Oil Stand Gasket?

[zork]

Hi, I'm a new E46 M3 owner. I bought my M3 in November 2019. I've been wrenching on cars for a long time. After I bought the car it was throwing codes and it was apparent that the VANOS needed repair. I worked with Mike Cotter (https://naturallyagitated.com/) and swapped out the old VANOS for Mike's Stage II VANOS. I timed it and put it all back together and it runs great! Thanks Mike!

Now I'm dealing with a number of oil leaks. The previous owner had a shop work on the car and I was able to get their diagnosis of what they found. In the writeup they stated, "Timing cover and chain tensioner are no longer leaking but the engine oil stand gasket is leaking (not addressed at this service)." Does anyone know what is an "oil stand gasket"? I've been searching the internet but no luck so far.

I see oil dripping from right under the A/C compressor (passenger side of the car). It looks like it's on the block as well. I'm using an inspection mirror and can see some wetness on the lower timing chain cover but really can't find the source. Could it be the Oil Filter Housing gasket?

Thanks in advance!

[AJe31]

It's the weakness of BMW's design philosophy....a $4 o ring with 6 or 7 zig zags that is flat and baked and lost its will to seal. I did wifey's '02 (non M3) five years or so ago...the oil leak was surprisngly "massive".
Follow the oil filter/cannister "mount stand" down to where it joins the block. That mount gets unbolted to expose the o ring...Everything on Driver side of car has to come out.. including unbolting the lower pump at bottom of block (power steering from memory).
Looks like there is a youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlHaqtVMMn8- I did not view it...
It is easy to do..just time consuming.

Aj's Dad

[MauiM3Mania]

OP, yes... it's aka Oil Filter Housing gasket.

[zork]

Thanks Aj's Dad and MauiM3Mania! I watched the video. My leak is dripping on the passenger side and the Oil Filter Housing is on the driver's side of the engine. Just wondering if the Oil Filter Housing is leaking I would expect to see it drip on the driver's side?

[dworthy]

The most common place for the S-54 to leak on the passenger side is the constant pressure valve. It will be located between the #5 and #6 cylinder looking like a big flat head.

It will be #10 here: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_2988

It will like to leak around the o-ring, another 25 cent piece.

Also if that's not it, clean the block and follow any traces of oil after a drive.

[AJe31]

#10 above...looks like a better project!

Agree you need to see where it is leaking from...compressor is far from the stand.
I recall finding/seeing the stand leak with light prior to starting...

[zork]

I believe CPV o-ring is leaking as well. The major leak is in the front of the engine dripping off A/C compressor. It appears to be leaking where the lower timing chain cover meets the block. It's very difficult to see. I have an inspection mirror right by the pressure accumulator and I can see some wetness.

[zork]

UPDATE: I replaced the VANOS oil line from the pressure accumulator with OEM BMW line and replaced the chain tensioner with OEM BMW part. The CPV was NOT leaking. The oil was seeping from the back left corner of the valve cover and running down onto the exhaust. I did a valve adjustment and replaced the valve cover gasket. That seems to be holding (for now). I still have the oil leak in the front of the engine dripping off A/C compressor. I had a BMW mechanic look at it and he saw oil welling up where the lower timing chain cover meets the block under the VANOS. It's very difficult to tell if that is the source. I'm still wondering if the Oil Filter Housing could be the source? Still looking...

[eacmen]

UPDATE: I replaced the VANOS oil line from the pressure accumulator with OEM BMW line and replaced the chain tensioner with OEM BMW part. The CPV was NOT leaking. The oil was seeping from the back left corner of the valve cover and running down onto the exhaust. I did a valve adjustment and replaced the valve cover gasket. That seems to be holding (for now). I still have the oil leak in the front of the engine dripping off A/C compressor. I had a BMW mechanic look at it and he saw oil welling up where the lower timing chain cover meets the block under the VANOS. It's very difficult to tell if that is the source. I'm still wondering if the Oil Filter Housing could be the source? Still looking...

Get an inspection mirror and look at the VANOS mounting bolts that go into the head. Since you just did VANOS (Mike@NA did mine as well), its a common place for a leak. Most often though its the exhaust side bottom VANOS bolt that leaks.

OFHG is not a common failure on the S54. I would double check that its actually leaking before digging into it. There is another tensioner bolt on the intake side that has been known to back out.

[zork]

Get an inspection mirror and look at the VANOS mounting bolts that go into the head. Since you just did VANOS (Mike@NA did mine as well), its a common place for a leak. Most often though its the exhaust side bottom VANOS bolt that leaks.

OFHG is not a common failure on the S54. I would double check that its actually leaking before digging into it. There is another tensioner bolt on the intake side that has been known to back out.

Thanks! I'll take a closer look under the VANOS. There are 5 bolts that hold the VANOS to the head and the torque specs are 7 ft-lb (10 Nm), which isn't much. I wonder if they loosened up? I'll report back...