Sporadic oil leak

[c.riedinger]

I’m at a loss and need some help. I have a 2010 E93 M3 with 87k miles with an oil leak from valve covers and oil filter housing. Replaced the valve cover gaskets, injectors, spark plugs, tubes, and was still leaking a lot (big drip stains on garage floor. Removed the valve covers again to check seal and found a crushed spark plug tube with oil in a couple of spark plug enclosures. Cleaned that out and replaced the tube…still leaking a lot. Took the valve covers off again, no wetness around valve cover gaskets, so on to the oil filter housing gasket, replaced that, upgraded the power steering pump pulley to the aluminum version, water pump, thermostat, since I was in that area anyway. Put back together no oil leak for a week…then drove 160 miles to Houston. About 1/2 way there I got a low oil warning light…looked under dripping oil again. I added a quart and bought 4 more quarts in Houston, so I could at least get back home to Austin…and didn’t need to add anymore oil…the oil leak had stopped again. Drove it for the week and started dripping again.

Any ideas of why it is on and off again dripping?

[spammysammich]

It could be very possible that your valve covers are incapable of holding a seal. They suck, the material can develop porosity over time and create avenues around the gasket. It has been shown many times on this site that the valve covers often need refinishing to maintain a seal if you choose to keep the stock covers. You also need to get under the car with a borescope and follow your leak up to find the origin. Sorry. BMW doing BMW things.

[Yorksdsu]

Was going to say same thing previous person just said . Imagine it’s valve covers . Time to replace them.

New covers fixed my small leak when originally just the seal had been done. Mechanic told me they basically warp over time (usually after 70k miles or so) because they’re magnesium and gaskets won’t completely solve the leaks it will just happen again unless covers are fully replaced.

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by c.riedinger

I’m at a loss and need some help. I have a 2010 E93 M3 with 87k miles with an oil leak from valve covers and oil filter housing. Replaced the valve cover gaskets, injectors, spark plugs, tubes, and was still leaking a lot (big drip stains on garage floor. Removed the valve covers again to check seal and found a crushed spark plug tube with oil in a couple of spark plug enclosures. Cleaned that out and replaced the tube…still leaking a lot. Took the valve covers off again, no wetness around valve cover gaskets, so on to the oil filter housing gasket, replaced that, upgraded the power steering pump pulley to the aluminum version, water pump, thermostat, since I was in that area anyway. Put back together no oil leak for a week…then drove 160 miles to Houston. About 1/2 way there I got a low oil warning light…looked under dripping oil again. I added a quart and bought 4 more quarts in Houston, so I could at least get back home to Austin…and didn’t need to add anymore oil…the oil leak had stopped again. Drove it for the week and started dripping again. Any ideas of why it is on and off again dripping?

I'd lay money on it that the oil filter housing gasket is leaking again. It's a tricky repair IMO. See the DIY link below. You will see 3 or 4 drops of oil on your garage floor per day (or more as it gets worse and worse).
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https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1312849
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