[ybbiz34]

Hey guys, I've noticed that after my car sits for a couple days after driving it (nearly a week), there is a small, quarter-sized spot on my garage floor where my front passenger-side wheel well is. It is a fairly dark brown color, quarter-sized like I said, and not especially thick. The location under which this spot appears is right where my new oil cooler was installed.

If the car sits for just a day or two, I notice that it is not there. Also, it seems that the spot has decreased in size over time.

I am wondering, is this actually a small oil leak where the techs at BMW forgot to tighten something properly?

Or is this a situation where they may have spilled a little oil and there is oil reisude burning off when I drive and is running off onto the floor slowy afterward?

I have no idea. I've examined the engine bay and the oil cooler housing in the wheel well also and can't see any obvious leaks.

I was hoping someone on here could offer their opinion and help me out before I have to haul my car into the dealer where they will rip the bumper apart to investigate. I don't want to go through all of that if it is not a must.

Thanks in advance.

[ybbiz34]

Anyone have an idea?

[DrewKo]

Clean the spot and watch it for a month. If it reappears, take it to the dealership.

[ybbiz34]

Originally Posted by DrewKo

Clean the spot and watch it for a month. If it reappears, take it to the dealership.

I've cleaned it up and watched it come back for a few weeks now, but the spot seems to be getting smaller and smaller. I am really pretty .

[Orb]

Originally Posted by ybbiz34

I've cleaned it up and watched it come back for a few weeks now, but the spot seems to be getting smaller and smaller. I am really pretty .

It going to be one of the following:

1. One of the two fitting is lose on the radiator
2. The hose that attaches to the core has a bad fitting crimped onto it.
3. The core has a leak at one of the joints.

It is not going away so you have get in there and find the cause.

It could be something else as well....you just don't know until you look.

Orb

[ybbiz34]

Originally Posted by Orb

It going to be one of the following:

1. One of the two fittings is lose on the radiator
2. The hose that attaches to the core has a bad fitting crimped onto it.
3. The core has a leak at one of the joints.

It is not going away so you have get in there and find the cause.

It could be something else as well....you just don't know until you look.

Orb

Thank you for the advice Orb. It looks like I will have to take it in to the dealer.

[Orb]

Originally Posted by ybbiz34

Thank you for the advice Orb. It looks like I will have to take it in to the dealer.

Yup, better fixing this than being stuck on the road side with oil all over the place.

The might just have to only take off the fender well cover only to get a good look.

Orb

[sparkyg]

I'll keep an eye on mine, thx ybbiz34.

Are you able to check the tubing from the central unit in the front, it's not running down the lines?

[BoostedBMW]

I would just remove the passenger wheel and peel back the fender liner to see if it actually leaking from a loose oil line fitting or not. It would only take you 10 minutes to take a look.

[e90AW335i]

Originally Posted by BoostedBMW

I would just remove the passenger wheel and peel back the fender liner to see if it actually leaking from a loose oil line fitting or not. It would only take you 10 minutes to take a look.

+1, You could just tighten the fittings up onces your down there. Please keep us updated...

[ybbiz34]

Originally Posted by sparkyg

I'll keep an eye on mine, thx ybbiz34.

Are you able to check the tubing from the central unit in the front, it's not running down the lines?

Yeah I checked that out, I got under the car with a flash light too and could not see any oil running from anywhere. Maybe I'll go check it out again just to be sure. Thanks sparkyg.

Originally Posted by BoostedBMW

I would just remove the passenger wheel and peel back the fender liner to see if it actually leaking from a loose oil line fitting or not. It would only take you 10 minutes to take a look.

That's a good idea, I'll definitely check that out here soon. Thank you.

Originally Posted by e90AW335i

+1, You could just tighten the fittings up onces your down there. Please keep us updated...

I hope that is the issue, just tightening up some loose fittings. That'd be great if it was that easy. The amount of oil (if it is indeed oil) is very small, and diminishing over time.

Thank you very much guys for all of the input! I really appreciate it. I will definitely keep you all updated.

[radgator1]

I had a very slow leak after my Oil cooler retrofit just like yours. I can't remember what they said it was but they blamed it on the parts rather than their install. Anyway, nothing to do about it except take it in and let them fix it.

[ybbiz34]

Originally Posted by radgator1

I had a very slow leak after my Oil cooler retrofit just like yours. I can't remember what they said it was but they blamed it on the parts rather than their install. Anyway, nothing to do about it except take it in and let them fix it.

Thanks, I guess it is definitely more of a problem with the retrofit then.

[ybbiz34]

Okay guys, I had a nice conversation with an SA this morning over the phone and I described to him my situation.

He thinks that it is potentially (and hopefully) just some oil that was smeared somewhere during the installation that has gradually been burned off as I have driven the car that has slowly dripped down after I have parked and cooled down, given that the amount is small and is decreasing in size. This would not be that surprising since I do not drive the car that often (I have had it since last May and it has less than 4,000 miles) and it hasn't been that long since the install.

Or, it could still be some Cosmoline dripping down that was aggravated during the install (which is also brownish in color).

Or, maybe (hopefully not), there is a very small leak somewhere that they could investigate if my situation does not improve over the next couple of weeks. I am going to try to get out and drive it more to see what happens.

Overall, this thankfully hasn't turned out to be as big of a deal as I initially thought. Hopefully the situation continues to improve. I'll let you know, so thanks for all of the feedback you have provided so far.

[radgator1]

Originally Posted by ybbiz34

Okay guys, I had a nice conversation with an SA this morning over the phone and I described to him my situation.

He thinks that it is potentially (and hopefully) just some oil that was smeared somewhere during the installation that has gradually been burned off as I have driven the car that has slowly dripped down after I have parked and cooled down, given that the amount is small and is decreasing in size. This would not be that surprising since I do not drive the car that often (I have had it since last May and it has less than 4,000 miles) and it hasn't been that long since the install.

Or, it could still be some Cosmoline dripping down that was aggravated during the install (which is also brownish in color).

Or, maybe (hopefully not), there is a very small leak somewhere that they could investigate if my situation does not improve over the next couple of weeks. I am going to try to get out and drive it more to see what happens.

Overall, this thankfully hasn't turned out to be as big of a deal as I initially thought. Hopefully the situation continues to improve. I'll let you know, so thanks for all of the feedback you have provided so far.

If you have had a small drop on several occasions its a leak period. Your SA is a tool and just trying to placate you. WTF, all of a sudden you have cosmoline dripping? Just take it in and have them fix it.

[ybbiz34]

The leak came back after some hard driving last night. Gave in, and took it in to get it looked at.

[Bubbles]

Sorry to hear about the leak, but at least you have a warranty. Keep us posted.

[ybbiz34]

Originally Posted by Bubbles

Sorry to hear about the leak, but at least you have a warranty. Keep us posted.

Thanks Bubbles, will do.

[vase330]

Originally Posted by ybbiz34

Okay guys, I had a nice conversation with an SA this morning over the phone and I described to him my situation.

He thinks that it is potentially (and hopefully) just some oil that was smeared somewhere during the installation that has gradually been burned off as I have driven the car that has slowly dripped down after I have parked and cooled down, given that the amount is small and is decreasing in size. This would not be that surprising since I do not drive the car that often (I have had it since last May and it has less than 4,000 miles) and it hasn't been that long since the install.

Or, it could still be some Cosmoline dripping down that was aggravated during the install (which is also brownish in color).

Or, maybe (hopefully not), there is a very small leak somewhere that they could investigate if my situation does not improve over the next couple of weeks. I am going to try to get out and drive it more to see what happens.

Overall, this thankfully hasn't turned out to be as big of a deal as I initially thought. Hopefully the situation continues to improve. I'll let you know, so thanks for all of the feedback you have provided so far.

Cosmoline? Are you kidding? That stuff does not drip. It might emit some white smoke/mist for couple hundred miles but that stuff dries right up. Think about it, your car is a year old. Cosmoline will dry in less than a month. Why is yours still dripping a year later? They installed your cooler and did not tighten some coupling enough or they missed a washer somewhere. Take it back and tell them its a BMW not Hyundai, not supposed to leak even with 150K miles on it. I have had two BMWs from different eras go to that range and not a drop of leaked oil. No gaskets changed on them either other than maybe valve cover gasket. Now why is yours with 4K miles leaking? Its their fault. Take it back to them.

[ybbiz34]

Originally Posted by vase330

Cosmoline? Are you kidding? That stuff does not drip. It might emit some white smoke/mist for couple hundred miles but that stuff dries right up. Think about it, your car is a year old. Cosmoline will dry in less than a month. Why is yours still dripping a year later? They installed your cooler and did not tighten some coupling enough or they missed a washer somewhere. Take it back and tell them its a BMW not Hyundai, not supposed to leak even with 150K miles on it. I have had two BMWs from different eras go to that range and not a drop of leaked oil. No gaskets changed on them either other than maybe valve cover gasket. Now why is yours with 4K miles leaking? Its their fault. Take it back to them.

Amen! I took it in this morning. Hopefully they'll get to the bottom of this crap Monday morning.