HELP! Oil leak

[GixerWill]

Hi guys

I have just purchased a 2006 Z4 E85 2.5 Si Sport.

On returning home I could smell oil which prompted me to check under the bonnet, where I discovered what can be seen in the below picture.

The car failed it's MOT on Monday due to an oil leak, but the previous owner assured me it was a leaking oil filter seal, which was replaced. I believed him as later that same day it passed it's MOT with no advisories.

Does anyone know by looking at those pictures where the oil might be coming from? I'd like to fix it myself if possible, or at least know what I'm dealing with before a trip to a local BMW specialist.

I have uploaded a quick 13 second video. The noise in the background is the rain, it was pouring it down.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/khk-m2LP2cQ[/youtube]

https://youtu.be/khk-m2LP2cQ

Thanks in advance
Will

[wonkydonkey]

Whip the plastic engine cover off for a closer look

[mr.tourette]

there is oil on the rocker cover gasket for sure... thats not to say its not come from elsewhere, clean as much up as possible with brake cleaner and you may then find the source after a run out

[GixerWill]

Thanks guys, will do.

Since taking the pictures I have booked it in with a BMW specialist to be seen on Tuesday. They have quoted £65 for a BMW gasket and around £80 labour. Seems quite reasonable.

[ben g]

It's more than likely the rocker cover gasket. That area is exactly the same place mine began to leak from (older M54 3.0 engine).

That price from BMW seems very reasonable. It's not a difficult job, it's just a bit messy and if you don't like standing outside messing around with cars, then its worth letting them deal with it

[wonkydonkey]

There is oil coming from above though, unless I'm mistaken. This means that there is at least one leak source that's above the valve cover/cam cover gasket. It also means that oil may not be leaking from the valve cover gasket at all.

I replaced my valve cover gasket last week. £27 for a decent (Elring) kit including the additional rubbers.

[wonkydonkey]

That price from BMW seems very reasonable.

BMW specialist BMW would surely want at least a grand for this?

[Lance]

I'm not with my car at the moment, so can't check, however I changed my rocker cover gasket late last year and I'm sure there's a few small wells above the gasket that gather oil which then runs down. Mines an E85 though, so may be slightly different.

I'm pretty sure a new rocker cover gasket will solve the leak!

[ben g]

That price from BMW seems very reasonable.

BMW specialist BMW would surely want at least a grand for this?

That's what I get for reading whilst tired I did think it was extremely cheap for a dealer

[wonkydonkey]

I'm pretty sure a new rocker cover gasket will solve the leak!

The cam cover gasket sits below the apparent source of the leak though, so it wouldn't be my first suspect in this case. Just trying to save any wasted time/money for the OP

[Migizi]

since the oil leak appears to be coming from ABOVE the valve cover gasket...
Here's my guess/suggestion

1st you need to remove that silver/grey cover (ignition coil cover)
then you will see and can check the seal/gasket for the camshaft adjusting actuator which is also known as the Variable Timing Unit as well as Eccentric Shaft Actuator... it is mounted at the top center of the camshaft cover

variable timing unit.jpg (87.8 KiB) Viewed 1004 times

Very Easy gasket to replace and very inexpensive.

gasket.jpg (107.31 KiB) Viewed 1002 times

[wonkydonkey]

Migizi that sounds wholly plausible to me, and much faster/cheaper

[GixerWill]

Thanks so much for all of your input, unfortunately it has been snowing here so I haven't had much of a chance to have a look. The car is booked in with the BMW Specialist tomorrow. So hopefully it may be the cheaper of the two gaskets.

Although, do you think if it's the original rocker cover gasket which is on the car it might make sense to have it replaced as some preventive maintenance? Maybe the rocker cover and the Variable Timing Unit gasket (thanks Migizi) and on further inspection perhaps the oil filter seal (see new pic)?

[Z43.0Si]

Looking at your last picture, that looks very much like it’s the seal between the heat exchanger and the oil filter housing. I’ve replaced this on mine recently and I believe it’s a common area to leak oil.

You may find that’s the source of your leak and the oil is migrating. There’s always the possibility that there is more than one source to the leak

[GixerWill]

You may be spot on there Z43.0Si . It's currently with the BMW specialist, I will report back his findings. He's also checking the brakes as I was getting some steering wheel judder when braking at higher speeds. Hopefully today won't be too costly.