Is my oil pan/sump leaking?

B

bearded_ed

Member
So I had my car on a lift for the first time since getting it late summer 2019. Mainly because I could and wanted to see how she looked.

I popped off the little sump plug cover to get a better look at the bottom of the engine and noticed a reasonable amount of oil coverage.

It's worth noting that I have had the low oil light come on twice in my ownership and I have probably only done 3000 miles at most. Both times I filled it up assuming that my engine just burned oil!

Perhaps it does... Perhaps its also falling out the bottom. I know its not coming from the valve cover gasket because I replaced that whilst attempting to get at the vanos orings last year.

From the pics I'm pretty sure that the gasket is dead in the sump/pan?
 

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That looks pretty oily everywhere, give it a blast with some degreasing agent to clean it up & look again after a run out.
It should be easier to pinpoint :thumbsup:
Rob
 
Have a look around the top end, particularly around the oil filter housing. If you have oil that’s collected in the waffle structure then your oil filter housing gasket needs replacing. (Note, this is not the round oil filter gasket although check that too).
Feel at the back of the engine directly underneath the seam where head meets block. This is usually where oil collects and drips down when your valve cover gasket is leaking.
Check also for an engine/gearbox main seal leak.
As Smartbear suggests scrub off existing residue with a brush and engine degreaser if you can’t trace back the leak.

Check also for any signs of corrosion on the brake lines while you’re under there.

Good luck!
 
I'd say from that picture yes, bmw gaskets of this era are made from recycled sweetie wrappers in my experience, the sump ones are usually the last to go but they are messy, had mine replaced at cost of £250, sub frame has to come out a bit to do the job so I didnt fancy it myself
 
I'm tempted to say no. There's oil above the oil pan gasket line, and it looks like the side of the engine with the oil filter housing gasket. So I'd suggest having a look if there are any leaks around your oil filter housing first.

If not, clean that oil leak as best as you can and observe.
 
Thank you all for the replies.

It is on the passenger side (UK, left) that it is seeming to be leaking. Is that the oil filter housing side? Sorry haven't done a change yet so don't know what side that is!

Either way what I'll do for now is get under there again and clean it up.

Does the subframe really have to drop to get at it?? It looked like I'd be able to undo all the bolts, drop it a tad, pull out the gasket and put the new one in.
 
If you drop the sump you will be able to put your gasket on. My sump rusted though and I had to take it off. [good fun. ] and put a new one on. If your sump is OK you should not have to touch the sub frame
 
weegeoff said:
If you drop the sump you will be able to put your gasket on. My sump rusted though and I had to take it off. [good fun. ] and put a new one on. If your sump is OK you should not have to touch the sub frame
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That does sound fun :D
Great thanks. If it turns out it's that leaking. I'll just replace it that way.
 
thing about the oil filter housing gasket is it is very obvious if thats leaking as it pools around the filter cap so you should be well aware if its coming from there
 
mr.tourette said:
thing about the oil filter housing gasket is it is very obvious if thats leaking as it pools around the filter cap so you should be well aware if its coming from there
Click to expand...

So I went out and had a look. Seems dry as a bone.
 

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If its dry up top then it looks like the sump gasket is the source, if you are going to replace it please do a how to thread so we can see how you do it.
 
20200213_203110.jpg
bearded_ed said:
mr.tourette said:
thing about the oil filter housing gasket is it is very obvious if thats leaking as it pools around the filter cap so you should be well aware if its coming from there
Click to expand...

So I went out and had a look. Seems dry as a bone.
Click to expand...
20200213_195643.jpg
The black plastic cap (A) is indeed the oil filter and does have a rubber o-ring seal which should be changed annually along with the filter itself. However, this is the 'tip of the iceberg' as it were of the oil filter housing itself. The OFH is actually a very large complicated alloy casting that is also the main bracket for the alternator
This casting bolts to the block and is sealed with a rubber gasket which hardens with age, fractures and then leaks oil all down the block. I am fairly certain it will be this that is causing your leak. Your photos of an oily block and sump look exactly as mine did a year or two back when my OFH gasket gave up the ghost.
It is quite difficult to see directly if the OFHG is leaking as it is completely hidden from view and the oil will collect in the cast webs on the block itself before running down. Get a telescopic inspection mirror or a mirror and a torch and you will probably be able to see the oily mess in all the cast webbing down the gap at red B.
It is actually quite a straight forward fix but is fairly time consuming as you need to remove the alternator before being able to remove the OFH itself. Not my photos, but you get the gist :thumbsup: Oil_Filter_Housing_BMW_BavAuto.jpg20200213_194238.jpg20200213_194418.jpghqdefault.jpg
 
patriot66 said:
20200213_203110.jpg
bearded_ed said:
mr.tourette said:
thing about the oil filter housing gasket is it is very obvious if thats leaking as it pools around the filter cap so you should be well aware if its coming from there
Click to expand...

So I went out and had a look. Seems dry as a bone.
Click to expand...
20200213_195643.jpg
The black plastic cap (A) is indeed the oil filter and does have a rubber o-ring seal which should be changed annually along with the filter itself. However, this is the 'tip of the iceberg' as it were of the oil filter housing itself. The OFH is actually a very large complicated alloy casting that is also the main bracket for the alternator
This casting bolts to the block and is sealed with a rubber gasket which hardens with age, fractures and then leaks oil all down the block. I am fairly certain it will be this that is causing your leak. Your photos of an oily block and sump look exactly as mine did a year or two back when my OFH gasket gave up the ghost.
It is quite difficult to see directly if the OFHG is leaking as it is completely hidden from view and the oil will collect in the cast webs on the block itself before running down. Get a telescopic inspection mirror or a mirror and a torch and you will probably be able to see the oily mess in all the cast webbing down the gap at red B.
It is actually quite a straight forward fix but is fairly time consuming as you need to remove the alternator before being able to remove the OFH itself. Not my photos, but you get the gist :thumbsup: Oil_Filter_Housing_BMW_BavAuto.jpg20200213_194238.jpg20200213_194418.jpghqdefault.jpg
Click to expand...

Excellent post there mate thank you. I'll go raid the other half's makeup mirrors, some tape and a stick on my next day off..... :?
 
Every time I come on this site you all seem to have issues with 3.0 and above you don’t get many 2.0 guys on here with issues. I don’t have any issues with mine. I am the proud owner of a 07 face lift Z4 :driving: :thumbsup: my everyday drive. I will now remove myself from this site. Sorry you have an oil leak.
 
must just be the si engines that pool around the cap as that looks very different to my oil filter area, as patriot says have a look further down, if its still dry down around the housing gasket area its almost certainly going to be the sump gasket
 
mr.tourette said:
must just be the si engines that pool around the cap as that looks very different to my oil filter area, as patriot says have a look further down, if its still dry down around the housing gasket area its almost certainly going to be the sump gasket
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Ahh OK. Looking forward to having a rummage!

Mr roadster said:
Every time I come on this site you all seem to have issues with 3.0 and above you don’t get many 2.0 guys on here with issues. I don’t have any issues with mine. I am the proud owner of a 07 face lift Z4 :driving: :thumbsup: my everyday drive. I will now remove myself from this site. Sorry you have an oil leak.
Click to expand...
Heh, we're all in the same car at the end of the day... some just go faster! :driving:
 
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