Couple of drops of oil on garage floor... 35is

step_change · Post by **step_change** » Wed May 15, 2019 5:29 pm

Hi,
I always check the floor when I reverse her out of the garage. This morning I noted an oil mark on the floor where a drop or two of oil had leaked out and clearly it dripped off of the under-tray, roughly just in front where the ashtray would be, under the car.

2013 35is. Immaculate and drives superbly. 60400 miles. No check controls and oil level fine. Don't use the car that much - 5000 a year or so. Car is under extended warranty.

Drove off, all fine, no warnings. Drives a beaut. Get home after 100 mile trip, put her back in garage. I check two hours later and no drips on the floor. But I got on my hands and knees and reaching underneath the car with a stick, a single drop of oil about to drip off of the under-tray. Checked again 8 hours later. No oil on floor and no new drop appearing about to drip off.

I think there is a very slow weep in a gasket somewhere. Or the DCT sump plate problem.

Whaddayarekkon? Again, Car is under BMW's own extended warranty with £100 excess.

Z4M-2006 · Post by **Z4M-2006** » Wed May 15, 2019 5:39 pm

Probably DCT gearbox sump or O ring leaking.

Lynchy · Post by **Lynchy** » Wed May 15, 2019 5:43 pm

Could it be water laying inside the under tray and occasionally dripping and soaking up a bit of old oil with it ?

step_change · Post by **step_change** » Wed May 15, 2019 5:47 pm

Lynchy wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 5:43 pm Could it be water laying inside the under tray and occasionally dripping and soaking up a bit of old oil with it ?

Don't think so Lynchy, the oil drop was thick (like used oil) and it hasn't been raining these last few days so don't think that is it. Will monitor it.

Lynchy · Post by **Lynchy** » Wed May 15, 2019 6:42 pm

It's a georgeous looking car so perhaps you should sell it to me

Jembo · Post by **Jembo** » Wed May 15, 2019 6:47 pm

Lynchy wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 6:42 pm It's a georgeous looking car so perhaps you should sell it to me

& I thought you were a keeper?

Lynchy · Post by **Lynchy** » Wed May 15, 2019 6:51 pm

step_change · Post by **step_change** » Wed May 15, 2019 7:07 pm

Lynchy wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 6:42 pm It's a georgeous looking car so perhaps you should sell it to me

Thanks

yes, I’m inclined to agree with you there. It is wonderful.

Zoomer · Post by **Zoomer** » Wed May 15, 2019 7:09 pm

Do like the E89 in Melbourne.

Busterboo · Post by **Busterboo** » Thu May 16, 2019 12:23 am

It should be easy enough to see if the oil's coming from the DCT sump plate, shouldn't it?

2009CAZ4 · Post by **2009CAZ4** » Thu May 16, 2019 6:16 am

I lived with a red dripping, and recently noticed a few little black drops as well. Finally put her in the shop and its $3500 USD to fix. Valve cover gasket and a trans gasket somewhere. I didn't ask too many questions cause its covered by the extended warranty.

2009 35is with 50k miles, 1,200 a year for my 2 years.

step_change · Post by **step_change** » Thu May 16, 2019 8:39 am

Busterboo wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2019 12:23 am It should be easy enough to see if the oil's coming from the DCT sump plate, shouldn't it?

I can't properly get under the car to look.
No oil on the floor this morning. Hmmmm, will keep checking. Wonder if the weep is so slight that only hot oil can get through and when cold no more comes out. Which would imply the weep could get worse.

Another theory is that I used my windscreen and headlight washers a lot in the bright sun because of insects plastered all over. Wonder if some water (and strong screen wash mixed in) got onto the under tray and washed off a bit of oil and this is the drop I saw? Unlikely but will investigate.
I am on jollies for a week shortly. Will check after then and if still doing it will take it to BMW, that's why I have the extended warranty after all....

step_change · Post by **step_change** » Thu May 16, 2019 8:41 am

2009CAZ4 wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2019 6:16 am I lived with a red dripping, and recently noticed a few little black drops as well. Finally put her in the shop and its $3500 USD to fix. Valve cover gasket and a trans gasket somewhere. I didn't ask too many questions cause its covered by the extended warranty.

2009 35is with 50k miles, 1,200 a year for my 2 years.

"red dripping" ???????
Seems there are a lot of these gasket issues with Z4's.

Busterboo · Post by **Busterboo** » Thu May 16, 2019 9:43 am

step_change wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2019 8:39 am
Busterboo wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2019 12:23 am It should be easy enough to see if the oil's coming from the DCT sump plate, shouldn't it?
I can't properly get under the car to look.

Lie on your side, head on the ground, use a torch and you'll see where it is. Then, obviously, just identify if the location of the drips is the same as the DCT plate.

Whatever, a couple of drips ain't going to kill the car and you're going to have to go to a garage, anyway.

R.E92 · Post by **R.E92** » Thu May 16, 2019 10:06 am

The valve cover and the DCT sump are two very common leaks.

Valve cover is the easiest to eliminate as this comes from the top of the engine and drips down the rear. If you remove the engine cover you can inspect the entire valve cover for cracks. Do a google image search for "Cracked N54 valve cover" and look at a few pictures to give yourself an indication of what to look for. Oil pooling around where the injectors and coils go into the engine is common.

The only other common leak would be at the turbo air intake. Oil blow-by collects in the intake tract and tends to pool around the lowest point which is the turbo intake. It's not really a big issue and is extremely common on engines where the turbo is mounted so low.

Z4-forum.com

Z4-forum.com