

08-25-2015, 07:45 PM

Hello folks,
I have a pretty sizable leak coming from my engine, and there is a lot of wetness around the filter housing, and even some slight puddling in the various nooks in front of the filter housing. I ordered up a Genuine BMW filter housing gasket and a new bush/valve thingy which will arrive soon.

My engine is a very custom 2.1L M42 with an M44 timing case (because it has a slightly larger oil pump, and it does not have the awful deflector sprocket that is so prone to failing on the M42), and it also uses the M44 oil filter housing. Anyway, regarding the black bush part, does anyone have a picture of the correct orientation for it when it is installed? I really want to make sure that I don't put it in backwards.

Thanks!

bimbim

08-25-2015, 07:54 PM

bmwman91

08-25-2015, 09:34 PM

make sure you look at how the old one comes out and just copy the orientation, or possibly reuse it if it looks ok, just replace the o-rings.

Use sealer on the flat gasket, and I also put a dab of sealer when I place the top of the oil filter cap on the housing, I have the metal one and it does not screw on which is a design flaw imo.

I put it all together a couple of years ago and had popped the bush/valve out. Am I safe to assume that it is oriented correctly in there now if the car was running fine and getting oil circulation? I'd imagine that putting it in backwards would prevent oil from flowing out the outlet and I would have some awful lifter noise.

I am thinking of using Permatex Copper gasket sealer spray on the flat gasket. Since I retrofitted the M44 housing with the plastic threaded cap, and I have never seen it leak, I guess I can skip the sealer on that. I had the older metal M42 one for a long time though...where on there were you putting sealer? I never had the cap leak on me.

bimbim

08-25-2015, 10:22 PM

Right on the big O-ring, the silicone peels right off on the next oil change. Gaskets have to be super dry to stick good, the sealer allows you to cheat a little and make sure it don't leak, esp if returning to a customer. But yeah it leaked on me, maybe its a little warped. To answer the first part of your question I would say yes, the empirical data shows no damage.

bmwman91

08-26-2015, 05:41 AM

Interesting. Bummer to have a leak there!

I took the oil filter housing off this evening (new parts arrive in a couple of days). Being that the gasket and o-rings are only 2 years old, it is annoying that there is a leak like this, but it sounds like a number of people have had leak issues with this assembly, sometimes within a day of replacing the seals.

I made a couple of observations:
1) The o-rings on the bush are about as hard as a rock! I am amazed (and disappointed) that it only took 2 years and ~10,000 miles to make new ones get to this state. Anyway, it is what it is, and I am replacing the bush and o-rings.
2) ALL of the gasket and o-ring sealing surfaces (on the timing case and filter housing) had paint on them! The engine builder painted all of the aluminum bits with some nice silver/gray paint, which is very "aluminum" colored, which is why I did not notice it during initial assembly when everything was new. It would seem that they forgot to mask the parts before painting them. There was some paint caked against the edge of the o-rings, which was likely not helping anything. 90 minutes with some gloves, acetone and paper towels got all of it off of there and now all of the sealing surfaces are nice, clean aluminum.

So, I have my fingers crossed that when I put it all back together I will remain nice and dry now that things are properly cleaned!

ledfoot2

08-29-2015, 09:15 PM

Wish I had seen this before I tried to fix the leak the first time.

bmwman91

08-30-2015, 01:14 AM

I got mine all fixed up the other night. No more mess under the car (almost). A few drops make it out on the passenger side where the 2 profile gaskets' ends butt up against one another. I need to get in there and add some RTV between them. Anyway, that only causes a couple of drops since it is not under pressure like the filter housing is.

As it has been said in here (and as a general rule for wrenching), when you are dealing with gaskets, make sure that all of the surfaces that touch the gasket are IMMACULATE. No dirt, no dust, no old chunks of gasket, no oils, etc.

Bimmerman318ti

09-18-2015, 11:48 PM

Hey guys I know this thread is kinda old but I just got around to doing the housing gasket and bushing but as I was cleaning the housing I noticed the were 4 o rings with 4 plastic rings that were around the center post inside the housing. I looked every where and could not find the parts. If anyone one knows where these could be found that would be awesome

DaddyBender

02-15-2016, 12:02 AM

Just did this fix on a 98ti. Only thing extra I did was to move the PS res. Just unbolted it and dropped it down. Made it way easier for my fat hands to get in there. My leak was a quart every 50 miles. 4 hours, start to finish. I didn't change the oil, but i did put a new filter in. No broken bolts. A bit of clarification: where the tutorial says to use a 16mm wrench on the tensioner. I think they meant to say a 16mm socket. I used a 1/2" drive 16mm socket. Drop the ratchet in to the left of the radiator hose. With the belt ON, I adjusted the ratchet till the handle was down near the water pump pulley. That way, as you release tension, the ratchet should stop close to the upper hose, but not touching it. The 4hr included running it till at operating temp. Only have four little drips on fresh cardboard. That's more than likely just some residual.

-Bender

karibuni

03-25-2016, 04:04 AM

Planning on doing this over the weekend and came across an interesting bit on Wikipedia regarding the M42:

"The second problem is far more significant - the upper oil pan casting incorporates the oil pump's supply passage, and is sealed to the crankcase oil filter housing with a paper gasket. Thermal cycles and engine vibration tend to loosen the six 10mm upper pan mounting bolts inside the motor.[5] Routinely, a loose 10mm bolt or two can be found rattling around high-mileage M42 sumps. If not caught in time, the paper gasket sealing the oil pickup passage can be forced into the crankcase by oil pressure, potentially causing a major loss of oil pressure and/or aeration of the motor oil. Thus it is strongly recommended that any new owner of an early M42 remove the lower pan to inspect these bolts. A permanent solution is to remove & clean the six internal 10mm bolts, apply a thread-locking sealant to the bolts, and re-assemble." - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M42

The last bit really caught my eye...could this be a way to prevent future leaks by applying the threadlocker? Mine is 200K+ miles so I'm imagining this is the last time I do this job realistically - anybody ever tried that?

DaddyBender

03-25-2016, 05:45 AM

The one I worked on is at 290k.

We don't know the history of the car, but its definatley seen better days. BTW. Only lost about a quart since doing the o-rings. I know the valve cover is leaking, but a quart over about 1,500 miles is WAY better than every 50 miles.

Just went to that wiki. Turns out mine is an m44.

Looks like mine could have the same bolt issue.

Jake36ti

03-25-2016, 02:20 PM

Stay away from that man it's really unnecessary it's a paper gasket and rubber o-ring it's cheAp fix $5 tops and easy to do just did mine 195k lock tight ain't gonna stop it if it decides to leak again just clean good and you'll be solid

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karibuni

03-31-2016, 09:57 PM

Wrenched away for a while on this one last weekend, man that alternator is a beast! Got the gasket replaced but could not figure out for the life of me how to push the bushing / valve on.

Looking at this image http://i1240.photobucket.com/albums/gg500/RonnieBFI/20120404_091627.jpg

We are meant to push it straight into the "block" with the spring side facing the housing cover, but I did not try to jam it in there. My filter housing already has a protrusion there that would seemingly fit the valve, but I'd been going for so many hours I didn't want to force it and make a mistake.

I can confirm that there wasn't a bushing / valve there when I removed it however. Any tips?

karibuni

03-31-2016, 10:37 PM

EDIT 2: Apparently on M42 there is just the 1 O-ring and no bush (search button is your friend :wink:, so I'll try and get this on over the weekend

http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=39928&highlight=m42+oil+filter+housing

EDIT: On the M42 are we just replacing the 1 O-Rings? My valve looks metal and not to be removed, so do I just take the O-ring off the bushing I ordered (tricky) and replace the one that is on there?

Looks like the protrusion from my oil filter housing that comes out is just stuck on there, as I recall it has the flattened O-ring that is sympotmatic of time / wear on these units. It's stuck in there pretty good! Will have to vice grip it out and replace with the new unit. Will do the recommended lube-ing of the new bush / valve to get it to fit into the Housing. There are still droplets of oil (not as bad as before) under the car, so looks like this will be another step to relieve that

Jake36ti

03-31-2016, 11:04 PM

Looks different that piece was on my filter housing can you snap a pic of the actual housing so I can see cause I believe you are supposed to remove that there is a rubber circle o-ring that leaks as well. Mine stayed with the housing and installed together

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karibuni

03-31-2016, 11:09 PM

Right that's what I'm saying, all of the pictures and guides I was reading were geared towards the m44, where that bush / valve is plastic and not attached. On the m42 pictures I've been looking at after the fact, it's just the o ring that get replaced. You have an M42? Mines 1995

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Jake36ti

04-01-2016, 12:04 AM

Yea got a 1995 as well m42 but yea I believe that thing pulled away from the housing see if you can pull it out of the block instead of installing. Because that should just be a hole then on housing it will push into the block with a o-ring to seal it into the hole

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karibuni

04-01-2016, 08:05 PM

Looking on Real OEM there were two options for the M42, those with the aluminum housing cover and those with the plastic. The aluminum housing (which I have) does not have a bushing, just the O-ring. The plastic housing has a bushing, so the part I ordered is technically correct for an M42, just not for the M42 that I have. #WrenchLife! :rolleyes:

Pedro Cação

11-28-2017, 08:48 PM

Thanks dave45056 will give a try to my 318TI

Platanos

08-26-2018, 12:21 PM

Anyone have the link to the OP’s DIY? Is there a kit with all gaskets and o rings or do I have to get them individually?

1998 ti

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paul somlo

08-26-2018, 08:40 PM

Clicking on the link in the 1st post will download a pdf, that you then have to open. There's one gasket and two o rings. You can get the parts from any of the online retailers, I see that bavauto.com sells the bushing with o rings already installed and the gasket, total of $12 and change. Last time I did this, I was shocked to find the two o rings and the gasket at my local napa, took them one day to get it and cheap.

Platanos

08-26-2018, 09:14 PM

My apologies. I was trying to view in the Tapatalk app. I switched to web and the link works. I’m not very good at this internet thing. Thanks for the help!!

aldogg7

12-09-2018, 09:37 PM

paul somlo

12-10-2018, 12:59 AM

This is a great write-up, thank you! Any advice on prying the alternator out? It won't budge at all. Can PB Blaster help, or should it not be used in that area as it might get somewhere it shouldn't be?

It sounds like getting the alternator back on is even harder...not looking forward to that...

Try a pry bar to remove it. To install it, use a large drift to line up the holes. You can also use a rubber mallet to persuade it. Don't use a steel headed hammer, as the case, being a casting, is somewhat brittle. The reason it's so tight, is that the ground is made through it's case.

1996 328ti

12-10-2018, 03:32 AM

It was a bitch for me getting the alternator out and in. I used a long screwdriver as a pry bar. I too used a rubber mallet.

bazar01

12-10-2018, 01:38 PM

Tip to easy alternator install. It will just drop in without a fight.

1. Look at the two rear alternator mounting tabs.
2. You will see two hexagonal steel inserts. They are threaded.
3. The alternator bolts thread into these inserts.
4. I press them out a little to widen the opening. (Do not press them out)
5. I use a 5 inch c-lamp and a socket to press them out a little.

aldogg7

12-10-2018, 05:43 PM

Thank you for the advice! Will definitely be getting a pry bar.

For installation, how is a c-clamp and socket used to press outwards? Is this basically a spreader clamp?

Locus7

12-11-2018, 01:06 AM

Thank you for the advice! Will definitely be getting a pry bar.

For installation, how is a c-clamp and socket used to press outwards? Is this basically a spreader clamp?

Excuse my poor drawing. Basically, you want the socket to be big enough so that the insert can move into the socket's body. You clamp the outside of the socket and the end of the insert, so that you can push it out just enough to get clearance for install.

shriberone

07-18-2019, 09:59 PM

I know its old, but thanks .....

noshots00

02-12-2020, 07:55 PM

I have ordered the parts listed in the guide. $22 with shipping from Autohaus. Here is a link to my thread on the process http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?p=391554#post391554 with pictures. I hope I am doing the right thing. Any advice would be appreciated.

borisf

11-28-2020, 08:50 AM

Just followed these instructions for my new-to-me 96 318ti and it worked perfectly! Thank you for the write up, just had the following comments for future people doing this fix:

The bit to remove the idler pulley screw is a T50 Torx bit. Make sure you have that size before starting the job otherwise you will have to make a hardware store trip.
Keep plenty of shop towels on hand to soak up all the old oil that leaked.
Seems like people aren't sure whether or not they should buy the bush/valve, definitely buy one because it seems like the last person to do the job on my car used the wrong size bush which probably explained at least part of my leak. You don't want to get to that step and realize the bush is the problem or its orings are bad and not have one on hand.
The alternator is a pain to get out and in ! Just be patient, use WD40 and rock it back and forth to get in/out. I will be honest and say that I used a flathead and hammer to get the alternator back in but do that at your own risk.

joe1602

11-30-2020, 01:32 PM

Thanks for reviving the thread so I didn't have to go looking for the DIY! (Not that its really that hard to find). I just did mine yesterday & that DIY is great! Not a difficult job but time consuming, and getting those alternator holes lined up is a PITA! Looks to be good and just in time to put it away for the winter.