Oil leak

[punchesdfw]

Hi all,
I'm new to the forum, but have been envolved with BMW's for many years and currently own 4. I helped a friend of my Son by a 318ti Compact a few weeks ago and he claims that it has an oil leak. He's coming over this afternoon for me to take a look, but I wanted to get some background info. first. Is there an area particularly prone to leaks?
Thanks!

[AutoM3otives]

My value cover gasket had to be replaced. You can check from underneath the passenger side of the engine (if your car is LHD), I had some oil that was leaking and dripping down near the exhaust manifold. Changed the valve cover gasket, including all the gasket rings for the spark plug holes (since oil was leaking onto my spark plugs as well) and all the grommets for the bolts that hold down the valve cover.

[1996 328ti]

Oil filter housing is also prone to leaks.
Is it a drip or just wet?
My oil pan is wet and it's a PITA job to replace.
As long as I'm not dripping liquids, I'm not worried.

[T-Huss]

my power steering resivoir is leaking and i tried thet lucas oil stop leak and **** worked for a day, bastards, and im too cheap to fix it lol

[upstatenybimmer]

sorry for the long story and vagueness.

so i decided it was time for my 3rd oil change on the ti. both the previous 2 times went smoothly. but not so much this time.

as i tightened my drain plug up a hair too much, i stripped it out. after trying for an hour or so by prying out with screwdriver and loosening the plug with a socket, the head of the drain plug broke off! luckily i found a kit of "easy-outs" screw extractors. they did the trick and i went to buy a new 17mm M12 x 1.50 drain plug at auto zone. i got the right plug but the wrong washer.

so after a few minutes of scratching my head, i just figured out one of the 2 washers in the oil filter package fits the drain plug. i always used the smaller on on the through bolt and tossed the bigger washer away.

my question is... is the bigger washer that comes with the oil filter meant for the drain plug? and is there any way i might of cracked my oil pan by overtightening the drain plug?

[dave45056]

yes

[aceyx]

Do you have a '95 (M42)? The filter kits for my '97 only have one crush-washer for the drain plug, and three rubber o-rings for the filter cartridge.

The design of the crush washer is to allow you to over-torque the drain plug, but only by a small amount. Cracking the pan is unlikely, but check your threading.

From here on, just make sure you're not dripping, and check your oil level a bit more frequently than you already do.

[upstatenybimmer]

yeah i forgot to mention that i do have a '95. the purolator L14758 filter kit came with a large rubber gasket for the top of the filter housing, a smaller rubber gasket for the through bolt of the resevoir and 2 thin crush washers... one being smaller in diameter and one a little larger.

i took off my drain plug this morning before work and put the washer that auto zone told me that i needed on it and it seems to have stopped leaking... for now, all the oil i already leaked is dripping off of my frame. itll be a few days before im completely sure that my drain plug and filter resevoir arent still leaking.

and all of this trouble a week before i plan to take it off the road for the winter....thanks for the help

[Mothman]

I had a leak due to the oil lube place placed two rings on the oil housing cap. This caused a major leak only when the car was running. Another great thing to change if it's been awhile are the gaskets around the spark plugs, I heard it was good to change them after 8 years. Once I did it, the oil leak was gone.

Good luck,
Mothman

[mohaughn]

Good reason to never use a quickie lube type of place. As easy as it is to change the oil on a BMW you are much better off doing it yourself.

[Mothman]

Ever since I have done all my oil changes and tune ups!