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Thread: oil leak - oil pan gasket?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Dayton, OH
    Posts
    850
    My Cars
    '82 528eeeeeeeee

    oil leak - oil pan gasket?

    i searched around and there arnt very many threads concerning oil pan gaskets. im pretty sure mine is leaking but its up on jack stands and i cant drive it somewhere to clean the exhaust side of the engine and drive it to see where the leak is coming from.

    is there anything on the exhaust side of the engine that can leak oil? the mess starts a few inches below the exhaust manifold, covers most of the block and all the way down the oil pan, but only on the one side. its a very slow leak (or at least while parked) and doesnt drip much. i had a piece of cardboard under it for a week and there was only 5 dime sized drops.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Glendale, CA
    Posts
    611
    My Cars
    '78 320i
    I have what sounds like a very similar issue. Could not figure out where it was coming from, changed my valve cover gasket, but didn't help. Just found yesterday what looks to be oil leaking from the oil pressure sensor. Looks like it's coming down from the back of the motor and soaking the exhaust side of my block.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Dayton, OH
    Posts
    850
    My Cars
    '82 528eeeeeeeee
    ill have to see if i have a mess near there too... i just didnt think it was to far fetched that when driving the oil could blow higher than the pan gasket but again, there is literally no complaints of them going bad or being a common issue..

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Mills River, NC
    Posts
    3,958
    My Cars
    '82 E21 320i
    Top sources:
    Oil pressure switch (make sure it has a good copper washer and re-torque it)
    Distrbutor Shaft (rubber O-ring dries up)
    Gasket for distributor mount on back of block.
    Lastly, one or two of the exhaust manifold studs actually protrude all the way into the head. Should the become loose, they'll let oil seep out, too.
    Eric P.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Dayton, OH
    Posts
    850
    My Cars
    '82 528eeeeeeeee
    Quote Originally Posted by pommeree View Post
    Top sources:
    Oil pressure switch (make sure it has a good copper washer and re-torque it)
    Distrbutor Shaft (rubber O-ring dries up)
    Gasket for distributor mount on back of block.
    Lastly, one or two of the exhaust manifold studs actually protrude all the way into the head. Should the become loose, they'll let oil seep out, too.
    thanks for the list. all of those seem much more likely than the pan gasket. i do have just a bit of oil around one exhaust manifold bolt also. my leak is pretty nasty. not a lot of oil is leaking at once, but its everywhere. i think the most likely culprit is the dizzy gasket.

    heres a the list with links to realoem.com for future searches.
    distributor gasket: #1
    oil pressure switch: #12
    http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...01&hg=12&fg=05

    dizzy shaft o'ring: #20
    http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...14&hg=12&fg=05

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    westminster, colorado
    Posts
    71
    My Cars
    1982 320i

    oil leak

    i have had that leak in the same area for quite a while, always thought it was my oil pressure switch or dizzy housing too but i just tore the engine apart and found that my head was cracked above cylinder #1. the crack originated from the top of the head to halfway down into the spark plug cavity. i hope yours turns out differently but you might want to check.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Dayton, OH
    Posts
    850
    My Cars
    '82 528eeeeeeeee
    did it run with the crack?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    westminster, colorado
    Posts
    71
    My Cars
    1982 320i
    yes, it ran fine. it was a hairline crack which was not even visible. since it ran from the valve cover down all it did was leak oil under pressure, no head gasket failure. I have seen this same crack on 2 m10 heads so i imagine it could likely be a weak spot.
    Last edited by jayona; 04-09-2010 at 12:13 AM. Reason: elaboration

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