E92 M3: 47k Miles, Oil Leak?

[DFW_MThree]

I have owned the car for only 3 weeks, and this entire time my garage floor has been bone dry, since last night I have noticed a small leak towards the front drain plug, coming out of the pan area.

I came out to check it again this morning and the oil was dry with no more leak...started the car up to see a reading, and then checked the garage floor, more oil....Anyone seen this before? Really starting to worry me, no warning/low oil lights yet.

Untitled by Jpurvis08, on Flickr

Untitled by Jpurvis08, on Flickr

Untitled by Jpurvis08, on Flickr

Untitled by Jpurvis08, on Flickr

Untitled by Jpurvis08, on Flickr

[MT135]

Oil pan gasket leak, usually getting caught by the underbody

[DFW_MThree]

Originally Posted by MT135

Oil pan gasket leak, usually getting caught by the underbody

Is that a common issue? I have also heard oil filter housing or oil cooler?

There is no leakage near the oil cap, but down deeper in the engine bay i see a few bolts etc that have some oil on them, the rest is down on the underside.

After starting the engine a couple small pools of oil came down and then no more.

[dparm]

OP, wipe up as much of the oil as you can and then check every few hours to see where it starts reappearing.

[///mawana]

That could be your rear main seal.

[DFW_MThree]

I cleaned the area when i left this morning, once i return ill update pics.

[DFW_MThree]

Updated pics: I let the engine run for about 3 minutes to get an updated oil reading, then shut it off and left..returned home after about 10 hours to what you see below.

Untitled by Jpurvis08, on Flickr

Untitled by Jpurvis08, on Flickr

Untitled by Jpurvis08, on Flickr

Untitled by Jpurvis08, on Flickr

[anerbe]

If you cant do it in your garage, take it to a trusted shop to start pulling apart the underbody to source the leak.

The oil looks like it's travelling to the lowest point - best to catch it now.

[DFW_MThree]

Originally Posted by anerbe

If you cant do it in your garage, take it to a trusted shop to start pulling apart the underbody to source the leak.

The oil looks like it's travelling to the lowest point - best to catch it now.

Its going to the shop either today or tomorrow, I've had the car for about 2.5-3 weeks, I have let the dealer I purchased from know about it, awaiting response to see how they want to handle this. I just hope I have some sort of recourse with them if this presents a major issue.

[anerbe]

Originally Posted by jpurvis08

Its going to the shop either today or tomorrow, I've had the car for about 2.5-3 weeks, I have let the dealer I purchased from know about it, awaiting response to see how they want to handle this. I just hope I have some sort of recourse with them if this presents a major issue.

Is the dealer local? Your best bet of them taking car of any issues is if they do the work. Reimbursements might be more difficult (or worse they say another shop caused a problem).

Good luck!

[dparm]

Originally Posted by jpurvis08

Its going to the shop either today or tomorrow, I've had the car for about 2.5-3 weeks, I have let the dealer I purchased from know about it, awaiting response to see how they want to handle this. I just hope I have some sort of recourse with them if this presents a major issue.

Dealers typically offer a 30 day warranty or something like that, but double check your paperwork. If they do, just take it back to them and let them fix it.

[DFW_MThree]

Originally Posted by dparm

Dealers typically offer a 30 day warranty or something like that, but double check your paperwork. If they do, just take it back to them and let them fix it.

Yes, thankfully the dealer did offer to take care of it, They had their techs look at it, and apparently thought they needed a more BMW specific shop to handle it.It will be going to a BMW Indy shop here locally that has a really solid reputation.

the car should be getting there momentarily and hopefully will hear something by tomorrow. Based on the description from the other shop, the BMW techs seem to think its an oil filter housing gasket or valve cover?

As long as its repaired properly I'll be happy.

[pbonsalb]

Those would be my guesses -- oil pan gasket, valve cover gasket, or filter housing gasket. You would have to pull the aliminum plate to figure out which.

[DFW_MThree]

FYI..the BMW shop has had the car since last night, they advised that whoever changed the oil last did not replace the rubber gasket that was on the oil cap, and that was the source of my problems.

This is not what i expected, as I saw no oil coming from that high in the engine bay.. but they insisted they checked the car through and through, performed a proper oil/filter change, washed the engine bay and drove the car/let it run a bit and still no additional leakage.

They also said the car is in excellent shape overall, and if any leaks should pop up later they warranty their work.

Happy that it was not a major deal, but still a bit skeptical.

[Helmsman]

Why do they say its the oil cap when its clearly dry around that area!? (well, the dirt is dry..). Be aware of those friggin shops not even trying to make a proper analysis...

[dparm]

Originally Posted by jpurvis08

FYI..the BMW shop has had the car since last night, they advised that whoever changed the oil last did not replace the rubber gasket that was on the oil cap, and that was the source of my problems.

This is not what i expected, as I saw no oil coming from that high in the engine bay.. but they insisted they checked the car through and through, performed a proper oil/filter change, washed the engine bay and drove the car/let it run a bit and still no additional leakage.

They also said the car is in excellent shape overall, and if any leaks should pop up later they warranty their work.

Happy that it was not a major deal, but still a bit skeptical.

I would keep checking every day and go straight back at the first sign of more leaks. I'm not sure I buy that either.

[Theodore]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Why do they say its the oil cap when its clearly dry around that area!? (well, the dirt is dry..). Be aware of those friggin shops not even trying to make a proper analysis...

I think they may have meant the gasket on the oil filter cap. In his pictures above you can see what could be the remains of a recent oil drip down the sides of the oil filter cap.

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by Theodore

I think they may have meant the gasket on the oil filter cap. In his pictures above you can see what could be the remains of a recent oil drip down the sides of the oil filter cap.

Ah, got it. So hopefully thats it.

[DFW_MThree]

Originally Posted by Theodore

I think they may have meant the gasket on the oil filter cap. In his pictures above you can see what could be the remains of a recent oil drip down the sides of the oil filter cap.

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Ah, got it. So hopefully thats it.

Im hoping they meant the oil filter gasket as well... I have not noticed anymore leaking since I got the car back Thursday. I did not drive it much except to work and back Friday (30 miles round trip) and then on Saturday morning I left for a 2 hour trip out of town. About 45 minutes into it the "Oil Level Low, Add one quart immediately" light came on. The dealer had just changed the oil a day prior.

I stopped immediately and added 1/4 of a quart of the BMW 10/60 castrol that I had in my trunk, still no noticeable leaks on ground or in the engine bay. I continued on... about 20 miles later the oil gauge updated and was completely full after adding only 1/4 qt.?? My thoughts are that the gauge never caught up from the dealers oil change and was showing low, then by the time I drove enough it was corrected?

It has been fine since then and on my 2 hr drive back the gauge was still full. Anyways its going back to the same shop tomorrow for a thorough checkup, this is becoming a pain in the ass.

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by jpurvis08

Im hoping they meant the oil filter gasket as well... I have not noticed anymore leaking since I got the car back Thursday. I did not drive it much except to work and back Friday (30 miles round trip) and then on Saturday morning I left for a 2 hour trip out of town. About 45 minutes into it the "Oil Level Low, Add one quart immediately" light came on. The dealer had just changed the oil a day prior.

I stopped immediately and added 1/4 of a quart of the BMW 10/60 castrol that I had in my trunk, still no noticeable leaks on ground or in the engine bay. I continued on... about 20 miles later the oil gauge updated and was completely full after adding only 1/4 qt.?? My thoughts are that the gauge never caught up from the dealers oil change and was showing low, then by the time I drove enough it was corrected?

It has been fine since then and on my 2 hr drive back the gauge was still full. Anyways its going back to the same shop tomorrow for a thorough checkup, this is becoming a pain in the ass.

As leak seems to be gone it sounds like they got it, great. As you can read in tins of threads the oil gauge sometimes live their own lives. You theory may very well be what happend. With gauge at full, the way I also prefer it, you should be good mate.

[DFW_MThree]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

As leak seems to be gone it sounds like they got it, great. As you can read in tins of threads the oil gauge sometimes live their own lives. You theory may very well be what happend. With gauge at full, the way I also prefer it, you should be good mate.

Yea, I did a search on the oil gauge issue last night and was a little surprised at the number of issues out there, I feel like it just had not updated until I drove it XX number of miles.. Hopefully that is correct, The shop is going to double check today.

Still no sign of leakage.

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by MR.GREY

Yea, I did a search on the oil gauge issue last night and was a little surprised at the number of issues out there, I feel like it just had not updated until I drove it XX number of miles.. Hopefully that is correct, The shop is going to double check today.

Still no sign of leakage.

Grey btw, should you have the Carly app there is a engine parameter that says "raw oil level" or something like that. We're a bunch who have been playing around with this and it seems this provide a oil level indication which is helpful in addition to our gauge. It also presents it immediately rather than like the gauge waiting for ever. Seems to be 32.6-32.9 isch at full gauge bar but there are other measured levels to be found on the forum.

Cheers