OIL LEAK!!! can i unscrew this?

[leeparkes]

Hi
need a bit of advice
brought my new e30 325ise 88 a couple of weeks ago and today was the day to sort the oil leak out,
i knew it was coming from the oil filter area,so cleaned around it,fired it up and waited for the drips,
the car has an oil cooler so i was expecting it to come from the pipe unions or the filter seal itself,
the leak is coming from underneath the oil filter housing out of what looks like some sort of drain plug!
the question is how do i sort this leak?
can i undo this plug? (or is it a plug)
and what happens when i do undo it (ie will i get a face full of oil)
please help coz missis is goin nut about oil on the drive!
thanks

[Chris-W]

It's a common failing point - ask ZimmerBimmer1 in the Gen parts section for the re-build kit

[andyd]

alrit fella
sounds lik you had the same torture i had.is this at the bottom of the housing stits in bit and and cross on it.
if so best bet is to undo the filter housing.by disconnecting the oil cooler houses and the 17mm nut that holds the housing to the block.thers a spring clip that holds this in.pop it and you`l find a o ring.replacement kit from your local stealers is 5 quid hopefully this solve the prob and most all keep the missis happy.
c how you get on

[StuBeeDoo]

It's the oil thermostat. Common fault on 325i's. There's a repair kit available from the $tealers, it's not too expensive - under a tenner IIRC. It's held in the housing by a circlip.
HTH
Stuart.

[leeparkes]

thanks guys
much appreciated!!!!

[k10]

Yes getting chat circlip out it fun, use some snipe nose pliers to squeeze the prongs together and out she comes with a spring and a copper temperature sensor thingy for the oil cooler and some oil ! Just replace the bush (few quid from BMW, might as well get a new clip as well whuilst your there. The hardest part is compressing the spring back on refit... Just a bit fiddly...

[StuBeeDoo]

The job's a lot easier with the adapter off and in a vice.

[bodger]

get old one out, push new one in, cut sweeping brush handle to correct length to hold it in place, lower jack slightly to push new fitting in, fit circlip, easy

[bodger]

did you sort this mate and did your sweeping brush survive

[leeparkes]

hi
i havent really been using the car mate,but it is high on my "to do list"
im not sure what route to take,i dont want to take the housing off the car
thought about a g-clamp
thanks for asking
lee

[bodger]

its easy enough to push in its just fiddly trying to get the retaining clip on, expect some oil to come out when the old one is removed

[leeparkes]

Now fixed!
i done it whilst housing was still fixed to the car,i used a set of quick grips (similar to g-clamp but quicker)
pushed the plug in then got a 10mm deep socket on the end and held in place with the quick grips,put the circlip on with long nose pliers,fired up checked for leaks,
job done in under an hour!
thanks for your help