318ti.org forum

Go Back   318ti.org forum > Regional Forums > United States > California > NorCal

Notices

NorCal For the discussion of social events in Northern California only.

.
» Recent Threads
M50+manual swap bastard...
03-01-2024 10:00 PM
Last post by Andy318
Yesterday 02:34 PM
3 Replies, 45,701 Views
Cali Top owners: How...
07-14-2014 04:29 PM
Last post by Trusted-1
03-15-2024 02:37 AM
2 Replies, 42,971 Views
FOR SALE: 82k mile 1995...
03-15-2024 01:24 AM
Last post by di318
03-15-2024 01:24 AM
0 Replies, 38,484 Views
BMW E36 Compact rear...
03-13-2024 12:56 PM
Last post by BMW Welsh rally
03-13-2024 12:56 PM
0 Replies, 49,436 Views
WTB: 318ti with...
04-20-2022 08:57 AM
Last post by di318
03-10-2024 08:08 PM
21 Replies, 245,276 Views
The 318ti OBD-II engine...
10-19-2006 06:48 PM
Last post by Cybersid13
03-09-2024 02:12 PM
209 Replies, 678,111 Views
Reply Share/Bookmark
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-16-2018, 08:49 PM   #1
cocofunk
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 23
iTrader: (0)
Default Help with figuring out this weird oil spilling issue? Bay Area

Hey all, I have 3 BMWs - do my own wrenching, one of them is an e30 with S50 swapped in.

I have a 1996 318ti that leaks about a quart of oil per tank of gas. Oil is all over the undercarriage and burns throughout the exhaust piping. I have looked under the car to find where the leak is coming from and it looks like oil pan gasket rather than oil filter gasket (even though I know the oil filter gasket leak is misleading).

Can someone help me with diagnosing this issue? Also, the accel pedal has this weird vibration over 3500rpm. I think this has to do somehow with this weird leak, but maybe it is something else. Can anyone who knows this engine help me out or drive this car to check it out?
cocofunk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 10:49 PM   #2
ZEK
Senior Member
 
ZEK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: US
Posts: 315
Vehicles
iTrader: (0)
Default

My M44 leaked twice around oil filter housing during my 70K ownership. Degrease the engine and see where it comes from. That is a stupid amount of oil to be leaking and M4X do not like being low on oil.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
__________________
98 318Ti S52
84 318i M10 Zender
93 325is Parker
ZEK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2018, 02:52 AM   #3
sirius815
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: NoVA
Posts: 49
iTrader: (0)
Default

Valve covers can easily leak in the back where the moon shaped cutouts are. How high up on the exhaust are the "burn" marks? Crawl under the car just bast the front tire and shine a light up towards the head along the downpipe. If it's the valve cover, the side/back of the head would be covered in oil. If the head is relatively clean, maybe timing covers. How does your steering rack look? If it is covered in oil, timing covers or even front oil seal in the lower timing cover could be leaking.
sirius815 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2018, 03:03 AM   #4
cocofunk
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 23
iTrader: (0)
Default

Ive ran my hand (with a latex glove) all around the perimeter of the valve cover and it is dirty, but DRY. I honestly think it is the timing cover/front seal. Steering rack looks a bit dirty, but I have never refilled it and there is no noise or rough steering. I measure the engine oil every day or two and it noticeably disappears. I am betting it is the timing cover or front seal because it seems so far forward.

As far as oil, it goes all the way behind the cat and even the back hatch of the car is spotted with oil. Spots of oil all over the back hatch as well :///

Engine has 310k miles. When does the timing cover go?
cocofunk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2018, 10:20 AM   #5
sirius815
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: NoVA
Posts: 49
iTrader: (0)
Default

It can go any time. Could also be oil pan gasket... Maybe burning oil?

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
sirius815 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 12:02 AM   #6
ZEK
Senior Member
 
ZEK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: US
Posts: 315
Vehicles
iTrader: (0)
Default

You said you do your own wrenching and own 3 older BMW's, so you know it's gonna leak oil. It has 310K on it. Clean it off and see where it leaks from. There is no set time/mileage when it goes. Wayy to many factors to pin point a time. At that mileage though I would replace timing and front main at least.
__________________
98 318Ti S52
84 318i M10 Zender
93 325is Parker
ZEK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 07:13 AM   #7
cocofunk
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 23
iTrader: (0)
Default

This is probably my 6th pre 97 BMW, never have I seen leaking like this. Plus, all the BMWs I've owned before have been inline 6s. But I have to face the music. I am just going to do it all. Water pump, tstat, front seal, rear seal, front timing cover gasket, timing chain tensioners, guibo, etc - just gonna do it all.
cocofunk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 10:17 AM   #8
sirius815
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: NoVA
Posts: 49
iTrader: (0)
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cocofunk View Post
This is probably my 6th pre 97 BMW, never have I seen leaking like this. Plus, all the BMWs I've owned before have been inline 6s. But I have to face the music. I am just going to do it all. Water pump, tstat, front seal, rear seal, front timing cover gasket, timing chain tensioners, guibo, etc - just gonna do it all.
Careful with that scope creep.... I started with timing covers and am now all the way to full cooling system, oil filter housing, sap delete, full suspension.... Ugh...

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
sirius815 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 05:41 PM   #9
cocofunk
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 23
iTrader: (0)
Default

I definitely hear you; This is a car I am going to eventually make into a track car (s52 swap). But I do not want to start with the swap as of yet. I want to get this M44 more sound and reliable to autoX and track while I build the engine and susp. Scope creep is inevitable - haha
cocofunk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2018, 03:06 AM   #10
paul somlo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Greeley CO
Posts: 233
iTrader: (0)
Default

There's also a rubber profile gasket between the lower chain case and the underside of the head. The profile gasket between upper and lower covers butts up against it. Where they meet can be a source of leaks. A word of warning - if you remove the lower chain case to replace that gasket, there's a good chance that you'll need to remove the head in order to get the new (uncompressed) gasket in.

If you shine a flashlight rearwards of the base of the oil filter housing, you'll see oil puddling on the block, if there's a leak there. The oil pan tends to leak on the "downhill" side (passenger), as the level of oil is close to the mating surface. If that's the case, the leak is worse the more oil is in the pan.
paul somlo is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Oil filter housing leak fix how to (long) erniep Engine 8 09-20-2011 11:13 PM
Found oil in a weird spot. Marv17 Engine 18 05-18-2008 04:54 AM
Weird = Free Oil Filters G.T. Maintenance 3 12-17-2006 07:33 PM
Pela Oil Extractor Review CirrusSR22 Maintenance 1 07-23-2005 06:08 AM
Good ol' oil change swits Lounge 5 11-19-2004 03:25 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:47 AM.


.
Powered by site supporters
vBulletin Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©1999 - 2024, 318ti.org
© vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.2
[page compression: 97.87 k/115.79 k (15.47%)]

318ti.org does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information or products discussed.