pic- what is this part?... it's leaking oil BAD!

[Jasonb1971]

There's a black plastic part connected directly to the head (M50 motor btw). It must be a sensor or something like that because it has a wire coming from it. See it next to that round vanos thingy? Anyway it's leaking oil pretty bad and I can't find info about it in my Bentley manual.
HELP!

Barker

http://www.dtmpower.net/ppost2/data/500/1008413oil_leak_near_vanos.jpg

[ArcticFox]

I thought that was part of the EGR system? EGR valve? That would be my guess...

edit: Not..upon reflection...I think it is the PVC valve or connector, not EGR...positive crankcase ventilation.

[madsedan]

I agree, I think its the crank ventilation system. Did you over fill the oil? Might be a sign of bad valve cover gasket. Check your spark plug wells to see if you have oil in there as well.

[Jasonb1971]

The head was off a couple months ago. I'll take it back to the shop and see if it was something they did. I was just hoping that it was something simple that I could fix.
Barker

[chas]

Sometimes they get gunked up and clogged. This should be a cheap replacement part.
Chas

[Jasonb1971]

Also... is there anything wrong with running around with the two plastic covers off the motor for a few days? Are they just for looks and dust and to keep water out of the spark plug wells?
Barker

[madsedan]

Thats fine, many of the E36 people don't have those "dust caps" anyway.

[///M3CosmosJoe]

I had a lot of leaking on my M3. Replaced the spark plugs and noticed a little oil on 4 of the 6 plugs. Replaced the gasket and problem solved. I'd start by checking the plugs, if nothing you could always clean all around the engine. When the leak pops up again, it will be easily found. Good luck!

[Larry F.]

Jason:

Your first instinct was correct - the device you are pointing to IS a sensor - it is your cam position sensor. Kind of unlikely to be a leak itself, in that it is not in contact with oil under pressure, but hard to say. Clean it all up and look for where the oil is coming from, as opposed to where it is ending up.

Good luck!

[Jasonb1971]

Thanks for the help guys. The oil is coming directly from that sensor, it's as obvious as can be. I'll take it back to the shop that performed my head work, see what they can do.

Barker

[MegaJP]

I am about to replace my Valve Cover Gaskets as well having found oil in the 4th spark plug well last week like CosmosJoe. Does anyone know what a leaky gasket would affect besides losing some oil? Also, where did you get your gaskets from?

[Jasonb1971]

**Update**
Larry F. was right, it was my cam position sensor. I replaced the o-ring in less than 10 minutes and BINGO... oil leak solved!


Ahhh, much happier now!

[Larry F.]

Hey, Jason!

Glad the fix was easy! Was there an o-ring at all under the sensor? With no oil pressure behind it, pretty weird that it would fail . . .

Just curious . . .

[Larry F.]

MegaJP:

The leaking gaskets are mostly a messy (and smelly, if the drips fall on the exhaust) problem. I would take a *lot* of oil to "drown" a sparkplug, but I imagine it could happen.

I have had great service and prices from Pelican - take a look at:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/index.htm

No affiliation, ownership, yada, yada.

Have fun!

[Jasonb1971]

LarryF., right again, there actually was no o-ring at all. The shop that rebuilt my head forgot to put one on!

Last year I had a severely leaking valve cover gasket on this same car that allowed oil into a spark plug well which eventually led to a misfire. I imagine is messed up the rubber boot and somehow allowed the spark to find a different path or none at all.

Barker

[Larry F.]

Jason:

Thanks for the additional comments - I had heard that a lot of oil could lead to misfires, but that was a bit of a head-scratcher for me: oil is a darn good insulator. In fact, many old-fashioned transformers and other heat-producing electronic components were oil-bathed for cooling. Maybe the contaminated oil from an engine is less of an insulator?

Whatever!

[Jasonb1971]

maybe the oil softened the boot and the wire became loose and disconnected from the plug? I dunno, I'm with you, I would think that you could baptize the plug well in oil and, though messy, the plug should still fire fine.
Oh well.