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Thread: BMW 318 C i (e46) oil leak

  1. #1
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    BMW 318 C i (e46) oil leak

    Hello everyone, Mark from Rome.
    From today I am a member. I bought a BMW 318 coupe '((E46) and I am struggling with an oil leak that smears the engine under the intake manifold and goes on to the service belt. All this not from engine cold, but after 10 miles resulting in the smell of oil burned I thought it was the oil filter seals (I have changed the seals) but the loss continues, then I thought it was the crankshaft seal, (I will replace tomorrow) just to travel to the exclusion of problems. Otherwise, the problem could be the oil catch can unit...
    any idea?
    Many thanks for your help

  2. #2
    dworthy's Avatar
    dworthy is offline Wagon meister :) BMW Tech Expert
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    Welcome to the Forum!

    There are two different motors that the 318CI came with: N46 and the N42. Please post up the year of the car so we can know which one.

    Well the first step is to clean the motor. You cannot find a leak when there is oil all over the motor. It will help to remove the lower engine cover, so you can see where it is dripping too, just make sure to put some cardboard down to catch the oil.
    Darin
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  3. #3
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    Please do kit replace the front crank seal. It’s likely not the cause. Follow Darin’s advice. Throwing parts at the problem wastes money, doesn’t fix the problem and it angers the BMW goddesses.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by dworthy View Post
    Welcome to the Forum!

    There are two different motors that the 318CI came with: N46 and the N42. Please post up the year of the car so we can know which one.

    Well the first step is to clean the motor. You cannot find a leak when there is oil all over the motor. It will help to remove the lower engine cover, so you can see where it is dripping too, just make sure to put some cardboard down to catch the oil.
    Hello everyone and many thanks for reply :-)
    the BMW engine type is N42. I have cleaning engine from the oil, but back in the garage, already oil under the intake manifold and belt pulleys.
    Thank You

  5. #5
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    Hello everyone and many thanks for reply
    The engine type is N42. I have cleaning the engine from oil leak, but back in my garage, already oil leak under intake manifold and belt pulleys. I think, a tube of the oil separator system, could be broken. The oil is lost when hot engine
    Thank You.
    Mark
    Last edited by Jacspeed; 01-22-2018 at 09:40 AM.

  6. #6
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    Probably the oil filter housing gasket between the block and filter housing. Maybe if you are lucky it's just the o ring on the filter cap.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by randy72877 View Post
    Probably the oil filter housing gasket between the block and filter housing. Maybe if you are lucky it's just the o ring on the filter cap.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

    Hello
    Done, first job on engine, two gasket on housing filter

    thanks

  8. #8
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    Hello, thanks
    N42 engine type.
    I would like to disassemble intake manifold, to gain access to the oil catch can system, but unfortunately I don't have much time, then next week will go to BMW SERVICE Garage.

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