Oil leak!

[Jehu]

What i thought had been Power Steering fluid leaking from loose Res.Hose clamps is OIL. I have an apt. for Monday but till then i get to speculate. When I first heard about the loose Oil Pump bolts in the V8's i went and had a shop drop the pan to check it. They told me when they took the Pan off there had been no gasket just Silicone.I didn't see this but they put in a gasket and closed it up. I also was told by the Seller he changed the Valve Cover Gaskets immediately prior to my finalizing the sale. These are my two best hopes i think. If someone over or under tightened either of those parts,the oil pan cover with no gasket if over tightened i imagine could have bent then even with a new gasket the mis-shapen cover might eventually seep oil, or the same with the Valve Cover Gaskets. The oils is dripping slowly off the end of the under-shield and i reached up along the pan cover seal area and did get fresh oil on my fingers but i suppose its still possible its leaking from the valve cover on down though even as i write this i just realized they would be hot enough to burn the oil and I'd smell that which i don't. There has been no low oil warning and the level on the dipstick is perfectly between the two notches having had it changed two weeks ago. I guess maybe the reason the leak developed only recently could be i had not before recently driven the car as hard as i have, getting it up to 120 a few times or maybe a few of those hard launches with the brand new clutch and flywheel a few months ago. Anyway any other ideas what i may possibly find out when i get her up on the Lift Monday? Any real terminal conditions? Definitely no oil/coolant mixing going on,oil's clean, coolant too, no white smoke from the tail pipe and plenty of Ballz on the highway. Whish me luck.... or don't.....

[Ross]

Sounds like you need to clean everything up and watch closely.
For what it's worth I once blew the oilpan gasket out of an M30 after a sustained high speed run.

[632 Regal]

I'll tell you what, them valve cover gaskets are a bitch. Bet the guy wasn't able to get the gasket to seat properly... they fall off the cover and are impailed on all sorts of things when your trying to put it all together. Another idea is if he didnt replace all them little O ring deals.

#9

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...29&hg=11&fg=15

[Jehu]

I'll tell you what, them valve cover gaskets are a bitch. Bet the guy wasn't able to get the gasket to seat properly... they fall off the cover and are impailed on all sorts of things when your trying to put it all together. Another idea is if he didnt replace all them little O ring deals.

#9

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...29&hg=11&fg=15

OK, Would the oil not have to drip over hot exhaust headers on its way to the ground or is there a path for it to leak from those places around the hot jheaders cuz i;m not smelling any burning oil. I'll have it in a competent shop Monday so i'll make sure and mention the Valve cover gasket deal and the little bolt washers.

[632 Regal]

lets think, the little bolt washers seal the inside from the outside and when your hammering your engine there is positive pressure inside, so if it was leaking it would probably spray or leak following the air travel. same deal with a weak gasket seal issue which I think is more likely the cause. Let us know so we all learn!