2008 E90 Oil in Coolant

rmtdewz · 01-31-2018, 01:25 PM

Anyone ever get a little oil residue in the coolant reservoir?

Helmsman · 02-02-2018, 10:21 AM

Ups, never heard of but lets see what the tech guys says. Previous owner did oil top up a late Saturday night..?

R3dliner · 02-02-2018, 10:32 AM

Coolant should be blue

pbonsalb · 02-02-2018, 11:18 AM

Has not been an issue I recall reading about in my 7 years here, but I agree it does look like you have oil in your coolant. I don’t know the most likely culprit. The OP mentions the oil filter housing gasket. I have not studied it and am not sure whether coolant passes through it.

rmtdewz · 02-03-2018, 01:59 PM

Pulled the oil cap, no milky looking coolant mixing under there. Pulled the oil filter, looks normal. From what I can tell in the diagrams it looks like the coolant flows through the oil filter housing.

///M Power-Belgium · 02-03-2018, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmtdewz

Just purchased a 2008 E90 M3 with 41,000 miles. After checking it over noticed oil residue in the coolant tank. Coolant looks very oily and after dipping my finger in it does have quite a bit of oil in it. Anyone seen this as a common thing with these cars?

My first thought is oil filter housing gasket..

Attachment 1761231

Attachment 1761232

Oil in coolant is one of the symptoms from a *Blown Head Gasket* !
Someone pulled high rpm's while your S65 was still cold...

#reallysucks !

admranger · 02-03-2018, 09:18 PM

I've seen this before and it might be no big deal. Put a shop towel in there and soak up the goo. Do that several days in a row and see if the amount on the rag is the same.

You could always do a coolant flush and see if the oil comes out. Sometimes there's oil in there during assembly, but I'd have expected your car to have had several coolant changes by now (every 2 years it should be done iirc).

pbonsalb · 02-03-2018, 09:35 PM

I don’t think factory spec coolant changes are 2 years. Probably 100k miles.

///M Power-Belgium · 02-04-2018, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I don’t think factory spec coolant changes are 2 years. Probably 100k miles.

I agree . I have 54K km on it , and I never had a coolant change .
Oil in coolant is always a bad sign , like I said above ...It's the symptom of a *Blown Head Gasket*
I wouldn't drive my car like this , the chance of overheating and compression loss is big...
A lot of *white smoke* from the exhaust tips , and the smell from coolant can show what is going on..

GORDON.M3 · 02-04-2018, 11:53 AM

Wow... only 41,000 miles and there's oil in your coolant expansion tank? That is horrible...

Cbozz · 02-04-2018, 12:40 PM

It could be a bad Oil Filter housing gasket -- that's where oil flows next to coolant and if gasket is bad they can mix....

and I think the reason why oil in the coolant and no coolant in oil is because oil runs at higher pressure ....?

rmtdewz · 02-04-2018, 01:25 PM

Eh

pbonsalb · 02-04-2018, 03:57 PM

If it’s just a gasket, that can be fixed. I am more concerned about why it happened since no one seems to suffer this problem.

admranger · 02-04-2018, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I don’t think factory spec coolant changes are 2 years. Probably 100k miles.

Good point. I had my E46M3 thinking cap on.

I'd pull an oil sample and send to Blackstone. They'll let you know if you have water in the oil.

It's likely the oil filter housing gasket. It shows up as an issue when you google oil in coolant m3 or things like that.

I'd still try to soak up the oil in the coolant tank and see if it comes back. Someone may have put an additive in that has aged out and now looks like oil too. Unlikely a head gasket unless the motor has been severely overheated.

pbonsalb · 02-04-2018, 05:57 PM

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1312849

I can’t see how the coolant is getting into the oil. The guy removed the water pump but I think that was for access.

rmtdewz · 02-04-2018, 07:52 PM

Well

pbonsalb · 02-04-2018, 08:02 PM

If it’s getting in from the engine, it may be a head gasket. Big job.

rmtdewz · 02-04-2018, 08:56 PM

Hmm

pbonsalb · 02-04-2018, 09:03 PM

It would make me think maybe the seller knew and sold the car to avoid problems.

GORDON.M3 · 02-04-2018, 10:47 PM

Oil in your coolant like that is pretty game over. You will need to rebuild the engine, probably might as well do the bearings also, main and rods.

If I were you though, I would go straight to the dealer as they sold you a lemon.

M43S7RO · 02-04-2018, 11:51 PM

Lemon laws in your state?

BOOF-M3 · 03-04-2018, 07:28 PM

Any update op?

01-31-2018, 01:25 PM	#1
rmtdewz New Member 9 Rep 18 Posts Drives: 08 E90 M3 6MT Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Bellingham WA iTrader: (0)	2008 E90 Oil in Coolant Anyone ever get a little oil residue in the coolant reservoir? Last edited by rmtdewz; 11-26-2019 at 11:54 PM..
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02-02-2018, 10:21 AM	#2
Helmsman Major General 4421 Rep 7,084 Posts Drives: 2011 AW E90 M3 ZCP Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Stockholm, Sweden iTrader: (0)	Ups, never heard of but lets see what the tech guys says. Previous owner did oil top up a late Saturday night..?
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02-02-2018, 10:32 AM	#3
R3dliner Lieutenant Colonel 935 Rep 1,930 Posts Drives: 18 M3 6MT Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: NYC iTrader: (5)	Coolant should be blue
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02-02-2018, 11:18 AM	#4
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5211 Rep 10,577 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	Has not been an issue I recall reading about in my 7 years here, but I agree it does look like you have oil in your coolant. I don’t know the most likely culprit. The OP mentions the oil filter housing gasket. I have not studied it and am not sure whether coolant passes through it.
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02-03-2018, 01:59 PM	#5
rmtdewz New Member 9 Rep 18 Posts Drives: 08 E90 M3 6MT Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Bellingham WA iTrader: (0)	Pulled the oil cap, no milky looking coolant mixing under there. Pulled the oil filter, looks normal. From what I can tell in the diagrams it looks like the coolant flows through the oil filter housing.
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02-03-2018, 09:18 PM	#7
admranger Retired Curmudgeon 2985 Rep 4,047 Posts Drives: ‘19 X3M40i, ‘18 m550i Join Date: May 2011 Location: Las Vegas, NV iTrader: (1)	I've seen this before and it might be no big deal. Put a shop towel in there and soak up the goo. Do that several days in a row and see if the amount on the rag is the same. You could always do a coolant flush and see if the oil comes out. Sometimes there's oil in there during assembly, but I'd have expected your car to have had several coolant changes by now (every 2 years it should be done iirc). __________________ '19 X3 M40 Carbon Black/Oyster, '23 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit, Past BMWs: '18 M550i, '18 330 GT, '16 X5 40e, '11 E90M3, '06 X5 4.4, '03 330i ZHP, '02 M3, '97 Z3 2.8, '95 M3 (2x), '94 530i (manual), '92 525i (manual), '88 M3, '87 325iS
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02-03-2018, 09:35 PM	#8
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5211 Rep 10,577 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	I don’t think factory spec coolant changes are 2 years. Probably 100k miles.
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02-04-2018, 11:53 AM	#10
GORDON.M3 Colonel 1414 Rep 2,995 Posts Drives: E92 M3 • F25 X3 M-Sport Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: LAX/YYZ/NRT iTrader: (11)	Wow... only 41,000 miles and there's oil in your coolant expansion tank? That is horrible... __________________ INSTAGRAM: GORDON.M3 North American Mr12Volt Carplay/Android Auto Distributor DINAN \| EVOSPORT \| VAC \| ARP \| RD SPORT \| NEEZ \| EIBACH \| CSF \| IND \| BILSTEIN \| KLASSEN \| BREMBO \| ENDLESS \| BBS \| BPM SPORT \| PROJECT MU \| EVENTURI
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02-04-2018, 12:40 PM	#11
Cbozz Colonel 687 Rep 2,714 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: South Florida/ St. Louis iTrader: (27) Garage List 2016 BMW X5M [0.00] 08 BMW M3 [0.00] 14 BMW X5 50i - sold [0.00] 09 BMW 335i - Sold [0.00] 09 BMW 328i - Sold [0.00] 07 BMW 328i - Sold [0.00]	It could be a bad Oil Filter housing gasket -- that's where oil flows next to coolant and if gasket is bad they can mix.... and I think the reason why oil in the coolant and no coolant in oil is because oil runs at higher pressure ....? __________________ Evolve, Eisenmann, Strasse, StopTech, Active Autowerke
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02-04-2018, 01:25 PM	#12
rmtdewz New Member 9 Rep 18 Posts Drives: 08 E90 M3 6MT Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Bellingham WA iTrader: (0)	Eh Last edited by rmtdewz; 11-26-2019 at 11:50 PM..
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02-04-2018, 03:57 PM	#13
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5211 Rep 10,577 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	If it’s just a gasket, that can be fixed. I am more concerned about why it happened since no one seems to suffer this problem.
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02-04-2018, 05:57 PM	#15
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5211 Rep 10,577 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1312849 I can’t see how the coolant is getting into the oil. The guy removed the water pump but I think that was for access.
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02-04-2018, 07:52 PM	#16
rmtdewz New Member 9 Rep 18 Posts Drives: 08 E90 M3 6MT Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Bellingham WA iTrader: (0)	Well Last edited by rmtdewz; 11-26-2019 at 11:51 PM..
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02-04-2018, 08:02 PM	#17
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5211 Rep 10,577 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	If it’s getting in from the engine, it may be a head gasket. Big job.
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02-04-2018, 08:56 PM	#18
rmtdewz New Member 9 Rep 18 Posts Drives: 08 E90 M3 6MT Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Bellingham WA iTrader: (0)	Hmm Last edited by rmtdewz; 11-26-2019 at 11:52 PM..
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02-04-2018, 09:03 PM	#19
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5211 Rep 10,577 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	It would make me think maybe the seller knew and sold the car to avoid problems.
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02-04-2018, 10:47 PM	#20
GORDON.M3 Colonel 1414 Rep 2,995 Posts Drives: E92 M3 • F25 X3 M-Sport Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: LAX/YYZ/NRT iTrader: (11)	Oil in your coolant like that is pretty game over. You will need to rebuild the engine, probably might as well do the bearings also, main and rods. If I were you though, I would go straight to the dealer as they sold you a lemon. __________________ INSTAGRAM: GORDON.M3 North American Mr12Volt Carplay/Android Auto Distributor DINAN \| EVOSPORT \| VAC \| ARP \| RD SPORT \| NEEZ \| EIBACH \| CSF \| IND \| BILSTEIN \| KLASSEN \| BREMBO \| ENDLESS \| BBS \| BPM SPORT \| PROJECT MU \| EVENTURI
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02-04-2018, 11:51 PM	#21
M43S7RO Major 502 Rep 1,055 Posts Drives: Jerez Black E92 M3 Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Peoria, AZ iTrader: (13)	Lemon laws in your state?
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03-04-2018, 07:28 PM	#22
BOOF-M3 Brigadier General 4450 Rep 4,014 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Pasadena Florida iTrader: (1)	Any update op?
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