has your e30 ever leaked a little oil?? help please guys

Post Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:37 pm

my engine is running fine, the gearbox feels great...but when park up over night my 320i is leaking oil - it leaves about a 4cm in diameter patch in 12 hours.

are there any common problems that lead to this, i am getting it looked at, but dont want to be stitched up into paying lots....

cheers for any help

Post Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:49 pm

Leaks can be difficult to detect without getting the affected area cleaned to pinpont the leak. One possibility might be the oil sump gasket.

Post Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:11 pm

Yeah you would need to clean all the underneath then you would be able to see where the run is coming from.
Thats what i would do anyway.

Post Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:14 pm

The M20 is common for leaking from the sump gasket, it's because the engine is on a tilt thus the gasket become's supple and leak's

Post Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:39 pm

Depends on what engine you have.
Some (325 - not sure about 320's) have an oil control valve near the filter.
The gasket in this can leak. It is a fairly simple and inexpensive fix.

G

Post Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:29 am

to be honest with you, as brian moooore says " an m20 with no oil leaks is an m20 with no oil in it"

as long as it isnt drinking say 5 litres every 1000 miles, and there is no oil in the coolant tank, I wouldnt worry too much.

however, as said-some time cleaning it up to see where the leak is would be a good idea

Post Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:16 pm

ok, cheers guys....

just to expand the topic slightly,

my coolant light has come on, and after i ragged it once

last week, there was a claer/yellowy liquid that appeared to have been squirted out of something at the front of the engine bay....

what do you think?

Post Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:19 pm

Is it translucent, or a bit like condensed chicken soup?

Post Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:48 pm

I had something siilar on 325 sport - turned out to be leaking from the distributor gasket. the oil was mot as much as you have but clean off engine and then go for run amd look to the front of the engine
Ian

Post Thu Jul 27, 2006 12:55 pm

Chris-W wrote:Is it translucent, or a bit like condensed chicken soup?

yeah, smeltl plasticy/fishy??

im putting the car in this weekend for a check up, cheer guys

Post Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:12 pm

i've had an oil leak on my car for year, so far hasnt given any problems. Long as its not a huge leak, and not leaking while driving!