Help!! Can't find where oil is leaking

shwing2345 · 02-21-2015, 12:04 PM

Got oil leaking along metal pan. Just replaced the valve cover gasket. It doesn't seem like oil was leaking from valve cover gasket because there aren't any oil in between the metal pan and valve cover. Also, the valve cover looks dry. I read that oil could be leaking from the oil filter housing. If so, how can it make it to the other side?

KeepRidingDirty · 02-21-2015, 01:00 PM

Did you torque your bolts properly? That seems like Valve cover gasket zone, it really can't be anything else unless you spilt oil filling it up. You could also have a cracked valve cover.

Jklad · 02-21-2015, 01:31 PM

Check to see if your valve cover is cracked - you didn't mention replacing the cover, just the gasket right?

rooringhusky · 02-21-2015, 02:35 PM

That area is indicative of a Valve Cover Gasket/Cover leak 100%. As the other guys above said:

1. Either something wasn't torqued down properly when your replaced the gasket
2. You have/had a crack in the actual valve cover
3. Gasket isn't fully flat in recessed grooves
4. Or the oil wasn't cleaned up when you did the gasket last time

Clownaround · 02-21-2015, 08:14 PM

Definitely looks like your valve cover gasket.

shwing2345 · 02-22-2015, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeepRidingDirty

Did you torque your bolts properly? That seems like Valve cover gasket zone, it really can't be anything else unless you spilt oil filling it up. You could also have a cracked valve cover.

I torqued it to 7.8 lbs. I did not see any signs of oil on the valve cover, so it may not be cracked.

KeepRidingDirty · 02-22-2015, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shwing2345

I torqued it to 7.8 lbs. I did not see any signs of oil on the valve cover, so it may not be cracked.

The only thing in that area are you turbo oil feed lines which are too low and your valve cover. So I'm almost 100% its your valve cover. It could be cracked, torqued wrong, you could have missed bolts, you could have broken a bolt installing it (happens a lot apparently), the gasket might not be seated properly, it could be old oil residue from before you swapped the gasket (did you clean the area after the gasket was installed?) or it could even be spilt oil from an oil change. You gotta do some detective work and find out whats going on. I suggest cleaning the area first and see if the oil returns. Then eliminate the possibilities one by one.

02-21-2015, 12:04 PM	#1
shwing2345 Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Houston iTrader: (0)	Help!! Can't find where oil is leaking Got oil leaking along metal pan. Just replaced the valve cover gasket. It doesn't seem like oil was leaking from valve cover gasket because there aren't any oil in between the metal pan and valve cover. Also, the valve cover looks dry. I read that oil could be leaking from the oil filter housing. If so, how can it make it to the other side? Attached Images
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02-21-2015, 01:00 PM	#2
KeepRidingDirty Professional Monkey Trainer 65 Rep 423 Posts Drives: 2007 BMW 335xi Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Ottawa, On iTrader: (1)	Did you torque your bolts properly? That seems like Valve cover gasket zone, it really can't be anything else unless you spilt oil filling it up. You could also have a cracked valve cover. __________________ JB4 G5 ISO / ER Charge Pipe and Tial BOV / Wagner FMIC / CYBA Tips & Air Scoops / AFE DCI / BMW PE Exhaust Mod / M3 Rep Bumper / Dynavin E9x Last edited by KeepRidingDirty; 02-21-2015 at 01:58 PM..
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02-21-2015, 01:31 PM	#3
Jklad Lieutenant Colonel 424 Rep 1,643 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Coupe Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Palatine, IL iTrader: (0)	Check to see if your valve cover is cracked - you didn't mention replacing the cover, just the gasket right? __________________ 2007 E92 335i MT
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02-21-2015, 02:35 PM	#4
rooringhusky Objects in the mirror are losing 107 Rep 1,133 Posts Drives: 2007 BMW 335i E92 AW/CR 6MT Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Socal (OC/Riverside) iTrader: (19) Garage List 2007 BMW 335i [10.00]	That area is indicative of a Valve Cover Gasket/Cover leak 100%. As the other guys above said: 1. Either something wasn't torqued down properly when your replaced the gasket 2. You have/had a crack in the actual valve cover 3. Gasket isn't fully flat in recessed grooves 4. Or the oil wasn't cleaned up when you did the gasket last time __________________ PERFORMANCE: JB4 G5 \ Backend Flash \ DCI \ BMS Downpipes \ CX FMIC \ ER Chargepipe \ Synapse BOV \ KW V2 \ Muffler Delete \ CDV \ ZHP Shifter \ Cyba Scoops FUN: M3 Front \ Mtech Rear \ JL 10W6 \ ModMyNav \ V1 Hardwired \ LUX H8 \ Gloss Black Trim \ Gloss Black Roof \ Cyba Quads \ Cyba Mtech Diffuser
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02-21-2015, 08:14 PM	#5
Clownaround Private First Class 46 Rep 102 Posts Drives: 2007 335xi Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	Definitely looks like your valve cover gasket.
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