[MrSweet1991]

I thought oil vapour through the dipstick and oil cap meant piston rings if the crankcase breather has already been changed? Ive had a new turbo (reconditioned) and a crankcase breather from BMW with no filter as that's how these come and i still get the vapours?

[Andy198712]

You’ll always get some Vapour, your piston rings can’t make a perfect seal.
Also any moisture in the oil will be getting boiled off and create steam ect.

What I’m saying is some vapour/mist is very normal, also the speeds things turn/spin & move in the engine will mist the oil

If there was no vapour, manufactures wouldn’t need to duct the breathers to the inlet to burn the oil vapour

[MrSweet1991]

Originally Posted by Andy198712

You’ll always get some Vapour, your piston rings can’t make a perfect seal.
Also any moisture in the oil will be getting boiled off and create steam ect.

What I’m saying is some vapour/mist is very normal, also the speeds things turn/spin & move in the engine will mist the oil

If there was no vapour, manufactures wouldn’t need to duct the breathers to the inlet to burn the oil vapour

Hmm very interesting Andy, it's something again the contradicts what I've read but then again you shouldn't read something once and believe it. With that said, your car also does this?

[blueh88]

I think I'm pretty confident the E90 empty breather is doing jack. Or at least not enough. Even more so if you're mapped and there is more pressure than stock so therefore higher volumes of blow by gases. Hence why I have decided on going to the vortex type one. Just received it through the post and will be fitting it tomorrow. Will report back how I get on.

In addition, I think the vapour is normal as Andy said; just makes sense.

[MrSweet1991]

Originally Posted by blueh88

I think I'm pretty confident the E90 empty breather is doing jack. Or at least not enough. Even more so if you're mapped and there is more pressure than stock so therefore higher volumes of blow by gases. Hence why I have decided on going to the vortex type one. Just received it through the post and will be fitting it tomorrow. Will report back how I get on.

In addition, I think the vapour is normal as Andy said; just makes sense.

I'm really interested in this, I'd be gobsmacked if it did solve the issue. That said, i lose 1 litre of oil a month which is around 1 litre every 1000 miles.. I suppose it was taking into account a new turbo plus crankcase breather and losing oil with the oil vapour led me to believe piston rings. So your dipstick is just like mine in the video?

[nomiS330d]

Mine doesn’t use/lose any oil whatsoever. My crankcase breather is empty.

[blueh88]

Originally Posted by MrSweet1991

I'm really interested in this, I'd be gobsmacked if it did solve the issue. That said, i lose 1 litre of oil a month which is around 1 litre every 1000 miles.. I suppose it was taking into account a new turbo plus crankcase breather and losing oil with the oil vapour led me to believe piston rings. So your dipstick is just like mine in the video?

Yep, exactly like yours.
Are you seeing the same leak as I've shown in my original post? And what was the reason for the new turbo? Was you experiencing play in the shaft? how did it compare with my vid?

[blueh88]

Originally Posted by nomiS330d

Mine doesn't use/lose any oil whatsoever. My crankcase breather is empty.

What year/car? Mileage? Is it mapped?

[Andy198712]

Originally Posted by MrSweet1991

Hmm very interesting Andy, it's something again the contradicts what I've read but then again you shouldn't read something once and believe it. With that said, your car also does this?

i'll look for you tomorrow

[MrSweet1991]

Originally Posted by blueh88

Yep, exactly like yours.
Are you seeing the same leak as I've shown in my original post? And what was the reason for the new turbo? Was you experiencing play in the shaft? how did it compare with my vid?

Hi mate,

I still get a bit of oil on the cold side of turbo intake like you mentioned, and for the life of me I have never once pulled the EGR pipe off without seeing a puddle there either.. my turbo seals completely collapsed, it was a right mess smoking real bad but I acted on it instantly and took it to Best Turbos who built me a new one. Shaft is very tight with very little play side to side which is expected as we have a floating bearing and of course no in and out movement at all, your shaft play in your video is way more than mine.. that said like the other chap mentioned that's not to say it's gone or anything.

But back to the point, mine is still doing this after the turbo was replaced, breather replaced, EGR cleaned, flaps blanked, rocker cover gasket replaced and much more but not once have I ever solved the oil loss and vapour and to this day don't know why which is why I'm very intrigued to see if the vortex filter has any impact.

[blueh88]

Originally Posted by MrSweet1991

Hi mate,

I still get a bit of oil on the cold side of turbo intake like you mentioned, and for the life of me I have never once pulled the EGR pipe off without seeing a puddle there either.. my turbo seals completely collapsed, it was a right mess smoking real bad but I acted on it instantly and took it to Best Turbos who built me a new one. Shaft is very tight with very little play side to side which is expected as we have a floating bearing and of course no in and out movement at all, your shaft play in your video is way more than mine.. that said like the other chap mentioned that's not to say it's gone or anything.

But back to the point, mine is still doing this after the turbo was replaced, breather replaced, EGR cleaned, flaps blanked, rocker cover gasket replaced and much more but not once have I ever solved the oil loss and vapour and to this day don't know why which is why I'm very intrigued to see if the vortex filter has any impact.

Cool cool. nice one for the info...are you mapped...?

[MrSweet1991]

Originally Posted by blueh88

Cool cool. nice one for the info...are you mapped...?

I am mate, I found out after purchasing the car when I started to look into it so I have no idea who done it or what it's putting down but given all the little things I've discovered about the car I've got little faith that it was done by anybody reputable lol.

[blueh88]

Originally Posted by MrSweet1991

I am mate, I found out after purchasing the car when I started to look into it so I have no idea who done it or what it's putting down but given all the little things I've discovered about the car I've got little faith that it was done by anybody reputable lol.

Haha that's exactly what happened to me! It was mapped when I bought it but when I put it on a Dyno it was showing power at 235bhp!! After I got a proper custom map done it went up to 285bhp but more importantly the way it drove was completely different!!

The fact that you're mapped supports what I'm thinking that it will defo be making more pressure in the crankcase so hence more likely to push oil through the breather...it might be a case that when standard, it's fine and hence why BMW didn't feel the need to put a separator in the breather assembly...Dunno.

[MrSweet1991]

Originally Posted by blueh88

Haha that's exactly what happened to me! It was mapped when I bought it but when I put it on a Dyno it was showing power at 235bhp!! After I got a proper custom map done it went up to 285bhp but more importantly the way it drove was completely different!!

The fact that you're mapped supports what I'm thinking that it will defo be making more pressure in the crankcase so hence more likely to push oil through the breather...it might be a case that when standard, it's fine and hence why BMW didn't feel the need to put a separator in the breather assembly...Dunno.

Wow, I can only imagine how it must have felt going from 235 to 285bhp And yes you could be right about the remaps causing the additional pressure but with mine also burning oil I'm just expecting the worse for now as I'm out of options really and from my knowledge it can only be valve stem seals or piston rings but I took it off the road before I got around to dropping it into a garage to get the verdict. Hopefully you'll have some good luck with the vortex filter, looking forward to reading the outcome

[nomiS330d]

Originally Posted by blueh88

What year/car? Mileage? Is it mapped?

2006 330d with 138000 miles and is mapped.

[RS DAVE]

Originally Posted by nomiS330d

2006 330d with 138000 miles and is mapped.

Just to to put you guys in the picture, turbo's do not have oil seals in them, they have a piston like ring just behind the turbine wheel to centralise it in the housing, then a central bearing a thrust shim and thrust bearing then the comp wheel, no seals.

[blueh88]

Originally Posted by nomiS330d

2006 330d with 138000 miles and is mapped.

That's really interesting! There must be something different happening with ours then.

[MrSweet1991]

Originally Posted by RS DAVE

Just to to put you guys in the picture, turbo's do not have oil seals in them, they have a piston like ring just behind the turbine wheel to centralise it in the housing, then a central bearing a thrust shim and thrust bearing then the comp wheel, no seals.

To be honest I don't know much about the turbo build i just assumed when they said seals they meant the "piston like ring" you mentioned which I thought is what stopped the oil passing through (like one of the piston rings on our pistons would to) as can be seen at 2:30 in this video?

[MrSweet1991]

Originally Posted by blueh88

That's really interesting! There must be something different happening with ours then.

Hi Mate,

You putting the vortex in today? I was thinking of taking a look at mine today and just doing some random things and maybe see if you have the same symptoms

[blueh88]

Originally Posted by MrSweet1991

Hi Mate,

You putting the vortex in today? I was thinking of taking a look at mine today and just doing some random things and maybe see if you have the same symptoms

Hey! sorry just read this. just finished it as we speak now.

Let me know what you're checking and I'll let you know if I've got same symptoms.

[blueh88]

Right, all done. At the same time I blanked off the EGR cooler. Just a job I was meaning to do for a long time. EGR was already blanked and coded out.

I guess it's just a matter of checking in a few days see how it goes. There isn't any notable difference at this moment.

[MrSweet1991]

Originally Posted by blueh88

Right, all done. At the same time I blanked off the EGR cooler. Just a job I was meaning to do for a long time. EGR was already blanked and coded out.

I guess it's just a matter of checking in a few days see how it goes. There isn't any notable difference at this moment.

What about tbe Oil Dipstick vapours, have they gone once the engine has warmed up?