N52 Oil Leak?

sle39lvr · 07-03-2013, 09:06 PM

This is a N52 with over 80K miles. I had my valve-cover gasket replaced at 50K and around the seal is clean and grime-free.

I also had my exhaust vanos leaking and it made the surrounding area grimy and oily. I replaced it and clean the area around it.

However, I recently notice the area below the vanos, near the main pully, it is very dirty. Grimy and oily. I also see there could be some sort of a seal there that could be bad. Can anyone comment?

Thanks in advance

Phil325i · 07-04-2013, 03:26 AM

Weeping head gasket? BTW love the cutaway engine pic. Got any more you could post?

sle39lvr · 07-04-2013, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil325i

Weeping head gasket? BTW love the cutaway engine pic. Got any more you could post?

Sorry, not my image. Found it on Google.

sle39lvr · 07-04-2013, 06:52 AM

Car is under CPO warranty. If it's a head gasket leak, I want to approach them with confidence since they will do whatever they can to get out of it.

Here are my own images to supplement:

Any thoughts?

Phil325i · 07-04-2013, 08:41 AM

Having seen your additional pics, I'd revise my view. Not very oily in my opinion. I feel this could be left over run-down from before you had your valve cover gasket replaced. I think the grime (at the front at least) is rubber crumb from the drive belts. If it was mine, I would thoroughly clean the area down and see of the 'leak' reoccurred. Just my five cents...

Efthreeoh · 07-04-2013, 09:28 AM

Hate to tell you this, but engines get dirty after 80,000 miles of use. Live with it. If you take that car in as a warranty claim, they are just going to laugh at you.

sle39lvr · 07-04-2013, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Hate to tell you this, but engines get dirty after 80,000 miles of use. Live with it. If you take that car in as a warranty claim, they are just going to laugh at you.

Well, I wish I did better job with the pics. Here in South Florida, no snow, clean, better roads, my engine bay is pretty clean by it self. There are no oil or grime anywhere else on the engine bay but around those sections that are pictured.

Either way, I guess I will Simple-Green it tonight and see how it goes in few months.

07-04-2013, 05:50 PM

If you haven't replaced your oil filter housing gasket, and your Valve cover gasket is recent then thats going to be the leak.

I let my oil filter housing gasket leak for 30k miles, made a huge mess on the motor.

Amini77 · 07-05-2013, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by index1489

If you haven't replaced your oil filter housing gasket, and your Valve cover gasket is recent then thats going to be the leak.

I let my oil filter housing gasket leak for 30k miles, made a huge mess on the motor.

+1 usually happens around 80k miles.

sle39lvr · 07-21-2013, 11:49 AM

I took the undercarriage out and noticed this:

Should I go to dealer and have it checked under CPO warranty?

Denny347 · 07-23-2013, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sle39lvr

I took the undercarriage out and noticed this:

Should I go to dealer and have it checked under CPO warranty?

Might as well.

sle39lvr · 07-23-2013, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denny347

Might as well.

So, went to dealer. My usual dealership took me in as a CPO covered issue. They said it is oil filter housing gasket and possibly oil pan gasket. Will take few days to get it done. Glad it went this well.

Denny347 · 07-23-2013, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sle39lvr

So, went to dealer. My usual dealership took me in as a CPO covered issue. They said it is oil filter housing gasket and possibly oil pan gasket. Will take few days to get it done. Glad it went this well.

Better that they pay for it than you

07-03-2013, 09:06 PM	#1
sle39lvr Captain 126 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	N52 Oil Leak? This is a N52 with over 80K miles. I had my valve-cover gasket replaced at 50K and around the seal is clean and grime-free. I also had my exhaust vanos leaking and it made the surrounding area grimy and oily. I replaced it and clean the area around it. However, I recently notice the area below the vanos, near the main pully, it is very dirty. Grimy and oily. I also see there could be some sort of a seal there that could be bad. Can anyone comment? Thanks in advance
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07-04-2013, 03:26 AM	#2
Phil325i Brigadier General 624 Rep 3,200 Posts Drives: E92 325i MSport Coupe Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: UK South East iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 BMW 325i Coupe [6.00]	Weeping head gasket? BTW love the cutaway engine pic. Got any more you could post? __________________ E92 pre-LCI 325i - Ohlins R&T; H&R spacers; M3 strut brace; Swift thrust sheets; 3 x chassis braces; diff brace; N53 V-brace; 034 subframe inserts; BMS clutch stop; BMS CDV; RE g/box mounts; Delrin shift bushes; Saikoumichi OCC; Cyba scoops; BMW Perf Exhaust; HEL s/steel brake hoses; M3 rear spoiler; Recaro Sportster CSs; M3 white dash LEDs; LED Angels; LED side repeaters; BMW Perf black grille; CSL reps; SSDD carbon diffuser; Monster Wrap black roof/clear front
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07-04-2013, 06:52 AM	#4
sle39lvr Captain 126 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	Car is under CPO warranty. If it's a head gasket leak, I want to approach them with confidence since they will do whatever they can to get out of it. Here are my own images to supplement: Any thoughts? Last edited by sle39lvr; 07-21-2013 at 11:51 AM..
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07-04-2013, 08:41 AM	#5
Phil325i Brigadier General 624 Rep 3,200 Posts Drives: E92 325i MSport Coupe Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: UK South East iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 BMW 325i Coupe [6.00]	Having seen your additional pics, I'd revise my view. Not very oily in my opinion. I feel this could be left over run-down from before you had your valve cover gasket replaced. I think the grime (at the front at least) is rubber crumb from the drive belts. If it was mine, I would thoroughly clean the area down and see of the 'leak' reoccurred. Just my five cents... __________________ E92 pre-LCI 325i - Ohlins R&T; H&R spacers; M3 strut brace; Swift thrust sheets; 3 x chassis braces; diff brace; N53 V-brace; 034 subframe inserts; BMS clutch stop; BMS CDV; RE g/box mounts; Delrin shift bushes; Saikoumichi OCC; Cyba scoops; BMW Perf Exhaust; HEL s/steel brake hoses; M3 rear spoiler; Recaro Sportster CSs; M3 white dash LEDs; LED Angels; LED side repeaters; BMW Perf black grille; CSL reps; SSDD carbon diffuser; Monster Wrap black roof/clear front
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07-04-2013, 09:28 AM	#6
Efthreeoh General 17425 Rep 18,801 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Hate to tell you this, but engines get dirty after 80,000 miles of use. Live with it. If you take that car in as a warranty claim, they are just going to laugh at you.
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07-04-2013, 05:50 PM	#8
RemovedUser Guest 0 Rep n/a Posts Drives:	If you haven't replaced your oil filter housing gasket, and your Valve cover gasket is recent then thats going to be the leak. I let my oil filter housing gasket leak for 30k miles, made a huge mess on the motor.
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07-21-2013, 11:49 AM	#10
sle39lvr Captain 126 Rep 654 Posts Drives: 08 328i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (3)	I took the undercarriage out and noticed this: Should I go to dealer and have it checked under CPO warranty?
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