Can someone please advise the torque spec for the four bolts the mount the engine support to the engine block? Also, is there supposed to be any thread sealant used in this location?
I've been chasing an oil leak on the passenger side of my motor for some time now. While running the engine with the car up in the air, I finally found that oil was bubbling out from the lower two engine support mounting bolts. I can also see a telltale sign of oil running down and back from this location. I don't recall removing this support arm previously but, I might have loosened the bolts when replacing the engine mounts.
Thanks in advance for any help.
-JohnK
2000 M Roadster
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Sorry don't have a manual to look up the spec right now. It's been a long time, but I don't recall those holes being open to an oil passage. You may have more of a problem than a simple re-torque.
Good luck.
Dan "PbFut" Rose
Yeah those holes should not go into an oil passage.
If the lower bolts are indeed loose, the bubbling may be a result of the oil behind the mount (from a source above, hopefully...) being squeezed out as the engine is running and shaking the arm. If so, I would remove the arm, clean the oil from underneath and off the threads, then re-tighten. I don't use a torque spec for those personally, just very tight.
Is there oil under the driver's side mount only, or under the pass side mounting arm too? I assume you have checked all other obvious sources of leaks (VCG, OFHG, etc)
Last edited by BimmerBreaker; 06-17-2019 at 05:25 PM.
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Oil under passenger side only. Drivers side is dry. I replaced the valve cover gasket fairly recently and is bone dry. Based on the general location of the leak, I had expected it to be the timing chain tensioner but, that's dry too. All the other common leaks (oil filter housing gasket, dip stick grommet, oil pan gasket, etc.) were done as part of other recent projects. I wouldn't believe it either if I didn't see oil bubbling from those lower bolts with my own eyes.
Edit: I'm not that good with the TIS, but, looks like the M8 8.8 bolts call for 24 Nm which, is not much at all.
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...ations/5gDQK89
Last edited by killeen_john; 06-17-2019 at 06:59 PM. Reason: Added TIS info
Twenty-three Newton-Metres, off the top of my head (that's the value for nearly all the M8 bolts on your car; something like 18 Ft-Lbs, if you subscribe to that sort of thing.
Do verify that the cap for the timing chain tensioner is tight__32 mm wrench required; I tighten that on nearly every car that comes in here (just like torquing the upper strut bearing nuts__they're ALWAYS less than tight__23 Nm for them too).
You guys were right as per usual. I removed the bolts and the threads had no oil on them. The oil leak must be from above the engine support bracket.
The valve cover gasket is dry so, not sure what is going on here. The search continues
Sorry, I forgot to mention that I snugged that down too. I'll run it up in the air again tomorrow and see if still leaking. Thanks again for the help.
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